A binding machine turns a stack of loose pages into a report, tender, manual or thesis that opens flat and stays in order. Offices bind proposals and tenders, schools bind workbooks, and attorneys bind court bundles. There are four common ways to bind, each with its own machine and supplies, and the right one depends on how the book will be used and how thick it is. Tell us what you bind and how often, and we pass your request to independent office equipment suppliers near you, who quote you directly.
Comb, wire, thermal or coil
- Comb binding: the machine punches rectangular holes and a plastic comb holds the pages. Cheap, and the book can be opened to add or remove pages.
- Wire binding: a metal double loop wire, often called wire-O, closed with the machine. Neater and more professional; the wire must match the hole pitch.
- Thermal binding: a cover with glue in the spine is heated so the pages stick in. No punching, and a clean finish.
- Coil or spiral binding: a plastic coil wound through round holes. Flexible, and the book folds back on itself.
Punch capacity and book thickness
Each machine has two limits: how many sheets it punches at once, and the thickest book it binds. A machine that punches only a few sheets at a time is fine for the odd report but slow for a box of workbooks. Electric punches save effort for volume work. Thicker books need larger combs, wires or covers, so ask for the largest size the machine takes. Heavier paper and card covers reduce the number of sheets punched at once, so ask about that too.
Covers, combs and wires
The supplies are the running cost: combs, wires or coils in several diameters, clear plastic front covers and card back covers, or thermal covers in set spine widths. Buy the sizes you use most in boxes, and keep a few larger sizes for thick documents. Ask the supplier to quote for the machine and a starter set of supplies together. For the pages, see our page on photocopy paper; for card covers, ask what weight your copier can print on.
Reports, tenders and theses
Tender offices and consultants often bind several copies of a long document at once, so a fast punch and wire or thermal binding pay off. Schools binding workbooks often choose comb for price. Students binding one thesis usually do better at a copy shop than buying a machine. Copy rooms often keep a laminator on the same table.
Before you buy, ask the supplier to bind a sample with your own paper and covers, so you can see the finish and how flat the book opens. Empty the punch tray often, because a full tray of paper chips stops the punch working cleanly, and keep the dies free of staples and paper clips.
What to put in your request
- Comb, wire, thermal or coil binding
- How many documents you bind a week
- The thickest document you bind
- Manual or electric punch
- Which combs, wires or covers to include
Binding Machines for offices, schools and home offices
- Home offices: a small comb binder for a consultant's proposals and a student's assignments
- Small businesses and shops: comb or wire binding for quotes, proposals and staff manuals
- Corporate and head offices: an electric wire binder in the copy room for board packs and annual reports
- Schools, colleges and universities: comb binding for workbooks, portfolios and learner projects in bulk
- Medical practices, clinics and hospitals: bound policy manuals and training files for clinics and practices
- Law firms, accountants and agents: thermal or wire binding for court bundles, reports and tenders
- Government and municipalities: bound tender documents, plans and reports for council meetings
- Factories, mines and warehouses: bound safety manuals and operating procedures for plant and depots
- Churches, NGOs and community groups: comb bound song books, study guides and annual reports
Frequently asked questions
Which binding method is best for tender documents?
Can I reopen a bound document to add pages?
Should I buy a binding machine or use a copy shop?
Do you sell binding machines yourselves?
Binding Machines by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg