Office Equipment Blog from Office Zone

Question

Hello,

I am a consulting engineer with a client that is in need of a vacuum seal system. Currently they are doing one at a time by hand. This line is being automated and the need is to be able to do a minimum of 6 per minute.  Manual placement into a sealing device may be acceptable.

The application involves putting a vacuum sealed bag around a single part that is 5” in diameter and ranges in length from 5” to 10” in length with a small set of printed instructions placed into the bag before sealing. Do you have anything that might be applied to this application?

Regards,

Darrell C.

Answer

The Aline AVS-20 vacuum sealing machine would be ideal for your client’s application. This is a highly-effective, yet easy-to-use vacuum seal model. It will vacuum seal a wide assortment of products up to 20 inches in length and will also meet your client’s production requirements.

The AVS-20 was designed for high-volume jobs in mind. This sealer may be used to vacuum seal electronics, food, medical goods and more. Aline products are known in the industry for their sturdy design and construction.

Question

Hi, we are starting a shredding service company. Currently we are evaluating the options we have in terms of  equipment. We are evaluating between the Formax 8802CC and the Destroyit 4107CC. Please let me know if you have any considerations on the above. If you have it, give us the daily processing capacity of each equipment.

Also, we want to evaluate the benefits, in pricing, of used or refurbished equipment, if you have such an option let us know.

Thanks in advance,

Gerard

Answer

We highly recommend both of the models you listed. The Formax shredder requires a slightly lower investment than the Destroyit brand. The Formax FD 8802cc Cross Cut Shredder is a security level 2 high-capacity conveyor shredder. The Destroyit model shreds at security level 3. The Formax model was designed to shred large volumes of material. This is an auto-cleaning model and has several safety features built into it. The FD 8802cc come equipped with rugged heat-treated steel blades. This model can shred just about anything at the maximum speed of 40 feet per minute.

The Destroyit 4107cc Industrial Paper Shredder is a versatile paper shredder capable of shredding all sorts of material including cardboard boxes, crumpled paper, file folder, large stacks of computer printouts, computer disks and more. It is also ideal for destroying somewhat confidential and sensitive documents. The 4107cc can shred up to 50 feet of paper per minute, and can destroy 65-82 sheets of paper at a time, depending on the weight of the paper. Its large feeding table makes it easy to put paper into the shredder.

We currently do not stock used or refurbished versions of these shredders. However, both companies do make high quality machines designed to last for decades of heavy use. The most important factor to consider when looking for a used machine is finding out the work load required of the motor. And, it’s important to find out if the used shredder’s shredding heads are still in good condition. Make sure the machine was serviced on a regular basis and the shredding heads were oiled.

With one counterfeit detection unit, looks can be deceiving. And that’s a good thing. On the outside, the MD-118 FL Portable UV Money Detector appears to be nothing more than a simple ultraviolet (UV) light. We admit that the MD-118 FL isn’t the most high-tech looking counterfeit detector out there. Yet, its simple design and operation will spare you a significant amount of money and stress. After all, if you accept a counterfeit note and then try to deposit it at the bank, it will be immediately detected and not accepted. It’s yours.

The UV lamp of the MD-118 FL counterfeit detector helps you verify legitimate currency embedded with protective UV-enabled features. The UV properties of a legitimate bill, such as watermark images and symbols, will immediate display when held under the special light of the MD-118 FL. Fake bills have none of these characteristics simply because they are extremely difficult and expensive to replicate.

The MD-118FL is also impact resistant and small enough to fit in your pocket. It operates on four “AA” batteries (not included), and comes with a built-in AC adaptor jack.

The SigLite 1×5 T-S460 is an entry-level, basic Topaz signature pad model, yet it delivers a lot of practical features for such a modest price. This unit does remarkably well in applications where budgetary constraints are a concern. The SigLite 1×5 features high-quality forensic capture techniques with touchpad and passive stylus. It has a HID-USB interface with a 1” x 5” signing area.

Every Topaz pad, regardless of the model, is shipped with a CD containing Topaz’s patented SigPlus Software Development Toolkit, at no additional charge. This toolkit, plus free updates and development support from both Computime and Topaz Systems, allows you to easily integrate Topaz products into most applications.

The SigLite 1×5 comes with a 1-year limited manufacturer’s warranty, and free technical support both before and after the sale. That’s why Topaz models are the best-selling signature capture pads on the market today.

Question

I have a Dahle 858 cutter and am looking for an attachment that will hold multi page booklets in place without slipping. Do you carry these?

Bill K.

Answer

How thick are your multi-page booklets? And what kind of paper are you using? The Dahle 858 Premium Stack Paper Cutter can slice through 700 sheets of paper at a time — almost a ream and a half of paper! That’s quite a lot for a manual stack cutter. The model 858 can cut paper up to 18-5/8-inches wide too. The actual cutting action with the model 858 doesn’t take a lot of effort; however, we have found that Triumph cutters are comparatively easier to use.

The automatic paper clamp in this cutter is quite a bit different from clamping devices that we have tested at Office Zone in the past. Most high-end stack cutters have a separately operated clamping mechanism that holds the paper in place before cutting. The Dahle 858’s clamp and cutter are simultaneously activated by using the cutting handle. The clamp, although unusual from our point of view, seemed to hold the paper in place just fine while cutting various sizes and thicknesses of paper. The manufacturer does not provide a separate attachment to hold paper in place.

You just used your coil binding machine to punch small holes into a stack of paper. Next, you spin the coil through the punched holes. Once this is done, you are left with the problem of the coil spinning back out of the holes. If the coil spins out, your document is left free to fall apart.

The best answer to this problem is a pair of coil crimping pliers. Crimping pliers cut off excess coil and then crimp, or flatten the coil ends, thus preventing it from spinning back out. Coil crimping pliers are specially tooled and are relatively easy to use after a little practice. Office Zone offers an informative coil crimping pliers video demonstration to give you a better idea of how these work.

Customers often ask if they can crimp their strand of coil with a regular pair of pliers or needle-nose pliers. That’s definitely a possibility, but you would still need a separate tool to clip off the excess coil. As you can see, coil crimping pliers are a handy tool and a must-have for anyone using a coil binding machine.

The ABC V-30 Money Counter is an unusual machine, when compared to most models. It’s compact, and one of the few bill counters that can actually run on batteries. All you need to do is install four AA batteries and you’re in business. It may also be plugged into a wall outlet.

Our customers tell us the reason why they chose the ABC V-30 is because of its portability. You can fit it into a small bag, briefcase, satchel or purse. It’s the ideal money counting model for traveling or portable businesses such as shopping mall kiosks, trade show exhibits, concerts, special events and more.

You can also count a wide variety of items in addition to money. The ABC V-30 will count checks, coupons, tickets, ribbons, tags and much more. ABC V-30 Money Counter runs at a speed of 600 bills per minute.

Question

Hello,

We are a home business that makes our own products.  We have purchased from you in the past and like your company.

We are looking at your binding equipment and accessories.  I am interested in seeing a few samples of your wire (specifically the BINWS306BK – Black 3:1 ½”) and your covers.  I would possible like to see a sample of a clear cover and a couple different other covers.  Is it possible you could send me a sample of a standard clear cover (5mil) and an oversized clear cover (5mil)?  I would also like to see the Buffalo Cover in Black if possible.

Also are these covers able to be punched using the Akiles WireMac 3:1 Binder?

Also we will be putting our own logo onto the books, I have some questions about the foil stamping process and which way to go.. is there anyone there that I can direct my questions to?

Thank you for your help and assistance.

Sincerely,

Kimberly D.

Answer

Office Zone carries several machines for a home business. We would be happy to send you samples of our binding wire. Samples are available to anyone considering a new binding machine or different wire diameter, pitch, or color.

We can also send you samples of our report covers. Yes, the WireMac can easily punch through these report covers. We will contact you soon to discuss foil stamping machine options. In the meantime, you may find this foil stamping guide useful. We look forward to working with you!

Answer

Yes, we carry a wide variety of report covers. We basically have three popular styles. You can add a degree of professionalism to your next report with a Polypropylene (poly) report cover from Office Zone. These professional-grade covers are made from plastic-based material that makes reports look highly presentable, yet durable. Poly report covers come in a variety of textures and colors. Poly covers are used with most forms of document binding including: coil, wire, comb and more. The Grain style poly report covers feature an embossed leather finish. There is also a linen style. This essentially offers a professional-looking textured linen finish.

Although poly covers are very popular with our customers, Cardstock report covers are traditionally used more than any other style of report cover. Cardstock covers are made of stiff paper and come in several colors, styles and designs. Cardstock covers may be used as a front or back cover to a report. Cardstock report covers may also be used with coil, comb, wire and other binding formats.

There are three cardstock finishes to choose from. Grain is a heavy cover with an embossed leather-like finish. It is available with or without a window. Linen is basically a heavy cover with a professional looking textured linen-like finish. These too are available with or without a window. Composition is a premium leatherette-looking cover.

Clear covers give your reports a professional, yet durable look. Clear binding covers display the second page of a bound document through the front cover. Clear style covers protect the report and look attractive. Clear covers may be used with most styles of book binding including: coil, comb, wire and more. Clear covers come in five, seven and 10-mil thickness.

Question

I’m in the process of setting up a desk-top publishing business.  I hope to produce professional/university-level monographs.  Hence, the size of the publication  will be 6″x9″,approximately 100-150pp. in length. Because I am in the early stages of my business and new at this sort of thing, would a sales representative from Office Zone be kind enough recommend a basic hot glue (?) book binder?  I would like something “user friendly.” Also, what additional supplies would I need to purchase for a finished product?

Thanks,

John C.

Answer

We recommend the Duplo DB-280 Automated Desktop Perfect Binding Machine. This is a professional-grade hot glue book binding machine, yet it has many user-friendly controls and features. The DB-280 binds a wide range of book sizes from 1.97″ x 3.15″ to 12.6″ x 15.75″. Most of our customers use this model to create professionally bound books, manuals, reports, scrapbooks, etc. You can bind up to 200 books per hour with this high-volume perfect binding machine.

You may bind books just over 1-1/2 inches in thickness with the DB-280. Office Zone also carries hot glue supplies/padding adhesive that you will need for binding.