Tips For Using the Powis Parker S51 Photobook Stitcher

The Powis Parker S51 Fastback Photobook Stitcher is a unique commercial duty electric stapler specifically designed for photobook binding. The S51 is extremely easy to use and it provides the ability to use hard-to-bind coated papers for binding photobooks. This article will discuss a few tips to help you get the most out of your Fastback stitcher and will give procedures for troubleshooting the machine if it were to become jammed.

Tips for Binding with The S51

1. All paper has a grain – it is a result of the fibers that make up the paper. The grain of the paper should run parallel to the binding edge of the document. If the grain runs parallel to the long side of the sheet, the paper is “grain long”. When the grain runs parallel to the short side of the paper, it is “grain short”. A sheet of paper will naturally flex more easily along the direction of its grain. Most copy papers are grain long, so you should not have any problems with the bind. Grain long paper will give you the best bind. Occasionally you may find papers that are grain short, so we recommend you test unfamiliar papers before binding large numbers of documents.

2. How many sheets of paper the Powis Stitcher can bind depends on the weight and the surface density of the paper. Always run a test sample before proceeding. The stitcher may have a hard time producing a flat cinch when penetrating heavier more dense papers. That is why the fastback studio photobook system comes with a pair of crimping pliers to flatten the staples on the spine of your book block. When using the stitcher as part of the Fastback studio photobook system, you will need to penetrate both the pages and the photobook binding strip. This makes the S51 best suited for smaller photobooks with fewer pages.

Removing Jammed Staples

If press the foot pedal on the S51 stitcher without pages in the binding throat, you may end up with a jammed staple. You might even end up with a staple jam during regular operation. However, lucky for you it isn’t very hard to remove a staple jam.

1. Turn off power.
2. Lift the sight-shield.
3. Depress the magazine release on the front of the insert stapler and pull out the magazine (Figure 11).
4. Remove jammed staple(s). Difficult jams may require needle-nosed pliers to remove. Be careful not to damage the Stitcher when removing jams with pliers or similar tools.
5. Push in the magazine to the locked position.
6. Lower the sight-shield.
7. Turn power on.

If the S51 Stitcher Will Not Operate

If you go to use your Powis Stitcher and discover that it doesn’t work, there are a few things that you might want to check. Thy these things…

1. Check that the unit is receiving current, and that the switch is on (the pilot light comes on).
2. Check that the sight-shield is down. If the sight-shield is up the unit will not operate. This is a safety feature.
3. Check that the foot pedal is properly plugged into the unit.
4. Check that the impact force is set to 9.

If you are interested in more information about the Powis Parker S51 Photobook Stitcher or are looking for Fastback Binding Machines or Fastback Binding Strips you should visit MyBinding.com. They are the largest online dealer for Powis Parker Fastback products in the United States. In fact, they carry the entire line of Powis Parker Fastback binding products.