Plastic Comb Binding Made Easier

Plastic comb binding has been one of the most popular document finishing methods around for years. A lot of this has to do with the availability - and affordability - of the supplies needed, but it's also because comb binding is pretty easy. (This is true even for beginners.) However, there are a few things you can do to make this type of bookbinding easier. Let's see what they are....

1. Don't overdo it - punching, that is. Whatever machine you have, it probably has a designated punching capacity. This can be anywhere from just a few pages to a couple dozen of them. Whatever the capacity is, make sure you don't punch more sheets than the machine can handle. While this might help you save a couple of seconds, it really does a number on the device. Keep your machine in good shape and don't overdo the punching.

2. If you have a margin control, use it. A lot of comb binding machines have a margin control. This feature allows you to dictate how far the holes will be from the edge of the paper. Adjusting the depths of the margins can make for a stronger binding. As a general rule, the thicker the documents, the further in the holes should be.

3. Empty the chip tray regularly. This may seem like an obvious tip, but it's important. Emptying your machine's chip tray on a regular basis can not only make your bookbinding much easier, it will help your device stay in good shape. (For one thing, the punching dies will be much less likely to break. If that ends up happening, you'll probably need a new machine.) The machine won't have to work as hard to punch your paper so you'll be able to get much more use out of it over the long run.

4. Watch that comb opener. Unless you want plastic combs flying all over the place, you shouldn't open your comb opener too far. This can be frustrating when you're trying to meet a deadline (although it may admittedly be funny at other times), and it also makes the entire process a bit more difficult than it really needs to be. So be sure to not crank the comb opener too far.

5. Don't try to bind too much at once. When you're ready to actually bind your document, you'll find that the process is easier - and faster - if you separate your work into sections. Getting those little tines of the comb through a large stack of paper can be really difficult and frustrating. Save yourself the trouble and just do a little bit of paper at a time. You'll be amazed at how much easier it is.

These are just a few tips that can make the pretty easy task of comb binding much easier. Be sure to give them a try the next time you need to put a document together. You'll definitely going to be pleased with how much it simplifies the process.

About the Author: Jeff McRitchie is the Director of Marketing for MyBinding.com. He regularly writes articles, reviews, and blog posts on topics related to bookbinding, laminating, paper shredding, and office equipment. More than 2,500 of his articles have been published in thousands of locations on the Internet. If you're looking for information about comb binding machines his articles are a great place to start.