Mechanical Binding Tip to Save You Time and Money When you send us collated sets to Mechanical Bind – GBC, Spiral
(Coil) or Wire-O, you can collate the covers in with the text, and NOT use a
slip sheet between the books. The covers
will act as the slip sheet, and it lets the operators know where the book
starts and ends. EXCEPTION: If the cover is larger than the text, the covers
should come to us separately for the mechanical binding process.
If you by chance you missed our January eNews “Finishing Lines,” click here to
get the scoop on saving money on the packaging of your job and more.
Laying Out Covers for Perfect Bound Books
Our machine requires a “glue trap” in order to run properly. If an untrimmed
signature is 8.75 x 11.5, the cover needs to be 8.75 x 12 with ¼” extra at the
top and bottom of the book to create that trap. When you butt the covers
up on the press sheet, we can’t create this and usually have to trim something
off the book blocks so it will work. If we don’t, the glue will trail all
over the spine and it costs you extra money – something you don’t want to add
to the job. So when laying out the covers, make sure you have at least ½”
all the way around with an inch in the center so that this won’t happen.
Sometimes saving paper doesn’t save money. Be sure to share this with
your pre-press department.
Collating Single Sheets for Perfect Binding
When collating single sheets for a perfect bound book, use a slip sheet that is slightly longer than the text. This makes it easier for our operators to pick up for each book when binding and also is a visual for you to count the lifts and see if the collating is correct.
Adhesive Binding Tips
Regardless of the adhesive binding glue you need for your project, there are a few design and layout factors that need to be addressed. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure your project goes smoothly.
> Knock our coatings. Paper coatings and excess ink that seep into the gutter can ruin a great book by compromising the quality of the bind. The ideal bind is raw paper fiber-to-paper fiber. To be sure your bind will last long as possible, knock out inks and coatings at least 1/8” from the grind-off area.
> Leave a glue trap. Many times, excess glue will gather at the foot of a perfect-bound project during binding, creating a mess as pieces sail through the binder. This can happen regardless of which binding glue is used. To avoid such a situtation, lay out perfect bound projects with an additional ¼” trim-off area—known as a “glue trap” at the foot. Most modern perfect binders are capable of stopping glue from collecting at the head and the foot. However, it’s still best to leave a glue trap, as it allows the operator to run the binder at full production speed.
> Allow time for testing. Binders need to consider many factors when they select the proper glue for a particular project. In addition to testing different glues on printed samples, page pull tests performed on bound samples will ensure an appropriate bind.
> When in doubt, call Chuck. Discuss your upcoming job before it's on press. See how the layout can affect how smoothly, cost effectively and efficiently your job will run.
Email us your finishing question, and if Chuck chooses to answer it, read about the surprise to the right!
If your finishing question is
selected, lunch is on us! Eat at Nick's Greek Restaurant. According to
local lore, Nick's was the first Greek Restaurant in the area. The
souvlaki is to dream about . . . FYI -- If you are writing to us from
out of town, transportation is not included.
