subject: Smartbind Plastic Comb Binding Machine Overview [print this page] If youre in the market for an entry-level manually operated comb binding machine, you may want a machine like the Smartbind from ABCOffice.com. This 19-ring comb binder is compact, excellent for desktop operation and is ideal for binding letter-size books. A convenient design, along with durable build quality, making this machine an ideal option for binding cookbooks, presentations, reports and more.
The Smartbind is whats commonly referred to as a 19-ring plastic comb binding machine. This is because it punches a total of 19 holes along the 11" side of a sheet of paper. Binding combs are made out of a durable plastic. Many people like plastic binding combs because they can be re-used, re-opened and can be modified after being bound. The combs themselves are far less expensive than other binding formats such as twin loop wire or coil binding.
Comb binding also comes in a wide assortment of colors. Popular colors include black, red, blue, green, brown, white and clear. There is also a wide variety of custom colors available for comb binding. Many services even allow text printing along the spine of a binding comb.
The Smartbind can be used to comb bind up to 1" of paper, which is a fairly thick book. The punch itself can handle up to 10 sheets of paper at a time. This means that repeated punching is required to bind a thicker book, however, this is fairly common for a manual binding machine. It can also be used to punch up to 2 clear covers at a time.
One thing that really sets the Smartbind apart for other machines is its vertical punching capability. Paper is placed in the punch vertically, rather than horizontally. This results in better aligned holes. One problem with a horizontal punch is that if you dont push the paper all the way back to the rear of the machine, paper could potentially be punched at different depths. With a vertical punch, gravity helps keep paper properly aligned.
Many manual binding machines require a lot of force to punch paper. They also sound like someone trying to drive a nail through a board. This is not the case with the Smartbind. This binding machine is designed for office use, utilizing an effortless / quiet paper punch. A specially leveraged handle requires less effort.
Another huge benefit of the Smartbind is its portability. This binding machine is easy to pick up and move around. It even includes a built-in carrying handle. This makes it ideal for desktop and countertop use. A durable metal chassis helps with durability and longevity. While this machine isnt designed for high-volume use, it should still be able to hold up for years with light-volume use (1-20 books a day).