Mechanical Binding Archives - Specialties Graphic Finishers

Concealed Wire-O Binding

Concealed Wire-O Binding

Wire-O is one of the best methods for binding, because it allows for mixing and matching stocks, page sizes, page foldouts, split binding and the use of plastic sheets. Concealed Wire-O Binding (aka Canadian Binding) is simply a Wire-O bound book that is mounted inside a three panel cover or wraparound panel. We specialize in case wrapped covers, which provide a sturdy and distinguished option for Wire-O books.

Our machinery can Wire-O both standard and highly unusual books. Our 3 collators, 4 automatic punchers and 4 automatic Wire-O machines bind hundreds of thousands of books each year. We can Wire-O books as small as 2” x 2” up to 28” x 40” … up to 2.5” thick!!

The Wire-O Book featured in this post has a case wrapped cover.

Wire-O Book

This Concealed Wire-O book has an elastic closure.

The image above shows the partially concealed Wire-O and fully concealed Wire-O options.

No Wire-O project is too big or small for us. Please give us a call to discuss project.

CASEWRAPPED RING BINDERS 2.0

August 24, 2021/in Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

Many people think Ring Binders are a thing of the past. Ring Binders (with improvements), however, are sticking around because of just how useful they are! What we see more of are value added features like cloth or litho wrap covers, magnet closures, built-in stands, gromets for hanging, etc. When these components are combined, a Ring Binder can be a particularly useful sales tool. When you have a Ring Binder job or something you think could be made as a unique Ring Binder, just give us a call.

The Ring Binder Stand I’m showing here is a perfect example of a modern Ring Binder that is brilliantly designed. It is case wrapped with a pre-printed sheet supplied by the customer. We added 2 grommets for hanging and made a multi-use flap with hidden magnets that doubles as a closure and part of the stand. The designers even included visual instructions on how to erect the binder!

Whether you need a basic, custom Ring Binder or a multi-feature Ring Binder with a built-in stand, give us a call! We can provide you with options depending on client need and budget.

Big wire-o

September 17, 2019/in Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

How big is big? Is this wire-o piece the biggest that we have produced…. no. What is the biggest we can produce? Assuming a sheet size 28” x 40”. We could bind either the 40” side or the 28” side. For a finished calendar size of 28” x 40”!

O Rings

April 23, 2019/in anstey, Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

O rings are something you probably played with in public school! We use them to bind books. Silver and gold are standard colours. Many other colours are available but the minimum order requirements are substantial. The main benefit of an O ring style binding is that sheets can be added or removed, O ring binding is different. Customers often want something different.

Picture #1 shows a “wrapped cover” with an eyelet. Picture #2 has a very thick die cut cover. As with all styles of mechanical binding, a wide range of cover materials and thickness can be used. Some O rings are made from plastic and some with a special order that can be “locked permanently!”

O Rings

Rollabind

January 8, 2019/in Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

This binding style has different copyrighted names such as Rollabind, Rolobind, Button bind…and others. The process is not patented! With the exception of a metal ring binder, there is no other binding system in the world that allows the user to add and subtract sheets! The “buttons” come in sizes up to 1” and in about 20 different colours. If you order black or white your order will be done quickly. Any other colour might take weeks waiting for the buttons.

Rollabind

We did a project once requiring 10,000 bound the “Rollabind” style. Each month we punched an additional 10,000 new sheets that were sent to 10,000 retail outlets. Each outlet was instructed to remove a certain page number and replace it with the new page (updated prices). Of course, the removal and adding sheets required no machine(s). The process ran flawlessly for months. If you want something different, think Rollabinding, something to add or remove sheets with, think Rollabinding.

Rollabind

Wire-o-binding Continued …

February 20, 2018/in Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

Wire-o-binding

Another Eblast for Wire-o? I just did one last week! Last week was about styles and price ratios. This week is about ideas, unusual sizes, shapes, stands, material and etc…

Picture #1 is a massive piece measuring 18” x 24”!

Wire-o-binding

Picture #2 is screen printed plastic used for pricing at store like Walmart. Usually when we do price books the pages have numbers from zero to nine.

Wire-o-binding

Picture #3 is die-cut shaped and very wide.

Wire-o-binding

Picture #4 and #5 is a long narrow book with a full back and white cover. However, upon opening the cover; presto there are 6 different separate books!

wire-o-binding

Picture #6 shows 18 of some 30 plus colours that wire-o comes in. Sometimes a client wants a colour match…UPS brown…Home Depot orange…Royal Bank blue…T. D Bank green, IBM blue…no problem. We can often colour paint silver wire-o to the colour your job needs!

wire-o-binding

Picture #7 shows wire-o spaced…in 3 colours.

wire-o-binding

Picture #8 shows a die-cut shaped book on a “stand.”

wire-o-binding

Picture #9 until recently the maximum thickness for wire-o was 1 1/8”. Now we can bind up to 1 1/2”

wire-o-binding

Picture #10 and #11 show a one-piece case wrapped cover in a wire-o book.

wire-o-binding

Picture #12 shows a plastic vacuum formed cover. The “knife” is hollow. The inside of the cover is lined with 20pt cover material.

wire-o-binding

Picture #13 and #14 show a “giant” wire-o board book. It measures 34 ½” wide 19” deep and when opened it measures 38” x 34 ½”. It is the first job I’ve seen that specified two “calendar hanger loops.”

wire-o-binding

When designing a wire-o bound book style don’t be constrained by size, shape, material, stand styles…the range is incredibly wide!

Wire-o-binding

February 13, 2018/in Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

What is Wire-o-binding? Wire-o-binding is a continuous series of looped wire, usually extending the spine length of a book looped through holes. The holes are usually rectangular although they are sometimes circular.

Wire-o-binding is one of four styles of binding called “mechanical binding” which also includes cerlox (Americans call it comb), spiral wire and plasticoil. Of these four binding methods the wire-o-binding method is by far the most popular.

Pictures below are numbered 1 to 9 in the order of binding cost. Number 1 is the most popular and cheapest to produce. Numbers 9 and 10 are entirely different styles. Number 9 is a stand up “flip” easel style and number 10 which is bound with a “looped wire” inserted into the wire-o-binding is meant to be hung on a wall.

Wire-o-binding

Wire-o-bound books can be as thin as two sheets up to 1 1/2” thick. The wire-o-binding comes in up to forty colours. There are two different punch hole spacings. From the thinnest up to 5/8” have three holes per inch. From 11/16” to 1 1/2” there are 2 holes per inch. In the design stage the different hole spacings can be important for graphic designers to know.

Features

Smooth
Binding is round
Binding is usually shiny

Benefits

Perfect alignment when the book is opened from side to side
Wire-o “ends of wire” can only be seen inside of book cover
When the books are open the opening (or gutter) is quite narrow

Wire-O Binding

March 7, 2017/in Mechanical Binding /by Norm Beange

Styles of Wire-O Binding

Our equipment can Wire-O books by the hundreds or hundreds of thousands. We don’t only bind regular Wire-O bind books, we can do a wide range of styles! With our 6 collators, 30 pockets, 6 automatic punching machines and 4 automatic Wire-O binders, we can:

Automatically cut, fold, collate, trim, punch and bind books from just two sheets thick up to 1 1/2” thick
Bind sizes from as small as 2” x 2” to as large as 28” x 30”
Bind oblong (landscape) or upright (portrait) formats
Bind a mix of sheet sizes and stocks, including plastic sheets
Add features like glued backs and thumb hold cut hangers
Bind using Wire-O in a total of 28 different colours

Cover Designs

Two Piece
Wrap-Around
Pasted Back
Reversible
Sleeve Inserted
Cased In
Easel
One Piece
Calendar

The image above shows a shows 3 books in one binding. Wire-o binding is the best of 4 different styles to bind 2 or more books with one binding.

The image above shows a cased-in Wire-O book

The image above shows a 3-panel Wire-O book

Wire-O Binding

The image above shows a unique design that the designer wanted so it would stand out!

The image above shows a one-piece cover with a split binding that allows better spacing for the spine title

The image above shows an open cover punched only on the back cover. This design has Wire-O exposed on the back cover and allows for a full unpunched spine

The image above shows Wire-O binding only on the front cover allowing for a full unpunched spine