Currently all of the comb spreaders
available on the market are manual with the exception of the PB2600 by
GBC. This review will provide a quick overview of that machine.The
PB2600 uses a foot pedal for its operation this frees up your hands to
hold the documents while you are inserting your pages onto the combs.
However, if you don't like using the foot pedal there is also a nice
large button on the top of the machine that you can use instead.
Overview:
Even if you have the
highest speed binding punch available on the market, you still have to
have a plastic comb opener to spread the combs so that you can insert
your pages onto them.
Opening the combs and inserting the
pages can be one of the most time consuming parts of plastic comb
binding. This is especially true for users who have a high speed punch
or use pre-punched paper.
Currently all of the comb spreaders
available on the market are manual with the exception of the PB2600 by
GBC. This review will provide a quick overview of that machine.
Strengths / Features:
The
PB2600 uses a foot pedal for its operation this frees up your hands to
hold the documents while you are inserting your pages onto the combs.
However, if you don't like using the foot pedal there is also a nice
large button on the top of the machine that you can use instead.
It
can remember the previous setting that you used for opening combs. This
allows you to quickly and easily open combs that are the same size
without the need to adjust the machine every time.
It is the
most accurate comb opening system available on the market. You can use
the large knob on the side of the machine to set the amount that you
want the comb to open. For large documents you can also tap the foot
pedal to incrementally open the combs. This is important when trying to
insert pages onto large oval shaped combs.
When I first saw
this machine, I had to ask someone what the little black tabs on the
back of the machine were. It turns out that they are called "no flip
stoppers" and they are designed to help ensure that large oval binding
combs don't slip on the machine during the opening process. This is a
unique feature to the PB2600.
The PB2600 is designed to pair
with one of the GBC modular binding punches such as the Magnapunch,
MP2500ix or MP2000PB. It will neatly stack on top of one of these
machines or can be placed beside the punch to allow two users to work
on the binding process at the same time.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
In
using this plastic comb opener I did not note any major limitations. It
was easy to use and I had no problems with it whatsoever. Its
construction is solid and there is very little that can go wrong with
this machine.
The only problem that I see with these machines
in the field is that they can become dirty or clogged with paper dust
over time. The opening hooks need to be cleaned and lubricated
periodically to prevent the machine from becoming jammed up.
Recommendation:
For
organizations that do a lot of comb binding this is an extremely
helpful tool that can more than can offer more than double the
productivity of a standard manual plastic comb opener. This makes it
ideal for printers, copy shops, in plant print shops and binderies.
It
might be a little bit of overkill for smaller organizations but should
still be helpful in getting the job done faster. If your budget can
handle it, the PB2600 is a must have for organizations who do plastic
comb binding.
This review was written by Jeff McRitchie who is the director of marketing for Mybinding.com.
Jeff has written more than three hundred articles and more than two
hundred reviews on Binding Machines, Binding Supplies, Report Covers,
3-Ring Binders, Index Tabs, Laminators, Laminating Supplies, Paper
Shredders and Paper Handling Equipment.
