Binding Machines

What are the Different Types of Binding Machines Available at Office Choice?

At Office Choice, you’ll find several options for binding machines, with each functioning in slightly different ways. 

Comb Binding

One of the most common and cost-effective ways of binding documents is through the use of binding combs. These machines are typically simple to use, meaning they’re accessible to most people. 

With comb binding machines, you can create larger documents that can range from a few pages to hundreds. This makes it easy to add or remove sheets, allowing for quick adjustments as needed.

Wire Binding

Wire binding is relatively similar to comb binding, but uses individual wires looped through each punch hole to secure your document together. As such, it involves a similar process of punching holes into your collection of pages, which is then followed by securing them together with these wire bindings.

This makes it possible to remove and add pages as needed over time, much like with comb-bound documents. Generally, you can compile documents of up to around 300 pages with wire binding. If you’re looking to bound documents that exceed this number, it’s best to consider comb binding.

Thermal Binding

Thermal binding can create a more professional-looking end product, but is more restrictive than both comb and wire bindings. It works by using heat and glue to bind pages together. The result is similar to what you’d see with a paperback novel.

However, because you’re gluing the pages together, thermal binding does not allow for simple editing or adjustments to your document. If a change needs to be made, then you’ll have to bind a completely new version. 

Thermal binding generally is able to bind around 350 pages together, resulting in 350 single-sided pages of content or 700 double-sided pages.

Combination Binders - Wire and Comb

These binding machines allow you to punch and prep paper for the use of either comb or wire binds. They’re a great option if you want a little more choice in how you prepare and bind documents.

How Do I Choose the Right Binding Machine for My Needs?

To help you land on the right binding machine for your business’s specific needs, keep the following pointers in mind:

First, consider if you have a preferred binding style. Options include comb binding, wire binding, coil binding, and thermal binding. Comb binding is one of the most popular and affordable options.

Next, be mindful of the common document sizes you’re looking to bind - is it A4, A5, A3, and/or another dimension? A4 is undoubtedly the most common dimension, but you’ll find binders that can cater to various document sizes.

Binding capacity is another key consideration. What’s the average size of the documents you aim to bind? The larger these documents (e.g. 100 pages+), the better suited a heavy-duty binder would be for your needs as they can punch and bind more pages at once.

Can Binding Machines Handle Different Sizes of Documents?

Yes, they can, but it ultimately depends on which binding machine you have in mind. The selection of binding machines we sell largely caters to A4 paper, which is the most common standard paper size used throughout the world.

However, specific models can also bind paper documents of other sizes, including A5, A3 - landscape or portrait - and letter-sized documents. Some options you can consider for specific or multiple paper dimensions include:

• GBC C450E CombBind Electric Binding Machine: letter-sized paper.

• GBC 230 Multibind Manual Binding Machine: A4, A5, and A3 (landscape).

• Qupa S303 Manual Heavy Duty Wire Binding Machine: A4 and A3.

• Rexel CWB406E Flowline Pro Premium Electric and Rexel CWB406 Flowline Pro Premium Manual Binding Machine: A4 and A5.

• Fellowes Galaxy-E 500 Electric Binding Machine: A4 and letter-sized.

• GBC C210E CombBind Electric Binding Machine: A4, A5, and A3 (portrait).

What are the Advantages of Using a Binding Machine in a Small Business Setting?

When you run a small business, having a simple means of collating papers into a bound document is a worthwhile investment. For example, you may be a school looking to put student reports together in a structured manner or a smaller doctors’ clinic that needs to collate patient records. Binding machines, especially those that utilise comb binding, are a fantastic and cost-effective solution.

With a comb binding machine, you have an easy-to-use means of putting together essential documents in a presentable manner. Their simple usability means almost anyone in your business can make use of them. And because binding combs can easily be removed as needed, you can add to or change your documents by adding or removing pages as you see fit.

Easily prepare reports, guides, internal documentation, and much more with a cost-effective binding machine for your business.

Can I Use Binding Machines for Creating Booklets and Reports?

Absolutely. Binding machines are incredibly versatile, allowing you to put together documents of just a few or hundreds of pages, depending on your needs. Whether you want to put together a simple booklet or a comprehensive report for clients or internal reference, binding machines offer the means by which to do so.

What Accessories or Supplies Do I Need for My Binding Machine?

Once you have your binding machine selected, some accessories are absolutely worth having on hand to enable more efficient binding. Consider the following:

• Binding combs (also known as binder spines) are what keep your documents bound together. You can easily purchase premade binding combs that will make compiling your documents a breeze. You can view many of these on our Binding Accessories page.

• Similarly, binding covers provide style and protection to your comb-bound documents. You’ll also find several options for binding covers via our Binding Accessories page.

• If you’re regularly binding documents and want to save time, then it’s worth purchasing pre-punched paper (A4, A5, letter, A3, etc.) that suits your needs. This removes the step for you, which does save you a good slice of time for the process.

• If your comb-bound documents are large and comprise several sections, you can make them simpler to peruse by simply adding some index tabs. These are adhesive tabs you can secure to the edge of respective pages where a new section starts. You’ll find index tabs under our Notes & Flags category.