Ethan Clarke
Plastic coil binding is a popular method for creating spiral-bound books. It involves the use of plastic coils that are threaded through holes and then crimped to secure the document. This process can be done manually with coil crimping pliers or with electric coil crimping machines. The pliers are designed with a red dot on one side, which should face upwards when crimping, and they cut and crimp the plastic coil in one quick squeeze. Electric coil crimping machines are more suitable for high-volume binding and provide maximum productivity with minimal effort. Whether done manually or by machine, plastic coil binding is an easy and inexpensive way to create professionally bound spiral books.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tool | Coil cutting and crimping pliers |
| Tool type | Manual, hand-held |
| Electric alternative | Electric coil crimping machines |
| Pliers positioning | Red dot facing up |
| Pliers positioning in coil | Center of a curved coil |
| Pliers compatibility | Compatible with spiral coils of all sizes |
| Crimping angle | Almost 90-degree bend |
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What You'll Learn
Using coil crimping machines
Choosing the Right Coil Size
Before using a coil crimping machine, it's essential to select the appropriate coil bind size for your project. Refer to a Coil Bind Size Guide to determine the suitable coil size for your book or document. This step ensures that the coil you choose will fit securely and align evenly with your pages.
Preparing the Machine
Check your machine settings and adjust them according to the chosen coil size and paper dimensions. Most machines have an edge guide, typically on the left side, with a knob for adjustment. This guide helps center the pages so that the holes align evenly. Punch a scrap piece of paper that matches the size of your book pages, fold it in half, and ensure the holes line up. If they don't, adjust the side guide until they do.
Inserting the Coil
The next step is to insert the coil into the punched holes. If you have an electric coil inserter, the process becomes much easier. Simply thread the coil into the first 4-6 holes by hand, then push the coil against the spinning inserter wheel. Alternatively, if you're inserting the coil manually, spin it in from either end of the sheets. Either way, ensure that you end up with a few loops of coil hanging out on both sides of your book.
Crimping the Coil
To secure the coil in place, you'll need to use a coil crimping tool, which can be in the form of pliers or an electric crimper. If you're using an electric crimper, refer to the instructions provided with your machine. For coil crimping pliers, follow these steps:
- Ensure that the coil is threaded through all the holes and hangs out on both ends.
- Turn the project around so that the bind faces you.
- Look for a dot (usually red) on the head of the crimper. Position the pliers so that the dot faces away from your palm or faces up.
- Insert the pliers just after the last hole and squeeze firmly in one fluid motion. This action cuts and crimps the coil simultaneously.
- For a neat finish, spin the coil back toward the hole and flip the project over.
- Repeat the process on the other side to ensure both ends are securely crimped.
Additional Tips
- Keep the paper waste tray empty to prevent jams caused by overfilling.
- Always follow the instructions provided with your specific coil crimping machine for the best results.
- Some coil crimping machines also include a cutter and crimper within the same mechanism, offering a complete binding solution.
By following these steps and guidelines, you can efficiently use coil crimping machines to create professionally bound books and documents.
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Using coil crimping pliers
To use the coil crimping pliers, first, place your coiled document flat on a table. The coil crimping pliers will have a dot on one side—often red. Ensure that the red dot is facing up and is always facing away from your palm. Hold the bound document so that the coil that needs to be crimped is at the top, with the bound edge facing you. For right-handed users, work with the right side of the coil, and for left-handed users, work with the left side. Position the pliers into the right side of the document with the cutting head in the centre of the coil, ensuring that the cutters are not too far down or too far up. Insert the pliers so that the lower jaw is below the coil rung that you want to crimp and the top jaw is positioned above it.
Squeeze the handles to cut the coil and continue to apply pressure until the pliers are completely closed to crimp it. Apply an extra squeeze to make sure the crimp bends. Then, twist the pliers slightly clockwise to ensure the proper angle is applied to the crimped end. Release the pliers and flip the book over to crimp the remaining excess coil using the same procedure.
A properly crimped coil end should have almost a 90-degree bend. If the crimp is weaker, it will produce less of an angle, and the plastic coil binding could easily spin out of the book with normal use.
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Positioning the pliers
To position the pliers correctly, first, lay your coiled document flat on a table with the bound edge facing you. Check that the coil is threaded all the way through the holes and hangs out on both ends. Now, pick up the pliers and look for the red dot. The red dot should be facing away from your palm, towards the ceiling if you are right-handed and towards the floor if you are left-handed.
Next, insert the pliers into the right-hand side of the document, positioning the cutting head in the centre of the coil. The pliers should be placed just after the last hole, with the teeth of the pliers sitting just below the centre of the coil. Ensure that the lower jaw of the pliers is below the coil rung you want to crimp, and the top jaw is positioned above it.
The positioning of the pliers is crucial to achieving a completed crimp. If the pliers are placed too far up or down the coil, they will not crimp effectively.
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Squeezing the handles
When squeezing the handles, it is crucial to maintain a firm grip and a steady hand. The amount of pressure required may vary depending on the thickness and stiffness of the plastic coil. Therefore, it is essential to assess the coil's characteristics and adjust the force applied accordingly.
Right-handed users should position the coil crimping pliers so that the red dot is facing up toward the ceiling. The bound edge should be facing the user, and the pliers should be aligned with the last loop passing through the book, ensuring that the teeth of the pliers are just below the centre of the coil.
Left-handed users should follow similar steps, but with minor adjustments. The pliers should be held in the left hand, ensuring that the red dot faces down toward the floor. The left side of the coil should be used for alignment, with the teeth of the pliers positioned just below the centre of the coil.
By following these steps and paying attention to the positioning and pressure applied, users can effectively squeeze the handles of the coil crimping pliers to achieve a secure and neat finish for their plastic coil binding projects.
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Flipping the book over
After completing the initial crimping steps on one side of the book, you'll need to flip the book over to address the other side. This step is necessary because the cutting crimping pliers are designed to work in one direction only. By flipping the book, you can apply the same crimping process to the opposite side of the coil.
To flip the book, simply turn it over so that the bound edge is still facing you, but you are now working with the opposite side of the coil. This step ensures symmetry in the crimping process and helps achieve a professional finish.
Once the book is flipped, you can repeat the previous steps on this new side. Align the pliers with the coil, ensuring the crimper is positioned in the center of a curved coil, and squeeze the handles to cut and crimp. It is important to maintain the correct positioning of the pliers during this step to achieve a complete and secure crimp.
By following these steps and paying attention to detail, you can effectively crimp plastic coil bindings and produce sturdy and professionally bound books.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use coil cutting and crimping pliers or an electric coil crimping machine.
First, make sure the coil is threaded all the way through and that the red dot on the head of the pliers is facing up. Insert the pliers into the coil just after the last hole, squeeze hard and then apply extra pressure to bend the coil. Flip the book over and repeat the process.
Electric coil crimping machines are a good choice for high-volume binding facilities as they are faster and easier to use than manual coil finishers.
