| If you have ever tried to insert spiral coils | | | | then proceeded to insert the coil onto the |
| onto the edge of a book that is 2" thick you | | | | edge of the book. Although you can use the |
| know just how difficult that it can be. | | | | HD-4101 along with an electric coil inserter |
| Inserting coils onto small books really isn't | | | | (it even bolts onto one of the Rhino |
| that hard. However, dealing with documents | | | | inserters) I decided to try it by hand so |
| that are larger than 30mm can be very | | | | that I could compare it to my previous |
| challenging. In fact, I timed myself to see | | | | inserting experiment. |
| how long it would take me to insert a coil on | | | | |
| the edge of a 50mm book by hand (that is how | | | | I won't lie. The coil still got hung up a |
| most people do it) and it took me almost ten | | | | few times when I was trying to insert it onto |
| minutes. In a production environment that | | | | the document. It would have helped a lot if |
| would represent a huge drain on resources. | | | | I had used a punch with an oval hole pattern |
| | | | or larger holes. However, I was able to |
| The main reason that inserting spines onto | | | | complete the document in approximately 3.5 |
| large sized books is so difficult is that the | | | | minutes. Compared to the ten minutes that it |
| coil doesn't have a clear path to travel. | | | | took me without the 4101 this was a |
| The coil is round and when you line up your | | | | significant time savings. In fact, if I had |
| paper the holes are straight. This means | | | | to do 100 books I could save almost 11 hours |
| that it is necessary to shape the spine of | | | | of labor. |
| your book so that it matches the diameter of | | | | |
| coil you are using. Trying to do this by | | | | Limitations: |
| hand is a lot easier said than done. This is | | | | |
| why the Rhino HD-4101 claims to dramatically | | | | To be honest, I was surprised that the |
| reduce the time that it takes to insert large | | | | HD-4101 saved me as much time as it did. I |
| coils onto documents. It helps you to | | | | was pretty impressed. However, after playing |
| quickly and easily shape the spine of your | | | | with the machine a little bit I did notice |
| book and holds it in place so that you can | | | | one limitation that I thought that I should |
| insert the coil through the holes. I decided | | | | note. This device cannot be used with |
| to put this claim to the test and see just | | | | documents that have index tabs or use index |
| how much time the HD-4101 saved me. | | | | allowance sized covers. It actually shapes |
| | | | the outside edge of the document so that the |
| The Test: | | | | binding edge is easily accessible. If you |
| | | | try to use index tabs they will keep the |
| The HD4101 spine former is actually very | | | | spine from forming properly. This is |
| simple to set up and to use. It is designed | | | | something to remember with the 4101. |
| for shaping books for use with 30mm - 50mm | | | | |
| spiral coils. There are three size settings | | | | As I mentioned above, inserting coils with |
| on the spine former. You simply rotate a | | | | such large coil was still not really simple |
| shaft on the machine to select the size of | | | | with the 4101. However, if you want to make |
| the book that you need to shape. In my case | | | | your life easier you might consider using an |
| I decided to select a 50mm (2") book so that | | | | oversize oval punching die or try using a |
| I could test the real capabilities of this | | | | different pitch of coil. Spiral coils are |
| machine. | | | | available for both 3:1 pitch or 2.5:1 pitch |
| | | | (most people use this with a 2:1 pitch hole |
| The machine has three forming tools attached | | | | pattern) hole patterns. These larger pitch |
| to the shaft that I mentioned above. Each of | | | | hole patterns use more rigid coil and require |
| the three forming tools has a small thumb | | | | you to insert the coil through less holes |
| screw that allows it to be moved. I set mine | | | | making it much easier to finish your |
| so that they were equally spaced along the | | | | documents. |
| edge of the spine of the book that I needed | | | | |
| to form. In my case I was forming a letter | | | | Recommendations: |
| sized document but the 4101 could also be | | | | |
| used for forming longer or shorter documents. | | | | If you use spiral coil binding and do a lot |
| | | | of large diameter books the HD-4101 is an |
| Once I selected the diameter that was | | | | absolute essential. It is the only tool of |
| appropriate for my document and set up the | | | | its kind that I have seen on the market and |
| forming tools I was ready to give the machine | | | | it is incredibly simple. If it could deal |
| a try. I took my two inch thick book which | | | | with documents that had index tabs it would |
| was already punched and placed it into the | | | | be even better. Still, the labor savings |
| machine with the binding edge facing out. | | | | that the HD-4101 offers will quickly allow it |
| The pages fit into the machine easily and the | | | | to pay for itself in no time at all. |
| spine was formed with a convenient curve. I | | | | |