It s challenging enough to find the perfect way to bind all of your business documents, books, and presentations. However, when the documents that you are seeking to bind are thicker than normal, the task can be even more daunting. In the following article, we will discuss some of the various methods of binding your larger documents, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
1. By far, the least expensive method of binding thicker documents is plastic comb binding. This method is great for documents up to two inches thick. Oval combs are used to hold the pages together securely, and the pages lie flat, which makes copying and reading a breeze. All combs that are 1 1/4 and larger are oval shaped and have special locks to keep your pages from falling out if the document is picked up by the spine.
2. Double loop wire is another great method, and given the fact that a hard cover can be used, is a better choice for higher profile presentations and proposals. Usually only used for documents that are up to one and a quarter inch thick, this is nonetheless a fine choice.
3. Spiral Coil binding is probably best suited for smaller books, but it can be effectively used for documents up to one inch. Any thicker than that, and insertion becomes very tricky, and the functionality of the book suffers a bit, as it may become a little more difficult to turn the pages. The extra weight of the thicker document might tend to cause the coils to become a little misshapen. Using an oval hole pattern can help make inserting easier and will allow the pages to turn more freely when binding larger documents.
4. If the documents you are looking to bind are more than two inches thick, the only system available on the market at this time is the GBC Velobind or SureBind binding system. Some of the disadvantages of this system are that the documents that are produced do not lie flat for easy copying, and once the pages are in the book, they are impossible to change. This means that Velobind is probably not a great solution if you are producing a document that will ever need to be changed or edited. However, it is a great choice for large annual reports or legal briefs that will benefit from the security that this binding system offers.
5. If you are seeking that perfect bound look for a special production run, thermal binding might be the way to go. Thermal binding works great for books up to two inches thick, and the binding machine is very easy to use. One small drawback is that the covers can take up to two weeks to be delivered, and if you typically use more than just a couple of different sizes, the supplies can start to get expensive.
6. Unibind steel spines come in many sizes and are stocked and shipped quickly so this is a great option for your larger documents. Besides affording a unique steel spine look, Unibind machines are also extremely easy to use, requiring no special training whatsoever. Unibind spines and covers are available in sizes up to 36mm (about 1 1/2 ).
7. Screw Posts are a tried and true method for binding thicker documents, though the final result is not as high end as you might like for your more important presentations and proposals. Also known as Chicago screws, screw posts are available in sizes up to four inches, and even come with extensions, making it possible in all likelihood to bind documents that are up to five or six inches thick.
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.