If you have and use a UniBind binding system, you may find that you are having a hard time finding a place to store your supplies such as covers and spines. In creating their X Tower, UniBind has attempted to make things easier for you. The X Tower purports to be not only a storage device, but UniBind claims that it can also double as a work surface. Here we will take a look at the UniBind X Tower to help you decide if it will be a worthwhile addition to your binding process. Some of the pros and cons of the system are as follows:
Pros:
1. Looking at the pictures on the web, we were a little skeptical about the build of the X Tower. The plastic parts on top looked to us like they may prove to be a little flimsy, and the box looked like cardboard. We were very pleasantly surprised once we got our hands on it though, as the top and back are of wood construction, and the plastic parts are thick and durable. We see no reason why the X Tower wouldn t last for as long as you would need it to.
2. Given the solid construction, you will be pleased to know that the X Tower only weighs in at about thirteen pounds. Easy to move and stack.
3. Stacking the units two high creates a nice counter that you can use for assembly or you can place your UniBind machine on the top of the towers. You can place as many units as you need side by side to make as big a temporary workspace as you may need.
4. Each X Tower unit holds up to four supply boxes that can be converted to drawers when they are empty. This is a great feature for organization and convenience.
Cons:
1. Though it is not that difficult a task, you will need to assemble the towers yourself. From UniBind s standpoint, it makes sense that they should be shipped flat to reduce shipping costs and damage, but we felt like they should have mentioned somewhere in their literature that assembly was required.
2. Though, as we mentioned the units are more durable than they appeared to us, they will still need to be treated reasonably well. To increase longevity, we imagine that you will want to keep your office mates from sitting on them, or treating them too roughly in transport.
3. As the drawers are essentially slide in boxes of UniBind supplies (and are not included) you will need to buy plenty of supplies to keep the X Tower full. This may just be an aesthetic issue, but we think the tower looks better and feels more solid when there are boxes/drawers in place. Depending on how many X Towers that you own, filling all the slots can end up costing you quite a bit of money.
Recommendation:
If you are a relatively high volume UniBind user, you will undoubtedly find that the X Tower is a nice addition to your production process. It is a multi use unit, and will only take up as much room as you need, depending on the number of units you purchase. Plus, the fact that you can use them as a workspace is a big bonus.
Author Resource:
Jeff McRitchie is the designer and Director of Marketing for http://www.mybinding.com .He has written over 500 articles on binding machines,binding covers,binders,laminators,binding supplies,laminating supplies,paper handling equipments,index tabs, and shredders.