The Fastback 11 thermal binding machine from Powis Parker is one of the most intelligent and powerful thermal binders on the market today. If offers a wide range of robust features, and is capable of creating professional-level bound documents with surprisingly little effort. Below are three tips to help you achieve the best binding results with your Fastback 11 binding machine:
- One of the easiest and most effective ways to ensure that your bind is secure and attractive is to ensure that the sheets are evenly aligned. If you are doing a large volume of documents, you may find it easiest to use a paper jogger to even the edges of your sheet. For smaller runs, simply tap the documents against the top of the machine repeatedly until all of the sheets are even. The Fastback 11 machine is designed for years of use in a production environment, so don’t be afraid to tap the document vigorously against the top of the machine to align the pages.
- Like fabric, paper has a uni-directional grain that consists of the fibers that make up the paper. You will achieve the best binding results by binding your documents so that the grain of the paper runs parallel to the binding edge. Paper that has the grain running parallel to the long edge of the sheet (the 11″ side) is said to be “grain long,” while paper that has the grain running parallel to the short edge of the sheet (the 8-1/2″ side) is said to be “grain short.” Generally speaking, most standard copy paper is grain long, so it will give you the best bind. Some papers are grain short, so it is highly recommended that you test unfamiliar paper stock before you bind a large volume of documents. An easy way to test the grain of your paper is to lightly hold it on each axis to see which direction the paper bows more easily in. Paper will usually tend to bend easier in the direction of its grain, so most copy paper will flex more readily along the 11″ axis.
- As with all bound reports, adding divider tabs is a great way to enhance the look and function of your thermally-bound documents. The Fastback 11 binding system and corresponding Fastback binding strips are compatible with a number of brands and styles of tabs, but it is recommended that you call contact your local Fastback dealer for advice on the best tabs to use, because certain tabs will not give you good results. It is also advised that you bind a couple of sample documents containing the selected tabs before doing any large production runs.