The GBC SureBind system one binding machine is the most basic Sure Bind binding system available on the market.
It combines a medium duty manual punch with high quality hot knife binding system that is designed for creating documents up one inch.
The SureBind System One uses special ten pin binding strips to create highly secure and professional bound documents.
Plus, you can use this machine to rebind your old comb bound documents bringing old material back to life with a whole new binding style.
Strengths / Features:
The GBC Surebind System One offers one of the most secure binding styles available anywhere. Much like Velobind, Surebind uses hot knife technology to permanently rivet the spine in place. The only way to edit a document bound with this system is to cut the spine off the document and rebind it. Although this system works much like Velobind, it is even more secure. Far less users own SureBind binding systems and therefore less users have the ability to edit documents bound with this binding style.
This binding machine can bind any document up to one inch thick using one size of spine. Many other binding systems require you to use a spine that matches the size of your document. This requires inventorying a number of different sized supplies. With Surebind, you can simply stock one inch binding strips and bind any thickness of document up to 1".
Documents bound with GBC Surebind simply look great. This is one of the most professional and elegant binding styles that I have seen. It places a thin plastic strip along the binding edge of the document. This strip is not only functional but also helps to frame your document and provides it with a classy finished look.
The punch on the SureBind system One is capable of punching up to twenty five sheets of paper at a time. However, it works best when you punch between fifteen and twenty sheets of 20lb paper at a time. This punch can also handle one or two plastic or poly binding covers at one time. These punching capacities should be more than adequate for most light volume users.
The hole pattern used by this binding system actually matches up with the hole pattern used for plastic comb binding. This allows users who have documents that are bound with plastic combs to rebind them with Surebind. It also allows users to use a high volume comb binding punch or prepunched comb binding paper to increase productivity using this system.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
One of the biggest limitations to the Surebind binding system is the limited number of supplies that are available for this system. One inch letter sized strips are available in Black, Navy and White. Black strips are also available for binding documents on the 8.5" edge of the paper. However, other color options or lengths are simply not available for Surebinding. Technically speaking the System one can punch legal sized paper. However, there are no legal sized spines available for this system.
The SureBind System 1 is designed for binding books up to one inch thick. Users who need to bind documents that are thicker than this will need to consider either the Surebind System Two or System Three.
The punching mechanism on this machine is decent and can punch both standard weight papers as well as plastic covers. However, users may want to consider purchasing punched covers for use with their binding system. This will help to prolong the punching dies on the system. Over time when using this system for large numbers of documents I found that it became less and less effective when punching plastic covers. This is something to keep in mind.
The security offered by this binding system is great. However, the only way to debind a document that is bound with Surebind is to cut the binding strip open. Using a razor blade knife or other sharp instrument for this purpose can be very dangerous and can result in injury. The best way to debind a hot knife document is to use a Velobind Debinding tool. This tool offers a protected razor blade that will cut the pins of your spine while protecting your fingers during the debinding process.
Recommendation:
The GBC Surebind System one is an excellent choice for small and medium sized organizations that need a secure and professional binding system.
This machine offers tremendous security and tamper resistance for your documents and at the same time allows you to make your presentations and proposals look great.
However, this machine is somewhat limited by the supplies that are available for it. Users who need to bind custom sized documents or want a large selection of colored binding strips will probably be disappointed with the Surebind System one.
This is a great machine for small organizations that want to create a few dozen documents per week or who want to rebind some of their old comb bound presentations. Users who need to bind more than 25-50 documents per week may want to consider a larger machine with an electric binding punch such as the Surebind System Two or Three.
There a several options on the market today for someone looking for reliable, plastic comb binders, but an excellent case can be made for selecting the GBC CombBind C340. This is GBC's latest, manual plastic-comb binder and is a stylish and unique entry into a somewhat crowded category. The unique features that the C340 has incorporated into this design, makes it a much more efficient and effective binding system than its competitors
The first feature that differentiates the GBC CombBind C340 from the others is its document separator. This separator works to increase productivity in the punching process by separating document pages into perfect sections, making it easier to finish. Additionally, the CombBind C340 uses auto-centering technology ? saving setup time by making it possible to avoid setting the paper edge guide before you punch. With this kind of efficiency, the GBC CombBind C340 is head and shoulders above many of the systems available today
The Combind C340 has a punching capacity of up to 25 sheets per lift (or actually, closer to 22 sheets), making it one of the highest punching capacities available in a manual comb binder. This is yet another effective feature that makes the C340 stand above its category competition. This isn't where the great features end, however. The CombBind C340 also has a comfortable, ergonomically designed handle, which works for right-handed operators or left-handed operators, making it a functional machine for any personnel to use.
The CombBind C340 is definitely a great option among manual plastic comb binders. It does, however, have a few limitations. For starters, the machine does not a depth-of-punch guide, making it difficult to choose the distance of the whole from the edge of the paper. Additionally, the C340 does not come with disengageable dies, which would let the binder punch custom sized sheets, and without an open-throated design, the C34 can't punch legal or A4 size documents. All of this does lessen the versatility of the machine and should be considered as a decision is made.
The manual punching mechanism of the C340 makes it better for small or mid-sized projects and more difficult for larger sized projects ? a consideration if your volumes tend to be higher. The rotary comb opener on the C340 is relatively functional, but really isn't quite as simple to use as a traditional comb opener with a handle, adding a small amount of time to your production process, and again, should be considered before you make your decision to buy.
The CombBind is built for moderate use, mostly made of plastic. For more extreme use, the C340 may not be quite as durable, needing replacement more quickly than anticipated. But used properly, the additional features you get when you buy a C340, like the document separator and auto centering guide make it a good machine at a great value. It is easy to see why many small to midsized organizations are considering the CombBind C340.
Even with a few limitations, the unique features and functionality brought to you by the GBC CombBind C340 make it stylish, efficient, and effective and perfect for any of your moderate plastic comb binding needs. So take a look at the CombBind C340 - you'll like what you see.
Both Jeff McRitchie & Jeff Mcritchie are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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