The HC-8318 is a
semi-automatic eighteen inch wire closer that binds calendars with
preformed calendar hangers. This means that you can bind your wire
hangers into your documents while the wire is being closed.The
HC8318 is designed for use with standard 3:1 pitch wires that are up to
eighteen inches in length and between 1/4" and 9/16" in diameter.
Overview:
The HC-8318 is a
semi-automatic eighteen inch wire closer that binds calendars with
preformed calendar hangers. This means that you can bind your wire
hangers into your documents while the wire is being closed.
This
machine is designed to be a small, affordable and simple to use wire
closer for short run projects and the production of yearly calendars.
The
HC8318 is designed for use with standard 3:1 pitch wires that are up to
eighteen inches in length and between 1/4" and 9/16" in diameter.
Strengths / Features:
The
HC8318 is designed to insert and close your books in a single process.
Using this machine you can place your spine inside the machine, place
the pages onto the document table and the machine will insert the pages
through the loops of the wire and complete the wire closing process.
This eliminates the need to manual hang the pages onto the "c" shaped
wires as well as the need to transport the document and spine into the
wire closer. This semi-automatic inserting and closing process can help
to greatly increase your organization's wire binding productivity.
Using
the HC8318 it is possible to bind a huge variety of different sized
documents. It has preset book stops for all of the common north
American and European sizes of documents including letter, legal, A4,
11" x 17", A3, A6, 8.5" and 5.5" sizes. However, it can also be used to
bind custom sized documents that are between 5.5" and 18" in length.
The
document table on the HC8318 has a series of notches on the edge. These
notches are designed to help you choose the right size of wire for your
documents. This machine is compatible with 3:1 pitch wire spines that
are between 1/4" and 9/16" in diameter. By simply inserting the pages
of your book into the smallest appropriate notch, you can select which
size of wire is most appropriate for your needs.
One of the
most impressive things about the HC-8318 is that it has the ability to
insert calendar hangers into the documents as part of the binding
process. There is a small slot on the binding table for the calendar
hanger to sit in. You simply have to place the hanger onto the machine
at the appropriate stage in the binding process and it will ensure that
it is bound in the correct location during the closing and inserting
process.
Weaknesses / Limitations:
The
HC-8318 is compatible with 3:1 pitch wires up to 9/16" in diameter.
However, it cannot be used to insert or close 2:1 pitch wire bound
documents. Users with a modular punch that need to bind both pitches of
double loop wire will need to have another manual wire closer in
addition to this device in order to finish their larger sized books.
The
primary complaint about the HC8318 is that it is difficult to set up
and adjust for different sizes of books. Once the machine is set up
properly it will work fine. However, there are ten steps to setting up
and binding a document with this machine. If you miss even one step the
machine will not work.
Organizations with highly technical
operators or who tend to produce long runs of books that are all the
same size should not have too many problems with this machine. However,
users who switch spine sizes often or have inexperienced operators may
have difficulties with this type of device.
The HC-8318 is
only compatible with a 3:1 pitch-hole pattern. However, even if you
have a 3:1 pitch punch, the holes need to be the appropriate size,
shape and distance from the edge of the paper for this machine to work.
The size of holes should be 11/64" (.172) round (or larger) or 5/32"
(.156) square. The Margin or Backspace for is .168" for round and .179"
for square holes.
Recommendation:
This
machine has some excellent features including the ability to handle
documents up to eighteen inches in length and the ability to insert
calendar hangers as part of the binding process.
It provides
the ability to streamline the finishing process for 3:1 pitch wire
binding by eliminating the need to hang the pages and transfer the
document to a manual wire closer.
This machine is great for
organizations with highly trained and technical operators or for
companies that primarily bind a single document thickness. However, it
is not ideal for applications where users will frequently need to
switch binding sizes or for use with documents that are thicker than
9/16".
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.
