How to Use a Combined Binding Machine

Documents look more professional when they're bound together. Whether for a meeting presentation or a keepsake, there are several ways to bind a document, including tape and wire, but those aren't usually offered with combined binding machines. Most combined binding machines allow you to create spiral (coil) and comb bound documents. These machines will punch out different styles of holes for any document and most will have an option to attach the comb binding to a document as well.

Comb Binding
1 Switch the cut die on your machine to a comb cut. This cut will represent long rectangle punches along the document.

2 Replace the cut die by sliding it in place. It should slide smoothly. On some models you'll have to pull the handle back up to lock it into place.

3 Place a sheet of paper in the slot where the cut die is. Push the paper all the way down and the furthest away from the open slot where you slid the paper. This will be your test sheet.

4 Push the button to have the machine punch the paper. Once the paper has been cut, remove it and determine if it's how you want your document cut.

5 Place the pages into the slot where the cut die is. Don't jam it too full. Leave enough room in the slot to where you can move the paper around easily. Be sure all the pages are pushed down, so they're straight and even.

6 the button to punch the papers.

7 Pull the pages out once it's finished. Once you've finished the cutting, now you need to prepare the plastic binding section.

8 Retrieve a plastic comb that will fit the pages of your document easily.

9 the plastic comb with the spine on the bottom. Be sure the closed part of the teeth of the comb is furthest from you.

10 Pull the handle towards you to detach the comb's teeth. The pull mechanism will attach to each tooth of the comb and will open the comb towards you. Some machine models will be different.

11 Open the teeth as far as necessary. Place the pages in the teeth. For a more professional look, place the pages face down so that when you view the document, the front pages will be closest to the attached part of the comb.

12 Push the handle back to close the teeth of the comb. Remove the document from the machine.

Spiral Binding
1 Follow the instructions for spiral binding, but replace the comb cut die with a spiral cut die.

2 Place all pages together, in the order you want them to go. Line up the holes with each other.

3 Guide a piece of spiral binding through the first hole on the document. You can either start at the top or bottom of the document.

4 Guide the spiral through the rest of the holes. Once it has gone through the holes, pull out a spiral crimper.

5 Take the spiral crimper to the end of the coil. Face the crimper towards the document so the front end of the crimper is parallel with the document. Make sure the red dot on the crimper is facing the ceiling. Push down on the crimping handles and turn the crimper down, 180 degrees.

6 Flip the document over and use the same motion on the other side of the binding.