How To Purchase a Binding Comb

When you need to purchase a binding comb for a project there are a few things you must take into consideration for how to make sure your project flows smoothly.  To begin with you will need to verify what type of binding comb you will need depending on your binding system.  If you own a comb binder, spiral binder or perfect binder you will have different types of spines to purchase.

If you are using a standard binding comb machine (often referred to as GBC punch) you will need to purchase a binding comb that is big enough to fit the amount of sheets that you are going to bind.  Each package of combs will not only state the size of the comb on the label but also the sheet capacity.  Failure to purchase the correct size will either make your bound product look shabby or if it is too small, the covers will not lay flat.

If you have a perfect bind system you will need to purchase binding spines that will fit into your machine.  Your machine's manual will provide you with the information on how large of a capacity cover it will accept and you will be able to bind accordingly.

If your binding comb is of the spiral type there are three things you must consider.  Spiral combs come in different lengths.  Make sure that you purchase a comb that will be long enough to fit the side you are binding.  Second, spiral binding combs come in different materials.  You will need to choose between a plastic comb and a metal insert.  Some binding machines will not accept the metal coils so you must verify before purchase.  And last, you must make sure that its sheet capacity matches the sheet count of your project.

To ensure that your project looks perfect, make sure to adjust your binding equipment to fit your binding covers.  Many times the binding covers are larger than the sheets that you are binding. If you do not adjust your comb binding machines to match the difference in size, you will have covers that do not match up evenly on your project.  Improper punching of the covers will result in the covers being too long on one end and you will have a difficult time inserting the combs.

Binding your project can be very easy with a desktop binding system if you follow these simple procedures in purchasing the correct binding comb for your project.