The GBC V800pro is a hot knife Velobind binding system that permanently binds using eleven pin Velobind strips. In fact, this machine uses heat to securely rivet the pages of your documents in place.
It is the introductory model to GBC hot knife binding and is designed for low to moderate volume users books that are up to one inch thick.
Also known as the GBC Velobind System One, the V800pro provides a highly secure and professional finish to your most important documents.
This makes it especially popular with government agencies, lawyers, accountants and financial service companies who are looking to prevent users from tampering with their documents.
Strengths / Features:
The Velobind system one offers a medium duty manual punch. When I tested my demo unit here in the office I was able to punch 23 sheets of 20lb paper. However, the handle was difficult to pull down. I would suggest punching between 15-18 sheets with this machine. The punch is also able to punch clear covers and plastic poly covers. However, you should only punch two plastic covers at a time. The U shaped punching handle included on this machine was easy to use and is excellent for both right and left handed individuals.
The V800pro can bind documents up to one inch thick. One of the great things about this system is that you only need one style of strip for any document thickness up to one inch. With other punch and bind systems you need a different size of spine for every different size of document that you bind. This machine uses the same eleven pin hot knife spine to bind any document up to one inch. This significantly cuts down on supply costs and space issues that are created by stocking a large variety of binding supplies.
The bind produced by this machine is incredibly secure. After punching your document you place the Velobind comb through the holes and through the receiving strip and then load everything onto the binding machine. The V800pro will cut off the excess portion of the pins and uses heat to rivet the strip in place. Once a document is bound with this binding system, the only way to edit it is to cut the binding strip using a debinding tool.
GBC Velobind provides the ability to create highly professional presentations and proposals. In fact, it is one of the most professional binding styles on the market. Using the V800pro it is possible to create high quality, impressive bound documents, reports and presentations with your own customized binding covers.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
One of the main limitations of the V800 pro is the thickness of documents that it can bind. Although Velobind is capable of binding documents up to three inches thick, this machine is only designed to bind documents that up to one inch thick. Users who need to bind documents that are thicker than one inch will need to consider the Velobind System Two or Three.
One inch Velobind strips are available in a limited number of colors and lengths. Although the System One can punch virtually any length of document up to fourteen inches in length, the lengths that you can bind with this machine are limited by the strips that are available on the market. A number of different colors are available for binding letter sized documents. However, if you want to bind either legal or 8.5" documents you will be limited to black spines. Other lengths of Velobind spines are simply not available. Organizations that need to bind lengths other than 11", 14" or 8.5" should not choose this system since the supplies are simply not available.
Although the security offered by this system is a definite plus it can also be a pain if you need to edit your documents. A special Velobind Debinding tool is available to help you safely cut the strips off your documents for editing. Users of this system should really consider purchasing this tool. Attempting to use a razor blade knife or other sharp implement to debind a document bound with Velobind can be extremely dangerous. The debinder tool offers a protected blade that will keep your fingers safe during the debinding process.
Recommendation:
The Velobind V800pro is an excellent binding system for small to medium sized organizations that are looking for a highly professional binding system.
This system offers the ultimate in security and allows users to use a single size of binding strip for creating documents up to one inch thick.
However, organizations that need to bind documents that are thicker than one inch or who need to bind custom document lengths should probably consider a different binding system.
This system is ideal for light volume binding users who need to create a few dozen documents per week. Larger users who need to bind multiple reports on a daily basis may want to consider a larger machine with an electric punch such as the Velobind System Two.
Overview:
The GBC Velobind System Four is the most advanced piece of hot knife binding equipment that GBC Makes.
This machine does not include a punch. Instead it is just a finishing unit that is designed for large printers, binderies, copy shops and corporations that already own a high volume modular binding punch.
Using this machine along with a heavy duty binding punch can help to more than triple your productivity in producing documents with eleven pin Velobind binding strips.
This machine is the fastest possible way to create documents with hot knife Velobind binding.
Strengths / Features:
The Velobind System Four Bind is capable of binding documents with a number of different lengths. It can be used to bind documents that are 8.5" in length for binding landscape or half letter documents, 11" in length for letter sized documents and 14" in length for legal sized documents. It can even be used to bind A4 length documents if you can find the strips (they are only available overseas).
Like the System Three Pro this machine can be used to bind documents up to three inches thick. GBC Velobind and Surebind are the only desktop binding systems that can bind documents that are this thick.
The Velobind System 4 bind is extremely fast. In fact, it is even slightly faster than the System 3pro. It can bind a document that is less than one inch in about 8-10 seconds and can bind a document that is between 2-3 inches in 10-12 seconds.
The bind provided by the Velobind system four is strong, durable, permanent and tamper resistant. It uses GBC's hot knife technology to weld the spine of your document in place. The only way to remove the spine once it is bound is to cut it off. Luckily, the system four bind includes an integrated Debind feature to safely remove the strip from your document so that you can edit its contents.
This system is designed for use with a heavy duty interchangeable die binding punch. Using this machine in conjunction with a heavy duty punching machine such as the GBC Magnapunch can allow you to more than triple your daily output of Velobound documents. Not only will you get better performance in punching the paper but you will also be able to dedicate an individual to finishing your documents with the system four. This is by far the fastest way to bind documents with Velobind.
The Velobind System Four is also incredibly easy to use. All you need to do place your document onto the system and lower the pressure bar. The binding cycle will activate itself automatically and will let you know when your book is finished.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
The biggest limitation of the Velobind System Four Bind is that it doesn't have an integrated binding punch. This is the way that it was designed and for large printers who already own a modular binding punch this isn't a big deal. However, modular interchangeable die binding punches aren't cheap. You will be looking at several thousand dollars for the punch and a few thousand more for this machine. If your volume warrants this type of expense then this is the way to go. However, organizations that don't need the ultimate in productivity can probably live with the Velobind System Three Pro.
Although this system can handle letter, legal, A4 and 8.5" documents, supplies for thick documents and non standard colors can be difficult to find. If you want to bind your documents with black strips then you will have a pretty good selection of strip choices. However, users who want to use a different color will find that strips are simply not available for binding thicker documents or lengths other than 11".
Documents bound with this system are permanently riveted in place and are tamper resistant. However, the security that this binding style offers can also be a pain if you end up making a mistake in one of your documents. In order to edit a hot knife bound document you will need to cut the strip off the book and then rebind it using a new strip. This can be fairly expensive if you have to do it very often.
Recommendation:
For a print shop, bindery or large organization that already owns an interchangeable die binding punch the Velobind System Four is definitely the way to go.
This machine offers increased productivity and the ability to create a huge variety of professionally bound presentations and proposals.
However, organizations that do not already own a punch capable of producing an eleven hole pattern will need to determine if their budget and volume really warrant the purchase of both a punch and the System Four.
Users who need to bind hundreds of documents per week will more than likely find that this system will pay for itself in no time. Smaller users may want to consider an all in one machine such as the V800pro , System Two or System Three Pro.