| |
Reviewing the All - New Akiles Alphabind - Cm Manual Plastic Comb Binding Machine
Jeff McRitchie
Plastic comb binding machines can be
expensive, so when buying one, you want to be sure you select the
machine that has the best features for the lowest price. One machine
that's affordable and is packed with first-rate features is the brand
new Akiles AlphaBind-CM. This is a system that won't cost you too much
but it has a lot of the most popular features a comb binding machine
can have. Here's a breakdown of the machine's strengths, as well as an
honest look at its shortcomings. Strengths: -
This
device is capable of punching and binding letter-sized documents (8.5"
x 11"). It has a 12-inch throat that is open so you can bind other
sizes of documents, if necessary. -
This
device can work with binding combs that are up to 2 inches in diameter
making it capable of binding both thin and thick booklets. -
The
punching mechanism on this device is really impressive: it can punch up
to 25 sheets of regular bond paper per lift. With this kind of punching
capacity, you will be able to finish your work a lot faster. -
The
CM has one of the most sought-after features a comb binding machine can
have: disengageable dies. As previously noted, this device has an open
throat so that combined with the fully disengageable punching pins, it
is possible for you to punch and bind professional-looking documents
with virtually any length of binding edge. -
The
adjustable depth of punch control is another popular feature and the CM
has that one as well. This feature ensures that the punched holes are
the correct distance from the edge of the paper. This feature comes in
really handy when binding extremely small or extremely large documents. -
The
CM is made entirely out of metal so it can stand up to heavy-duty
punching and binding. It has a rather roomy chip tray that won't need
to be emptied very often. -
Akiles
designed this product to be a smaller, lower-cost version of their
Megabind machines. It's great that a company would design a product
with the goal of saving customers money. This CM goes for about $420.00
so it's a very affordable product. Weaknesses: -
Although
all-metal construction is a wonderful feature to have in a binding
device, it does make the CM rather heavy. It weighs over 40 pounds so
it is a little bit difficult to transport. -
Also, the CM is rather industrial-looking due to its construction. It's not ugly but it's not really that attractive either. -
This
device lacks a U-shaped handle, which is not only ergonomically
friendly, it enables left-handed users to use this particular unit more
easily. -
The CM is a
manual device. If you need an electric machine with the same
capabilities as the CM, you should look at the Akiles AlphaBind-CE,
which is electric. -
This
system has a twelve inch punching throat. If you are going to need to
bind very many legal sized documents you will probably want to consider
stepping up to the Megabind series of machines. However, this system
should be more than adequate for binding letter size, half size and A4
sized documents.
|
|
|