How Do I Use the Akiles Roll-@-Coil Electric Coil Inserter?

Designed to increase your coil binding producitivty, the Akiles Roll-@-Coil electric coil inserter is a stand-alone coil inserter that is both easy to use and affordable. The Roll-@-Coil has two 11″ rollers that insert binding coils up to 22mm (7/8″) into your books in a matter of seconds. In addition to providing superior coil insertion, this model also has a number of other handy features built in, such as a pitch identifier that compares the pitch of a punched document to that of a coil, a coil diameter selector that indicates the proper coil size based on the thickness of your book, and a coil diameter scale that allows you to measure the size of your coil.

Because it can be used as a seperate binding workstation, the Akiles Roll-@-Coil can dramatically increase productivity. Using the Roll-@-Coil electric coil inserter to bind your books is easy and takes only five simple steps:

  1. Place your pre-punched document into the U-shaped alignment channel with the punched edge facing up. This will align the holes in the pages of your document into a slight curve that will be easy to guide the coil through.
  2. Manually twist the coil through the first 4-5 holes on the right side of your document.
  3. Remove the book from the alignment channel and place the spine so that the coil lightly touches the roller.
  4. Press the foot pedal to activate the roller and begin advancing the coil through the holes.
  5. Once the tip of the coil exits the last hole of your document, immediately pull the coil away from the rollers and/or release the foot pedal. If you notice any holes or pages that have been missed during insertion, you can turn your book over and place it against the rollers to feed the coil in the opposite direction and then insert it again (beginning at step 3).
  6. To finish the bind, use a pair of manual coil crimping pliers. This will cut away any excess coil and crimp the ends to secure the pages within the bind.

How Do I Bind with the Akiles WireMac Duo Wire Binding Machine?

While wire binding is a great way to bind important documents, most wire binding machines only offer one of the two wire binding punch patterns, which limits users to creating documents within a specific size range. The Akiles WireMac Duo eliminates that problem by offering users the capability of punching both 2:1 and 3:1 pitch hole patterns. Below are step-by-step instructions for binding a document with the WireMac Duo wire binding machine:

  1. Begin by inserting your document into the Paper Scale located on the front of the machine. The Paper Scale will indicate the proper punch pitch (either 2:1 or 3:1), the correct depth margin, the optimum wire binding spine size, and the wire closure setting based on the size of your document.
  2. Adjust the Depth Control so that the indicator is within the colored band that matches the margin specificed by the Paper Scale.
  3. Set the Wire Closer Control to the wire closure size as indicated by the Paper Scale.
  4. Set aside a wire of the correct diameter for your document size. Note: Some manufacturers offer select wire diameters in both 2:1 and 3:1 pitch. Take note of the pitch pattern of the wire that you are using before you punch, as the pitch of the spine needs to match the pitch of the punch in order for the document to be bound.
  5. Adjust the Side Margin Control to match the size of your document. Note: The WireMac Duo has separate side margin settings for 11″ sheets (letter size) and their 11-1/4″ round corner covers.
  6. Pull out disengagement pins as necessary to eliminate partially-punched holes or accommodate specialty paper (such as three-hole punched sheets). The pins located toward the rear of the machine correspond to the 2:1 pitch punch pattern, and the pins at the front of the machine correspond to the 3:1 pitch punch pattern.
  7. Insert up to 20 sheets of 20 lb. paper into the punching throat of the pitch that corresponds to your document size. Note: While the machine can punch up to 20 sheets per lift, limiting your sets to 12-15 sheets will reduce operator fatigue.
  8. Pull the handle forward to punch your document. The rear-most handle operates the 2:1 pitch punching dies, while the handle located toward the front of the machine operates the 3:1 pitch punching dies.
  9. Continue punching your document in sets of 20 pages or less until all sheets have been punched. Note: It is recommended that you punch the inner sheets and covers separately.
  10. The WireMac Duo is capable of punching documents longer than 14″ through a multi-step punching process. To punch over-sized sheets, begin by aligning the pages as indicated on the Punch Throat Ruler. Pull the handle forward to punch the left side of the sheets. Remove the document from the punching throat, flip the sheets over, and re-insert them into the punching throat so that the unpunched side is below the punching dies. Insert the Continuous Punch Guide located on the right edge of the punching throat into one of the holes that was punched in the first step to ensure proper hole alignment. Pull the handle to punch the remaining portion of the document.
  11. Insert a wire of the appropriate size into the Wire Snatch so that the smaller prongs on the spine are at the top facing inward.
  12. Place your document onto the wire binding spine, beginning with the last inner pages. Once all of the inner pages have been inserted onto the wire, insert the front cover immediately followed by the back cover (so that the inside of the back cover faces up).
  13. Lift the document and the wire straight up and off of the Wire Snatch.
  14. Place the document into the wire closer so that the open side of the spine is flush against the bottom of the closer.
  15. Pull the closer handle forward the close the spine. Note: The wire closer handle is located on the left side of the machine (opposite to the binding handles).
  16. Remove the document from the closer and inspect the spine to ensure that it has been properly closed. Adjust the Closer Control slightly if the spine is under- or over-closed. Note: If the wire is not closed enough, simply insert it into the wire closer and repeat the closing process.
  17. Once the binding wire has been closed adequately, turn the back cover of the document to the rear of the book to hide the seam in the spine of your completed book.

How Do I Bind with the Akiles OffiWire Wire Binding Machine?

From law offices and financial institutions to home offices and schools, it seems that almost every organization has a need to bind documents these days. Wire binding is one of the most durable and tamper-resistant binding methods available, and the OffiWire wire binding machine from Akiles is a great entry-level machine for low-volume binding projects. Below is an overview of binding a document with the Akiles OffiWire:

Akiles OffiWire Wire Binding Machine
  1. The first step is to adjust the Side Margin Guide to reflect your document size. Note: There are separate margin settings for letter-sized paper and the 11-1/4″ round corner binding covers that are often used with letter-sized documents. Be sure to use the proper setting for both your covers and your inner pages, adjusting the margin mid-run if necessary.
  2. Tap your document repeatedly against your working surface to align all of the edges.
  3. Insert your document into the punching throat, aligning the pages against the side margin as well as the back of the punching channel. The OffiWire has a 10-sheet punch capacity (based on regular 20lb. paper; using thicker paper or cover stock will reduce the punch capacity). Note: Though the OffiWire is capable of punching 10 sheets per lift, limiting your sets to only 8 pages will help reduce operator fatigue during long runs.
  4. Pull the handle forward to punch your sheets, then return it to its upright position. If your document is longer than 10 pages, then you will need to repeat steps 3 and 4, working in 10-page increments until all pages are punched.
  5. Slide the document into the wire selector to determine the correct binding wire size to use.
  6. Insert the selected wire into the wire snatch, sliding it in beginning at the right side of the machine.
  7. With the wire firmly inserted into the wire snatch, insert the inner pages of your document onto the wire. Next, insert the front cover followed by the back cover, with the inside of the back cover facing up.
  8. Once all of the pages have been inserted onto the wire, carefully pull the book out of the wire snatch.
  9. Place the document into the wire closer, with the open side of the spine facing down and resting against the bottom of the closer.
  10. Pull the wire closer handle down to close the wire, applying uniform pressure to help ensure an even closure. Once the wire has been closed, return the handle to its upright position. Note: The seam of the closed wire should be just touching. If the wire is under- or over-closed, slightly adjust the bilateral closer controls before binding your next document.
  11. Take your document our of the wire closer, and turn the back cover to the back of the book to finish the bind.

How Do I Bind with the CombMac-24E Comb Binding Machine?

Designed for high-volume production environments, the CombMac-24E electric comb binding machine from Akiles can produce hundreds of bound documents per hour with ease. It offers a full range of features – including fully-disengageable pins, an open throat (for oversized documents), and a reverse switch to aid in jam clearing – at a price point that is thousands less than comparable competitors’ machines. Below is an overview of how to bind a document using the Akiles CombMac-24E:

  1. Start by adjusting the Depth Margin Control knob according to the diameter of your binding comb. To change the setting, simply push the knob in and turn it so that the indicator points to the appropriate diameter. Note: For easy page turning, make sure that you always use the correct depth margin when you punch your document. It is recommended that you use a comb that is at least 1/8″ (3mm) larger than the thickness of your document.
  2. Align the Side Margin Control to match the size of your document. Note: If you are using letter-sized covers with rounded corners (which measure 11-1/4″ on the long side to accommodate the round corners), then you will need to use separate side margins for the inner sheets and the covers themselves.
  3. Pull out the disengageable pins as necessary to avoid punching any partial holes.
  4. Tap your documents against your working surface to align the edges (or use a paper jogger for high-volume jobs), and insert them into the punching throat. The CombMac-24E has a 23-sheet punch capacity (based on regular 20lb. paper; capacity will vary if other paper thicknesses or cover stocks are used). If your document includes more than 15 pages, you will need to punch it in 23-sheet sets. Note: Although the CombMac-24E is capable of punching 23 sheets in a single punch, it is recommended that you punch 15 sheets at a time to help extend the life of the motor.
  5. Press the foot pedal to activate the electric punch. Note: If the punching throat is overloaded, the punching action will stop automatically. In this instance, press the Reverse Button located at the rear of the machine repeatedly until all of the dies have returned to their original position. Once the dies have retracted, pull out some of the sheets and press the foot pedal again to reactivate the electric punch.
  6. Place your comb behind the Comb Binding Fingers so that the open side faces upward.
  7. Gently pull the Comb Binding Handle forward to open the comb. Release the handle once the spine is opened sufficiently to allow the pages and covers to be inserted.
  8. Align the holes in the document with the prongs of the binding comb and insert the pages with the front cover facing toward you.
  9. Once all of the pages have been placed onto the comb, return the Comb Binding Handle to the starting position.
  10. Lift your completed document straight off of the machine.