The PC200E spiral coil binding machine is a manual spiral coil binding machine with an electric spiral coil inserter on the top of the machine.
This machine offers an excellent choice for organizations that are looking for a low cost spiral coil binding machine with a built in electric coil inserter.
This review will identify some of the strengths, weaknesses, features and limitations of the PC200E coil binding machine.
Strengths / Features:
The PC200E spiral coil binding offers a great price point for the features it offers. In fact, with a price tag of about $350 I expected the PC200e to be made of plastic. Instead, I discovered a fully featured all metal binding machine that is durable enough for most small offices.
The PC200E has fully disengageable punching dies. This means that it is possible to stop any one of the holes on the machine from punching making it possible to use the PC200E for binding any size of document. Most spiral coil binding machines have only a few disengageable dies making them compatible with most standard sizes of paper. However, with the PC200e you are not limited to standard paper sizes. You can use this machine to bind scrapbooks, photo books, craft projects and almost any size of document that you can imagine. In fact, with the open throat design of the PC200e you can even punch documents longer than eleven inches.
The PC200e includes several great features that make binding documents with coil easier than ever. It has a foot pedal activated electric spiral coil inserter on the top of the machine that helps to spin the coil onto your documents. It also includes a pair of spiral coil crimping pliers in the box. These crimping pliers are necessary for finishing your documents with spiral coil. Many other similarly priced coil binding machines do not include spiral coil crimpers or an electric coil inserter.
Limitations / Weaknesses:
The handle on the PC200e is actually different than the handle pictured in most photos of this machine. Most handles for binding machines have a wood or plastic piece to grab onto that is attached to the handle at 90 degrees. The handle for the PC200e doesn't have this which makes it more difficult to use than handles on other machines. It is a small thing but it definitely makes a difference if you are binding a lot of documents.
The PC200e is capable of punching between 12-15 sheets of paper per lift. This is adequate for organizations who need to bind a few documents per week. However, organizations that bind large numbers of documents or need to bind documents quickly may find this to be limiting.
The spiral coil inserter on the PC200e is located on the top of the machine. This makes the inserter more difficult to use than machines with inserters located on the front of the machine. With the PC200e you have to reach to the back of the machine to insert the coil on the book. The punching handle can also get in the way of inserting the coil.
Recommendation:
The PC200e is the least expensive machine on the market that offers a coil binding punch and an electric coil inserter. Add to this the fact that the PC200e also has fully disengageable punching dies and this machine becomes a great choice for small and medium sized organizations that want to bind their own books.
If you can afford it, the Akiles Coilmac ECI has an easier to use punching handle and a coil inserter that is located on the front of the machine. If not, the PC200e is an excellent choice.
Overview:
The Martin Yale SP100 is designed as high speed desktop scoring and perforating machine for small to medium sized printers, copy shops or professional organizations.
The SP101 can be used to produce tent style business cards, occasion cards and tickets and is ideal for scoring or perforating items up to twelve inches wide.
This fully adjustable machine is ideal for creating all sorts of high quality customized documents without the need to outsource the work.
Strengths / Features:
The SP100 is designed for scoring or perforating papers as light as 20lb bond and as heavy as 110lb index. This makes the SP100 incredibly versatile for use in the production of a huge variety of deliverables.
It can be adjusted for running sheets that are between 3-1/2" and 12" inches wide. This makes the SP101 ideal for creating tickets, brochures, and tent style business cards.
The SP101 comes with one scoring wheel and one 14-tooth perforating wheel. However it is possible to purchase and add additional scoring and perforating wheels to customize the output of the unit. The machine can score documents, perforate documents or do both at the same time depending on your needs.
The SP101 is actually quite easy to set up. It has special hubs that make placing the scoring and perforating wheels simple.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
The maximum width that the SP100 can handle is 12 inches. This means that it is not ideal for perforating legal sized church bulletins or for scoring single piece perfect binding covers for binding letter sized documents. These applications would require a larger sized scoring machine such as the 3800AP or 3800FC.
The Intimus SP100 uses a wheel for scoring. For high coverage digital printed items, a scoring wheel can result in cracking. If you plan on scoring materials that are printed using your digital printing equipment this may present a problem for you. Digitally printed documents that need to be scored and folded where the folds will occur on top of printing will most likely want to investigate a compression scoring machine to reduce cracking.
Recommendation:
The Martin Yale Intimus SP100 is an excellent choice for small printers, copy shops and organizations that need an automatic solution for scoring and perforating their documents.
This machine is ideal for short run production of tent style business cards, occasion cards and tickets.
However, larger printers and users who need to score or perforate sheets that are wider than twelve inches or that require folding on digitally printed areas will most likely want to look for a larger more feature rich machine.