New products are always fun to get in stock, it keeps things fresh and fun. Currently, we are in the midst of adding several new products lines, which means we get to think up fun descriptions and creative ways to use each item. Heat-resistant clear covers is a new section for our website, one that rounds out our covers section nicely. We already have a huge selection of clear covers. What sets these ones apart is the little adjective “heat-resistant.”

“Heat resistant” is an excellent choice for use with a thermal binding machine. If you have multiple machines, you could use this one cover in your comb, coil, wire, or thermal machine. The plastic won’t curl or discolor during the binding process. Even better, you can create your own beautiful title page and show it off when you use this cover. Choose from a variety of sizes in 5mil, 7mil, or 10mil.

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School budgets have been taking hits for what seems like quite a while now and things have only gotten worse since the economic crisis hit. Consequently, more and more schools are having to adjust their budgets and look for ways to save money. Perhaps yours is one of them. If so, one way to cut costs is by binding your own yearbooks. This will save you the major cost of having a third party print them and it’s also a good way to get your students involved in an extracurricular activity that will look good on their college applications. While there are many different binding methods available, thermal binding tends to be the best when it comes to making yearbooks. This is because it’s fast, easy, and will give the books secure bindings that will last throughout the years. Here are a few tips you can use so you and your students can successfully bind your yearbooks.

1. Choose a good thermal binding machine. If your school doesn’t already have a thermal binding device, you’re going to need one. The good news is that there are some really terrific ones on the market from reputable manufacturers including Pro-Bind, Unibind, and Fellowes. You’ll want to look for a machine that warms up quickly, can bind more than one book at a time, and is durably built. It also doesn’t hurt to look for a device with a good warranty so you can save yourself money in case any problems arise.
2. Order your covers. After you’ve decided on a machine, you’ll need to order your binding covers. Thermal binding covers come in varying thicknesses with the largest ones being 2” thick. Many colors are available including black, blue, and red, and both softcover and hardback varieties can be purchased. Chances are you’ll want to customize the covers at least a little bit. Luckily, they can be be foil-stamped or even offset printed. In order to keep costs low, keep in mind that the more the covers need to be customized, the more expensive they’ll be.
3. Get ready to bind. One way to lower costs is by printing out the yearbook pages on your school’s photocopier or laser printer. This will also allow you to choose if you want the books’ pages to be in color or gray scale. Once the pages are all printed out, you and your students can get ready to bind. Make sure the binding machine is turned on so it has ample time to warm up, if necessary. You can then stick the pages of your documents in the thermal binding covers. Just make sure all of the pages are flush and in contact with the adhesive in the spine. This ensures the documents will be securely bound.
4. Bind your yearbooks. Now that you’re ready, the yearbooks can be bound. Just stick them in your thermal binding machine and when they’re done, move them to the device’s cooling rack. Depending on the size of your device and the thickness of the books, you’ll probably be able to bind more than one at a time so you can get the job done faster. A typical thermal binding cycle only lasts a couple of minutes but it can add up when your have a lot of documents to assemble. You can have the students work in shifts so that they don’t get fatigued.
5. Finish things up. After the yearbooks have been bound, make sure they cool off for a few minutes. When the time is up, you can tap each book against a hard surface to settle the contents. At that point, you’re all done! Feel free to step back and admire the great job you and your students did.

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There are many different kind of offices machines that make life easier for millions of professionals all over the country. Whether it’s a computer or fax machine, photocopier or printer, office machines enable people to get their work done quickly. One type of office device that gets used frequently but is rarely discussed is the binding machine. Binding machines enable workers to produce professional-looking bound documents for a variety of different uses (i.e. meetings, sales materials, employee handbooks, etc.). There are different types of these devices available including plastic comb (one of the world’s most popular bookbinding methods), twin-loop wire, thermal, spiral, and so on. This Hub is about some of the most prominent binding machine manufacturers so you can become familiar with them and the types of products they make.

• Digital Finishing Group. This is a pretty new company that’s also known as DFG and they’ve been putting out some really terrific products such as the PC200, a color coil binding machine. All of DFG’s products are well-constructed and easy to use, so they’re great for both beginners and more experienced users.
• General Binding Corporation. In the binding machine world, GBC is the undisputed leader. This company got its start way back in the 1940′s and is currently based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. GBC produces various types of binding machines including VeloBind devices which utilize hot knife-technology to create securely bound documents. However, the company is most famous for their plastic comb binding machines. In fact, comb binding is sometimes referred to as GBC binding because of the numerous machines and supplies the company produces. Plastic comb binding is great for lots of different types of documents, plus it’s inexpensive and easy to do, hence its popularity. In addition to their comb binding machines, GBC makes twin-loop wire and spiral devices. They also offer a ProClick lineup of machines that are compatible with ProClick supplies. ProClick spines stand out because they can be re-opened so you can edit your documents at a later date. Since GBC makes so many different types of products, they’re definitely a go-to name for people interested in bookbinding.
• Fellowes. Fellowes is another company that’s been around for a long time, having been started by one Henry Fellowes in 1917. Initially, the company became famous for its high-quality Banker’s Boxes. Over the years, they’ve expanded their product lineup to include various office supplies (paper cutters, mousepads), laminators, paper shredders, and binding machines. Fellowes always seems to be putting out new devices such as the Helios 60, a thermal binder that can handle documents that are up to 600 pages long. The company makes a nice assortment of plastic comb and wire binding machines as well, and these machines have become a hit with offices across the country. Many of these devices have whimsical names such as the Starlet and the Galaxy, both of which are plastic comb binders. Fellowes also makes a terrific assortment of bookbinding supplies including wire spines and thermal covers.
• Fastback. Fastback binding machines are made by Powis Parker, a company that’s headquartered in Berkeley, California. Fastback devices can provide either tape or perfect binding, so you’ll be able to create high-quality documents that look like they could be sold in a bookstore. This company’s products include the Fastback 15xs which can bind a document in less than 40 seconds. It’s compatible with many of the supplies the company manufactures including their Perfectback strips which can be used to create paperback books. Fastback even makes a lineup of foil printers so you can give your documents a unique look. These machines, such as the FoilFast Printer, can print directly on to your documents which makes using them very convenient. Fastback machines deserve some consideration if you really want to impress your readers with professional-looking books.
• Rhin-O-Tuff. Durability is definitely a feature you should look for when choosing a binding machine. Rhin-O-Tuff, a manufacturer that’s based in Boise, Idaho, makes extremely durable machines that can stand the test of time. The products made by this company are great for busy workplaces that bind a lot of documents on a regular basis. Also, the machines tend to be modular so you can pick and choose different devices to make an entire binding system. While Rhin-O-Tuff doesn’t make thermal binders, it does make devices for just about every other binding method.
• Tamerica. If you want a binding machine of the highest quality, check out the products that are manufactured by Tamerica. This company has operating since 1985 and sells their products throughout the United States and even Latin America. Tamerica makes machines that can be used for a number of bookbinding methods including plastic comb, wire, and SecureBind which is essentially the same as VeloBind. The company even makes some modular products such as the Duramax, which is a modular punch with interchangeable punching dies.

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People are always impressed by hardcover documents whether it’s a new novel from a best-selling author or a year-end financial report. Typically, you need to use a thermal binding machine in order to create hardcover books since most of the covers available for punch-and-bind methods are either made out of thin paper or plastic. However, you can instead choose to use Akiles Klassik covers. Here is some information about these covers and how to use them:

• Klassik covers are 8.75” x 11.25” and they can be used with documents of any length. They have a traditional cloth-like finish and are available in three colors: maroon, navy, and black.
• These covers can be used with the following binding methods: plastic comb, coil, wire, and GBC ZipBind and ProClick. They can also be used with three-ring binders. However, since the covers are fairly thick you can’t punch them with your modular punch or binding machine. You need to have the covers pre-punched before you can use them. Also, if you want to give your Klassic covers a special look, they can be foil stamped and/or have windows cut into them.
• When you are ready to bind, just add front and back covers to your document. Make sure your binding implement is large enough to accommodate the pages and covers, while still allowing the pages to turn freely. Bind the document as you normally would. That’s all there is to it.

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Although binding your documents is the best way to make them look professional, the sad thing is that many binding supplies simply aren’t eco-friendly. However, there are some greener supplies available and there are a few ways you can make the process more eco-friendly. Here are three of them:

• Use recycled paper and vegetable-based inks. Recycled paper is easy to come by these days, so it’s a great choice for your documents. Using a vegetable-based ink when printing your document is also a good idea, since this type of ink is free from nasty chemicals.
• Use eco-friendly binding implements. Eco-friendly binding supplies are becoming more common, so binding your work doesn’t need to be damaging to the environment. For example, you can use Eco-Coil spines with your coil binding machine. These coils are made from 100% post-consumer content and they can be recycled after use.
• Use paper covers. Although plastic covers look great, they can be hard to recycle and they take years to decompose in a landfill. Therefore, using paper covers is the way to go. They’re recyclable, break down easier, and will still give your work that finishing touch.

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