!7# Five Features to Look For in a Manual Plastic Comb Binding Machine

!±8± Five Features to Look For in a Manual Plastic Comb Binding Machine

Whether you are looking to purchase your first plastic comb binding machine or are looking to replace the machine that you already have, it is important that you get the best machine for your money. Truthfully, most of these comb binding machines work the same and they look similar. However, in order to get the best machine for your dollar you need to closely look at the features that are included with the machine. This article is designed to provide a list of five features that you should look for when purchasing a manual plastic comb binding machine.

* Solid Metal Construction: One of the most important things to consider when looking for a Combbind machine is the construction. Some plastic comb binding machines are made from plastic while others are made of metal. Unless you are only looking to bind a few documents per month you are definitely going to want a machine that uses metal components. It is especially important to choose a combind machine that has a metal plastic comb opener. Machines that use plastic comb openers do not usually hold up very well and often the comb opener teeth will break off within a few months of use.

* Disengageable Dies: A second important feature to look for when choosing a comb binding machine is whether the machine includes disengageable dies. Comb binding machines with disengageable dies allow you to choose whether an individual punching pin will punch when you pull the handle of your machine. The ability to stop one pin from punching is important because it will allow you to bind documents that are shorter or longer than 11" without having a partial hole hanging off the edge of your document. If you are going to want to bind documents that are landscape, half letter size or A4 size you will need a machine with disengageable dies.

* Depth of Punch Margin Control: A third feature to look for when choosing a comb binding machine is a depth of punch margin control. This control allows you to select the distance between the edge of the paper and the binding holes. Punches without this feature will have difficulty binding very small documents with 3/16" plastic combs and very large documents with oval shaped combs. If the holes are too far from the edge of the paper then the pages will not freely turn when the document is bound. If the holes are too close to the edge of the paper then pages will easily tear out of larger documents.

* Punching Length: Many plastic comb binding machines are designed to punch documents up to eleven inches in length. However, if you are planning on binding documents that are legal size or longer you will need to find a machine that is either designed to punch longer sheets of paper or has an open throat. For legal size documents, a machine that punches and binds fourteen inch paper is preferable since the comb opener will also be able to handle the longer combs

*Warranty: The final thing to consider when choosing a comb binding machine is the warranty. Warranties for these machines can vary from 90days up to 2 years. Some companies such as Akiles, Tamerica and DFG offer a return and repair warranty. Others such as GBC offer a replacement warranty.

When choosing a manual plastic comb binding machine, these five things can help you choose the best machine to fit your needs. Look for these five things as you evaluate the different machines available on the market.