Choosing a Binding Machine For Your Office

If you’re thinking of buying a binding machine for your home or business, perhaps you’re wondering what kind of machine would best fit your needs. There are a few factors to consider when making your decision, from identifying the type of documents you’ll be binding to knowing what styles of binding are available. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a binding machine.

1. The types of projects you’ll be doing. In other words, what are you going to be binding? Self-published novels? Financial reports? Your child’s school projects? And how long will your documents be? The type of documents you’ll be binding is the most important factor when choosing a binding machine. If you’re only going to be binding personal projects, then a less expensive, low-capacity binding machine will probably suffice. If you’re part of a larger business that routinely binds lots of thick documents, a bigger, pricier machine is probably what you’ll need.
2. What’s your biggest priority? While you may need several different features in a binding machine, it’s important to boil down your needs to the absolute essentials. For example, is price the most important factor? Size? Brand name? Punching capacity? The look of the binding? Figuring out what’s vital to your binding needs will help ensure you’ll choose the right machine for your home or office.
3. What binding style should you use? There are four major binding styles and each style is good for different needs.
   • Plastic comb binding is a popular option with many organizations. It’s an easy and economical way to bind documents, and because the combs can be reopened, it’s possible to revise documents even after they’ve been bound.
   • Wire-O binding lets the pages of your booklet lay flat, while allowing for 360-degree rotation. This is typically a permanent style of binding, although some machines allow you to reopen and revise the document.
   • Thermal binding is ideal to use when you won’t need to revise your booklet. This style of binding offers a clean, seamless look and permanently bound pages. Unibind, Therm-a-bind and Powis Parker Fastback are all examples of thermal binding.
   • VeloBinding locks pages into place with a spine, giving your project a sturdy, book-like finish. As with thermal binding, this style is permanent, meaning you won’t be able to revise your document.
4. Finally, what’s the best machine to get? Now that you know about the different styles of binding and have determined what features you want in a machine, you can now figure out what machine to get. Be sure to do your research on this (the Internet is a great resource) so that you can get the best machine for your money.

As with any other major purchase, the key to knowing what binding machine to purchase is knowing what your needs are and then choosing the correct binding style. Whether you need something easy to use (such as a comb binding machine) or are looking for the polished, professional look VeloBinding can offer, knowing what’s important will help you easily and confidently purchase a binding machine that’s perfect for you and your office.