How Do I Bind with the Renz ECO E 2:1 Wire Binding Machine?

The Renz ECO E 2:1 wire binding machine uses a heavy-duty electric punch to make document binding a breeze. It has a robust, 25-page punch capacity, and features a built-in, adjustable wire closer that helps to take the guess-work out of finishing. Below is an overview of how to bind with the Renz ECO E electric wire binder:

  1. Use the measuring scale on the machine to determine the appropriate wire size for your document. Place the back edge of your document against the measuring scale, and use the indicator lines to find the correct wire diameter.
  2. Adjust the diameter selector by first releasing the attachment screw. Then move the knob to the measurement that corresponds to your spine diameter and tighten the attachment screw to complete the adjustment.
  3. Use the depth margin adjustment knob to set the proper distance between the punched holes and the edge of the paper. Thicker documents will require a larger depth margin to make the pages easier to turn. Turn the knob so that the indicator corresponds with the diameter of the binding wire you are using.
  4. Disengage pins as necessary to tailor the punch pattern to your document. The Renz ECO E 2:1 wire binding machine has 26 disengageable pins, so it can be used to bind a wide variety of document sizes, including specialty paper and European sizes. To disengage a punching die, simply pull the corresponding pin straight out until it locks.
  5. Insert the wire binding spine into the wire clamp. Press down on the back edge of the wire clamp to open it, and place the end of the wire under the front edge. Lower the clamp to secure the wire in place vertically. Note: The small loops of the binding wire should be on top, facing the rear of the machine.
  6. Arrange your document so that the back cover is in front, with the front cover immediately behind it. The inside of the back cover should be facing outward, with the faces of the front and back cover together. This will keep the seam of the spine hidden inside of the book, resulting in a more professional finish.
  7. Jog the book using either a paper jogger or by tapping the sheets against a flat surface to align the edges. Set the book onto your work surface so that the covers are at the bottom of the stack.
  8. Adjust the side margin guide based on your document size.
  9. Begin punching your documents in sets of 15-20 pages. The Renz ECO E binding machine has a maximum punch capacity of 25 pages (based on regular 20 lb. paper; thicker papers and cover stock will reduce the capacity), but it is recommended that you punch only 15-20 pages at a time for optimum performance. After inserting your sheets into the punching throat and aligning them with the side margin, press the foot pedal to activate the electric punch.
  10. After the each set has been punched, insert it onto the binding wire that is held in place by the clamp. Repeat as necessary until all pages have been punched and inserted onto the wire.
  11. Press the back of the wire clamp to release the document, and carefully remove the book from the clamp so that the pages do not slide off of the wire.
  12. Place the wire into the wire closer so that the open side of the wire is placed directly against the back of the closer.
  13. Pull the binding lever forward until it stops, and then return it to its original position. Larger wires will require more pressure to close than smaller wires. Note: A properly closed wire will have the two ends of the spine meeting in the middle, with no large gaps or overlap. If there is a gap between the ends of the loops, move the diameter selector slightly to the left and pull the binding lever again. If the wire ends are overlapping, move the diameter selector slightly to the right before binding your next document.
  14. Remove the book from the wire closer, and turn the back cover over to finish the book.

How Do I Bind with the ETitanWire 2:1 Wire Binding Machine?

Wire binding is a great way to create secure and durable bound documents that are both tamper-resistant and professional-looking. The ETitanWire 2:1 wire binding machine features a high-capacity electric punch and built-in, heavy-duty wire closer, making it an excellent solution for your wire binding needs. Below is an overview for binding with the ETitanWire electric wire binder:

  1. Begin by determining the proper wire binding spine size for your document. There are two methods that can be used – you can choose to measure the thickness of your document and add 1/8″ to find the appropriate spine size or to use the ETitanWire’s built-in wire size selector. To use the size selector, simply place your document onto the base of the machine and move the sliding size selector bar down until it rests against the top sheet of the book. The top of the size selector will point to the proper wire size.
  2. Adjust the punch margin based on your document size. As a general rule, the thicker a book is, the larger the punch margin should be.
  3. Set the side guide so that your document will be centered within the punching throat.
  4. Align the edges of your document by either tapping them repeatedly against a flat surface or by placing them in a paper jogger.
  5. Insert your document into the punching throat. The ETitanWire has a 25 sheet maximum punch capacity (based on regular 20 lb. paper; using thicker sheets or cover stock will reduce the capacity), though most users choose to punch between 12 and 20 sheets at a time for optimum performance. Align the sheets so that they are flush against the back wall of the punching throat and the side guide.
  6. Step on the foot pedal to punch the document. Repeat punching in sets until all of the pages have been punched.
  7. Set the wire closer’s measurements based on the size of the binding wire being used. Insert an empty wire into the closer and pull the closer handle. Adjust the wire closer settings and test as necessary until the wire is closed appropriately.
  8. Assemble all of the punched sheets into a complete book, placing the bottom page on the top of the stack. Place the punched edge so that it is facing you and slightly hangs over the edge of your work surface.
  9. Insert the wire into the holes, starting at one side and working toward the other. As you progress, you will find that the prongs will fall naturally into the holes.
  10. Once the wire has been inserted into all of the holes, carefully turn it so that the open ends face you and the solid side is through the holes.
  11. Carefully lift the document off of the working surface, making sure that the wire stays in place. Lower the book straight down into the wire closing mechanism, so that the open ends of the wire are flush against the bottom of the wire closers.
  12. Pull the handle to close the wire and bind the book. Return the handle to its original position.
  13. Remove the book from the wire closer, and turn the back page to the back of the document. This will conceal the seam of the wire spine within the document and will give it a more professional finish.

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.

Troubleshooting Your Fellowes Quasar 130 Wire Binding Machine

The Quasar 130 wire binding machine from Fellowes is a compact wire binder that’s small enough to fit on a desktop but powerful enough to meet the demands of a small office. Below are a few helpful hints for troubleshooting occasional problems with your Quasar 130 wire binder:


Problem:

  • Punched holes are not centered on the sheets after they are punched.

Possible Solution:

  • This is an indication that the side guide has not been properly set for the sheet size of your document. Simply adjust the side guide until the hole pattern is positioned correctly, with the holes centered on the document.

Problem:

  • The machine will not punch your document.

Possible Solutions:

  • If your waste tray is too full, it may block the punching dies and prevent them from piercing your document. The waste tray is located underneath the machine and can be accessed from the right side. For the best results, be sure to empty the waste tray regularly.
  • Check for blockage within the punching throat itself. Clear any obstructions, reinsert your document, and try punching the pages again.

Problem:

  • The holes are not being punched parallel to the edge of the document.

Possible Solution:

  • This may indicate that there is debris stuck below the punching dies that is preventing the pages from being fully inserted into the punching throat. Slide a piece of stiff cardboard into the punching throat and move it sideways to release any stray clippings into the waste tray.

Problem:

  • My document has partially-punched holes at the ends of the sheets.

Possible Solution:

  • The sheets are not properly aligned with the punching dies. Adjust the side guide and punch scrap sheets until the partial holes are eliminated.

Problem:

  • The holes are not being punched cleanly or edges of the punched holes are damaged.

Possible Solutions:

  • This is usually a sign that you are overloading the machine. The Fellowes Quasar 130 wire binding machine has a 15-sheet punch capacity (based on regular 20 lb. paper). If you are using thicker paper, you will need to reduce the number of sheets to stay within the punch capacity.
  • If the damaged holes are occurring when you punch a plastic binding cover, then try placing the cover between sheets of paper before punching it. This may help the cover to punch more cleanly.

Problem:

  • Debris from punching documents is falling out of the waste tray.

Possible Solutions:

  • The waste tray may not be correctly inserted. Check that the waste tray is empty and that there is no debris that will stop the tray from being fully inserted into the machine, and reinsert the tray.
  • The “burst feature” may have been activated. Empty the waste tray and ensure that the “burst feature” is closed.

Problem:

  • The pages of the document come loose and fall off of the wire after binding.

Possible Solution:

  • If your document falls apart after it has been bound, then your wire binding spine has most likely not been closed properly. There should be no gap between the two ends of a wire that has been sufficiently closed. If your wire has a gap, simple place it into the wire closer again and re-close it.

What is the Difference Between 2:1 and 3:1 Binding Wires?

Twin loop binding wires (also called duo-wires or double loop wires) are offered in two pitch patterns – 2:1 and 3:1. The 2:1 pattern has two rectangular holes per inch, with each letter-sized sheet containing a total of 21 holes. The 3:1 pattern is made up of three square holes per inch, and each 11″ sheet having 32 holes. Unless your wire binding machine is dual-function or modular (which would allow you to change out your punching dies), it will only punch one of the two pitches.

3:1 pitch is designed for smaller documents, with wires ranging in size from 1/4″ to 9/16″. The 3:1 pitch wires will accommodate booklets 20-120 pages thick (or 3/16″ to 1/2″ thick). The 2:1 pitch pattern is reserved for larger documents totaling between 110 and 260 pages (or 9/16″ to 1-1/8″ thick). Twin loop wires that have a 2:1 pitch are available in sizes from 5/8″ to 1-1/4″.

What is Pre-Punched Binding Paper Used For?

Many binding supply retailers offer pre-punched binding paper in the most common hole patterns. They are most commonly sheets of 20 lb. paper, and are generally sold either by the ream (500 sheets) or by the case (5,000 sheets).

For those who want to do their own professional-looking document binding but aren’t able to invest in a full-function binding machine, pre-punched paper makes it possible. By using the pre-punched paper with a stand-alone wire closer or comb opener, or a pair of coil crimping pliers, it is possible to create a quality bound document with ease.

Though pre-punched paper is popular with users who don’t own a binding punch, it is also frequently used in high-volume production environments. Since the pre-punched sheets can be run directly through digital copiers or printing presses, they save a great deal of time when compared to the amount of time required to both print and punch documents in-house.

Five Benefits of Binding with Twin Loop Wires

Wire binding is one of the most popular binding styles, and with the many unique benefits that it offers, it’s easy to see why. In the list below, we take a look at five of the benefits of binding with twin loop wires.

  1. Tamper-Resistant – Unlike binding with coils, which can be easily removed and replaced by hand, or combs, which allow documents to be edited, twin loop wires require specialized equipment to unbind and rebind, which makes them tamper resistant.
  2. Lays Flat – Wire-bound books lay flat when opened, and the pages can be turned to the back of the book (similar to a spiral-bound notebook) for ease of use when taking notes.
  3. Sophisticated – Documents bound with duo-wire have a sophisticated and professional look that can’t be matched by plastic coils or combs. Along with the tamper-resistant properties that they carry, the polished look of twin loop wire is one of the main reasons that wire binding is the most common style used in legal and financial industries.
  4. Strong – Because they’re made from metal instead of plastic, twin loop wires are extra strong, and documents bound with them can stand up to years of use.
  5. Versatility – In addition to binding booklets, double-loop wires can also be used to create custom calendars. Since they can easily cut to fit unusual documents with standard wire-cutters, they are an ideal choice for creating calendars with wire calendar hangers (which require that the wire be cut into two separate pieces to accommodate the notch that is added to the center of the calendar).

What is a Wire Closer?

A wire closer is a specialized device that closes twin-loop wires and Spiral-O wires in order to complete the binding process. Wire closers are available in both manual and electric versions to accommodate production volumes of all levels. Regardless of operation method, wire closers all function by applying uniform pressure to the wire binding spine in order to close the wire and secure the documents in place.

Though most wire binding machines feature built-in wire closers, they are also available as stand-alone units which be used to increase efficiency in a production environment. Since Spiral-O wires utilize the same punch pattern as comb binding, a wire closer is used in conjunction with a comb binding machine in order to finish the bind.

Four Ways to Get Organized with Binding

If getting organized is one of your resolutions this year, then you’ll love these four organizational ideas that utilize your binding machine.

  1. Custom Day Planner – Using your favorite word processing or page layout program, create a blank template that is tailored to your specific needs. Unlike mass-produced planners, these custom pages give you the ability to add sections that are specific to your business or activities. Once the template is completed, print out as many double-sided copies as desired and bind them together to create the ultimate custom planner.
  2. Training Materials – Every organization has a set of training materials that have been created over the years. Make it easy for your employees or coworkers to stay on top of company procedures by binding your own training manuals. Simply gather the most frequently referred to documents, such as price lists, product brochures, and company policies, and use your binding machine to create easy-to-use guidebooks for everyone in your office.
  3. Calendars – Did you know that you can use your wire binding machine to bind your own calendars? Using free, downloadable calendar software or your favorite graphics program, create the pages for your calendar, add a notch to the center on the binding edge with a half-moon punch, then bind them together with twin-loop wire (inserting a wire calendar hanger before closing the wire). This is especially useful for organizations that need unusual calendar layouts (such as Monday through Sunday or work week-only).
  4. Log Books – Have you found yourself having difficulty keeping track of company-specific expenses or appointments in past years? Try creating your own custom log books to help you stay on top of your own information or that of your employees. Use your favorite word processing or page layout program to design a blank template for tracking expenses, listing client information, appointment notes, or whatever other information you may need to log, then turn it into a booklet with your binding machine.

How Does the FlexiPunch-E Modular Binding Punch Work?

The FlexiPunch-E is a modular binding machine that allows you to punch the four most popular binding patterns with a single machine, using easy-to-change punching dies. The video below showcases the benefits of this versatile binding system, and provides a step-by-step overview of the binding process.