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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 2:53pm | IP Logged
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I've been considering this for a couple of years, but this year my research and intent is a little more serious. We make a lot of mini books here - A LOT! Thus far, we've been using bookbinding rings and they have worked for us very well!! Acco metal bookrings in various sizes have been great! And for smaller projects, we have enjoyed using plastic 1/2 inch book rings.
This past year, we've made several books and projects that we wanted a little more permanent solution for. I don't care for comb binding because I prefer a book that will lie flat with ease, or fold back on itself. Also, we seem to chip the plastic combs with ease for some reason. I've been looking into affordable equipment to do spiral binding at home. Affordable at-home spiral binding has not been possible until recently really, but now there are a couple of options I've found. I don't know too much about either and I'm hoping someone here has some experience to offer.
The Carl Brand Ring Binding System is very affordable. Spiral rings are available in a variety of colors. This is brand new and so no reviews on it yet...and I like to research and read lots before I buy something like this.  Anybody used one of these?
The ProClick Binding Machine is more expensive, but has the advantage of being able to bind and unbind (think of it as zipping and unzipping) so that you could add pages to books. This seems appealing. There are concerns with using laminated paper in this machine (something I'd like to do) as well as the spiral binding not being very durable - one review said if you bent it too much it would pop open, but who knows if they meant bend it all the way in half in which case I would expect some kind of consequence (breakage, popping open). I've been interested and intrigued by this tool since I read about it a couple of years ago at Notebooking Pages. This is the tool I'm leaning towards.
Alternatively, I can go down to Staples and they will spiral bind for me at a reasonable cost. Any book stack of papers under 1/2" is $2.99 and over 1/2" is $3.49. Of course...please don't think I'm silly...but they only offer black spirals...and I'd much prefer translucent/clear. I know - it's a little thing.
So, I'm trying to decide if I should just stick with my book rings, and go to Staples for the occasional spiral binding project...or if anyone has any experience with either of the home binders I linked above, particularly the ProClick binder.
Thanks! 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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KC in TX
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 3:18pm | IP Logged
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I've always wanted a spiral binder but I don't like the ProClick. It just doesn't seem sturdy enough for me. I get all my workbook type things spiral bound so they lay flat. I also like to fold them back without bending the book (I'm OCD that way). I feel the same way about the black, but I'm more in line with getting different colors.
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Betsy
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 4:22pm | IP Logged
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Maybe an intermediate solution would be to use Five-stitch Bookbinding. A few years ago a lady in our co-op did a demonstration. It isn't' that difficult after you learn how to do it, and it makes very nice books.
One of the draw backs would be if you had a significant amount of pages, though. So, maybe it's not what you are looking for. But, I just wanted to throw the idea out.
Betsy
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JennGM
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 4:25pm | IP Logged
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So many ideas! I'm still trying to figure out laminating at home!
I know you don't like comb binding, but the spiral binding isn't much better. I need spines to read!!!!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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stefoodie
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 4:29pm | IP Logged
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I don't have experience with any of the ones you linked to above, but I've had the Zutter Bind-it-all on my wish list for a while, so I thought I'd throw it out there if you want to consider it. I saw it being demo'ed at a local Archivers and thought it was so neat and looked easy enough.
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 4:31pm | IP Logged
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Jen,
Maybe it would be worth it for you to get a coil binding machine. We buy ours from Pro Binding. They have some pretty affordable machines for smaller jobs. We use the bigger machines obviously and they do eventually break from repeated use, but they are good machines.
And they have a great selection of coils. I am totally with you on the colors!
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Michele Quigley
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The closest I've gotten is repairing books that lose a comb binding by lacing them with ribbon. you have to leave it loose enough that the pages turn but it can be quite pretty.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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mom3aut1not
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I got the Proclick for less than $35, including s/h on ebay. (A bunch of other people got it for the same price from the same supplier. I bid $25.) I love it! I didn't think I'd use it as much as I have. I wish I'd gotten one sooner.
In Christ,
Deborah
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Paula in MN
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stefoodie wrote:
I don't have experience with any of the ones you linked to above, but I've had the Zutter Bind-it-all on my wish list for a while, so I thought I'd throw it out there if you want to consider it. I saw it being demo'ed at a local Archivers and thought it was so neat and looked easy enough.
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To borrow Mrs. MackFam's favorite phrase....
OH MY STARS!!!
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Mackfam
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Paula in MN wrote:
To borrow Mrs. MackFam's favorite phrase....
OH MY STARS!!!
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 Love it!!!
I'm loving clicking through to all these links with ideas that you gals like, too!!!  This is great for research and discerning!!!!!!
I hope to sit down with these a little later tonight and ask some questions! 
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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MarieC
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| Posted: April 06 2010 at 7:54pm | IP Logged
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I have really been into wanting things spiral bound lately....and at least one of my children really needs things to be flat when working on them. Maybe I'm just dense, but I've got a question....I see that the two that Jen linked to can punch 5-6 sheets at a time. If you're doing something thicker, do you just do a few sheets at a time? Also, if you're spiral binding a workbook.....how do you get the glued binding off neatly. I've just been going to Kinko's, but the $5/book is too rich for my blood!
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Mackfam
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Marie,
Like you, I prefer a book that will open flat and stay open, and I also have a son for whom self-flipping pages will cause a near self-destruct and be a total distraction...so I can empathize with your thoughts on one of your children needing books to open flat and stay open.
First, the answer about the 5-6 sheets at a time thing...yes, you can certainly do more, but you'll only be able to punch 5-6 sheets of paper at a time - less if you're punching card stock. So, if you have a 50 page booklet you're trying to assemble, you'll be punching about 10 sets of paper.
Now, the question about a workbook and getting neat edges is one I have tackled personally many times!! A rotary blade trimmer is worth its weight in gold for this job! I have an older version of this Fiskars trimmer. It is expensive, but it's been a very worthwhile investment in my home and I bought it with my Michael's 40% off coupon which was a help! I cut down regular paper into fourth's with it to make little alphabet booklets for my K'er...so many uses...including trimming the edges of a carefully dis-assembled book or workbook. The great thing about a rotary edge trimmer is that it uses a sharp blade to cut a fine line and it has edges for butting up a sheet of paper so that if you have one straight edge, you can cut a 90 degree straight edge from that. Clean edges.
If you are squeamish about book dis-assembling....look away right now!!
This process works great if you have a book whose glue is disintegrating and some pages are detaching. One of my first projects was because of just such a book which I used frequently.
* * * How to dis-assemble a glue bound workbook * * *
** First, locate the approximate halfway point of the book and fold open with the intention of *breaking* the glue. Bend the two sections all the way back until they almost touch.
** Now, with either the left or right section of the book, find the halfway point of that section and open it all the way, bending the two sections back again. Do this a few times. The goal is to break the glue if it isn't already.
** To disassemble, start with the first page of the book. Take that page and open the page up, trying to press the page completely open both to the left and to the right with the heel of your hand.
** Carefully holding the page, pull gently away from the glue backing.
** If glue breaking doesn't work, your book should at least open all the way in half by now. An exacto knife works well for cutting pages out. Try to just cut right next to the open spine. You can trim the edges with a good trimmer.
** Proceed carefully with the rest of the book.
** Using the rotary trimmer, trim the glue edge from the pages, and trim the covers to fit the pages as well. I like to laminate the covers at this point.
** Bind.
I've done this successfully with hardbound books and paperback books.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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MarieC
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Jen,
Thanks for those great instructions....sorry for not getting back more quickly to thank you. My fridge quit on Easter and it's been a long week!
I fear I don't have the patience for it though! I'm hoping my perfectionistic husband might help me out!
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Marie
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Teachin'Mine2
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Might also be an option to buy the spiral binding you want, and then bring it to Staples for the binding to be done there.
Here's a site which sells the spiral bindings in clear:
http://www.mybinding.com/.sc/ms/ch/clear-color-coil-plastic- spiral-binding-coils.html
Sorry, I can't get the link to come up with the right page on that site. But the page I got when searching lists all different size spirals - depending on how many pages think - available by a box of 100. For a spiral for 30 pages, the box is $4.90 - so the price is very reasonable.
Sorry to hear about your fridge - that was not great timing!!! 
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MicheleQ
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Teachin'Mine2 wrote:
Might also be an option to buy the spiral binding you want, and then bring it to Staples for the binding to be done there.
Here's a site which sells the spiral bindings in clear:
http://www.mybinding.com/.sc/ms/ch/clear-color-coil-plastic- spiral-binding-coils.html
Sorry, I can't get the link to come up with the right page on that site. But the page I got when searching lists all different size spirals - depending on how many pages think - available by a box of 100. For a spiral for 30 pages, the box is $4.90 - so the price is very reasonable. |
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Keep in mind that the pitch has to match the machine or the coil won't fit once the pages are punched. Definitely call the store and find out what pitch their machine is before you order coils.
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Michele Quigley
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Angel
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Jen, did you ever decide on an option, or are you still thinking?
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Angela
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 23 2010 at 4:39pm | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
| Jen, did you ever decide on an option, or are you still thinking? |
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Still thinking!!!
I've spent a lot of time looking into the Zutter after Stef linked it! That is really neat.
And...I've been trying to decide if we really want to bind this way or if we're happy working with 3 ring binders that we decorate and customize. I think for anything in the 8 1/2 x 11 range this is probably what we'll end up doing. It's just convenient, easy to add to, and can be decorated and personalized so easily with a little scrapbook paper and the computer printer.
BUT...smaller DIY books I'm still considering. Stick with my plastic rings? Or another option? I'm still leaning towards the ProClick because I have color options for binding and the binding isn't permanent - I can add pages! BUT...I read KC's review and she thought it wasn't sturdy enough. So...I'm still thinking and trying to decide if I really *NEED* anything at all, or if I can just use the small rings and go with what I've got.
I'd love to hear opinions from anyone else!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Angel
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Mackfam wrote:
BUT...smaller DIY books I'm still considering. Stick with my plastic rings? Or another option? I'm still leaning towards the ProClick because I have color options for binding and the binding isn't permanent - I can add pages! BUT...I read KC's review and she thought it wasn't sturdy enough. So...I'm still thinking and trying to decide if I really *NEED* anything at all, or if I can just use the small rings and go with what I've got.
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I'm such an office supply geek. I'm not sure I really need to be able to do my own spiral binding either, but gosh, it looks like fun!
What I have used in the past for myself is the Circa system (which I have now linked all over these boards, I think), because it has the advantage of acting like a spiral notebook but being rearrangeable. But it gets expensive if you're making many notebooks, and the notebooks can't hold as many pages as I sometimes want them to hold.
That's just for *me*, though, not for the kids.
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Angela
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Mackfam
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Angel wrote:
| What I have used in the past for myself is the Circa system (which I have now linked all over these boards, I think), because it has the advantage of acting like a spiral notebook but being rearrangeable. But it gets expensive if you're making many notebooks, and the notebooks can't hold as many pages as I sometimes want them to hold. |
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I **JUST** saw you link that on the other thread!!!!! You know, I've looked at it before (my brother loves stuff from the Levenger catalog) but I always dismissed it because of the expense! But, really...it seems like you'd just need the paper punch and the discs (which come in a variety of sizes and colors! Am I right? This is something I need to look into more seriously; it answers a number of my needs. Although...even the paper punch is quite expensive. BUT...I too am just geeky enough that I might ask for it for Mother's Day!
I'm SO GLAD you linked it!!!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 23 2010 at 5:22pm | IP Logged
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Angel wrote:
| I'm such an office supply geek. |
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OH, ME TOO!!!!
Imagine, if you will, the super-office-geek emoticon...cape blowing in the breeze, steely grin plastered on face, shoulders squared, hands confidently on hips...staring at you confidently...with a pad of favorite lined paper, a bundle of post-its, and a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils clutched in his other hand!
Office supply geeks of the world - UNITE!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: At Home Book Binding - Spiral & Otherwise
