Each week on Twitter, members of the print community gather together to discuss various aspects of print. Led by Deborah Corn of Print Media Centr, this weekly discussion is held every Wednesday at 1:00pm PST under the hashtag #printchat  and draws everyone from small mom and pop shops to large companies.

We were excited to be asked to cohost yesterday’s #PrintChat and created an interesting twist on a popular game show. We did our best to pick obscure binds in order to stump the players; however, each bind was successfully named. Here is a recap on each of the styles mentioned:

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It’s a well-known fact that binding your documents can make them look more professional. But what if you don’t have a binding machine? If that’s the case, don’t worry because here are three methods you can try:

• Screw posts.  Screw posts are a great choice when you don’t have a binding machine. Just punch holes in your document with a hole punch or paper drill, thread the posts through the holes, and secure them with a flat-head screwdriver. Screw posts can be used with documents up to 5” thick.
• Report covers.  If you’re in a hurry, report covers can be a lifesaver. Using clear report covers will make your work look more professional and it will make your customized title page stand out. Make sure you have some on-hand so you can bind at a moment’s notice.
• GBC ZipBind and ProClick spines.  If you have some pre-punched paper, you can use GBC ZipBind and ProClick spines. All you really need to use these supplies is the zipper-like tool that comes with with the spines to open and close them. Keep in mind that you need 19 holes in your paper for the ProClick spines and 32 holes for ZipBind supplies.

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GBC ProClick spines are popular for many reasons. For one thing, they allow you to edit your documents after binding. They can bind work that’s up to 125 pages long. And as long as you have pre-punched paper, you don’t even need a binding machine to prepare your documents. Best of all, you can save money on ProClick supplies and devices during MyBinding.com’s GBC ProClick Savings Event. Take a quick look at what’s up for grabs:

• If you need to replenish your supply of ProClick spines, now is the time to do so. We have an excellent selection available with prices starting at just $13.95 for a 25-pack of 3/16” spines.
• We have a lot of pre-punched paper so you’ll be able to bind your documents quickly and easily. We have four different weights available: 20 lb., 24lb., 28 lb., and 32 lb. Prices for a single half ream start at $10.89.
• Finally, now is a great time to invest in a ProClick machine if you don’t already have one. The P50 is perfect for spur-of-the-moment binding and is only $75.20. If you want a fancier device, you can choose between the P110 and P210E, both of which are priced to move at under $420.00.

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At some point, you’re probably going to find that you need to make changes to a document after it’s been bound. That’s why you should consider using a binding method that makes it easy to edit your work later on. Here are three options to consider:

• Plastic comb binding.  Editing a document bound with a plastic comb is incredibly easy. Just open the comb with your binding machine, add and/or subtract pages as necessary, and close the comb. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
• Wire binding.  A lot of people choose wire binding because it looks great. If you discover that you need to make changes to your bound work, just grab the loose end of the wire spine and gently pull on it. This causes the spine to unravel. After your work is edited, just re-bind the document with a new spine.
• ProClick binding.  GBC ProClick spines are a great choice if you think you’ll need to edit your document later on. All you need to do is re-open the spine with the special zipper-like tool that came with the spines. Make your changes to the document and then close the spine.

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Binding your documents is one of the best ways to make them more professional. Unfortunately, many of the most popular bookbinding methods require the use of a machine. If you don’t have one, you might feel like you’re out of luck. Luckily, that’s not the case. Here are three methods you can try:

• Use screw posts. If you have a three-hole punch, you can use screw posts. Also called Chicago screws, these implements can be threaded through the holes in your work and secured with a flat-head screwdriver. Screw posts can be up to 5” long, so they’re a great choice if you create a lot of thick documents.
• Use GBC ProClick spines. Do you like the look of traditional bookbinding methods, such as plastic comb and coil binding? Then you should consider using GBC ProClick spines. These spines look very similar to traditional binding elements, but as long as you have some pre-punched paper, you won’t need a machine to use them. ProClick spines can be used with documents that are up to 125 pages long.
• Use coil spines. Finally, coils can be used if you have paper that’s already punched. You’ll need to crimp the ends of the coil when you’re done. This is achieved by using a pair of crimping pliers. Using these pliers can be tricky, so you might need to practice a bit beforehand.

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