When you are trying to discover the right binding
method for your self-published books, you're going to find you have
many choices ranging from the humble (i.e. a stapled document) to the
sophisticated (i.e a thermally bound book). One of your best options is
spiral binding in which a plastic coil is inserted into the holes in
your document.
When you're trying to discover the right
binding method for your self-published books, you're going to find you
have many choices ranging from the humble (i.e. a stapled document) to
the sophisticated (i.e a thermally bound book). One of your best options
is spiral binding in which a plastic coil is inserted into the holes in
your document. This is an easy way to assemble books and it also looks
great, but it does require some special equipment and techniques. Keep
reading to learn about this document finishing method.
The first thing you need for spiral binding is a
selection of color coils. (Note: spiral and color coil binding is the
same thing.) These are simply plastic spirals that are available in
various thickness and colors. Coils can bind books that contain up to
440 pages. They're available in a spectrum of colors from black to neon
pink.
You'll also need a spiral binding machine. A good
one will have a hole punch as well as a coil inserter. When choosing
your machine, be sure to choose one that has a good punching capacity.
Punching the holes is probably the most time-consuming part of the
process so your machine should be able to punch as many holes as
possible in one lift. Also, a vertical punching mechanism is something
to look for because gravity will pull the paper down into the machine so
it's perfectly punched. Other features to look for is depth of punch
margin control and an ergonomic punching handle.
When you're ready to bind your books, begin by
punching the pages. When that's done, you can either insert the coil by
hand or use a coil inserter. If your document contains a lot of pages,
you might want to use a spine former. (These are found on some
higher-end devices and they're also sold separately.) A spine former
will gently curve the edge of your document so that it's easier to
insert a coil into the holes.
After you've spun a coil through the holes in your
document, it's time to fold in the ends of the coil. This is known as
"crimping" and it requires a special type of pliers which are often
called "crimpers." Using crimpers can be tricky at first, but you can
become adept at using them with a little bit of practice. To crimp the
ends, hold the book, ensuring that it's parallel to the table or floor.
Hold the crimpers in your other hand with the face dot facing up at you.
Grab the top end of the coil and twist it to tuck it inside. Then do
this to the other end. That's all there is to it. Make sure you always
do the crimping part when bind your documents. This helps the book stay
together because the coil won't spin out of it.
That's a brief overview of how spiral binding is done and what
supplies you need to take advantage of it. This is a good document
finishing method if you're interested in self-publishing because it's
easy to do and doesn't require many supplies. Give spiral binding a try
to see if it's right for your self-publishing needs.
Jeff McRitchie is the Vice-President of Marketing for MyBinding.com.
He regularly writes articles, reviews, and blog posts on topics related
to bookbinding, laminating, paper shredding, and office equipment. More
than 2,500 of his articles have been published in thousands of
locations on the Internet. If you're looking for information about spiral binding machines his articles are a great place to start.
