OfficeMax will cut off a workbook binding

[Tammyla]

for $1.48 here in a matter of minutes. Just a little fyi to anyone struggling with a difficult workbook.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Just be careful. Office Max and places like it have been known to botch up a book.They are not professionals.

[Tammyla]

I'm sure that's possible, but they did an excellent job here. I was able to watch him cut it; it was pretty cool and he was careful to line it up.

 

One year I cut the binding off myself and it was a tedious 3 day job with an exacto knife and a pair of very sharp scissors. I went slowly and tried to do a good job, but it didn't turn out half as good as what that super-machine did at OfficeMax.

[Mom2TheTeam]

I've had it done many times at Staples and Office Depot. (No Office Max around here.) They always do a great job...much better than I could ever do by hand! I worked in the Copy Center at Office Depot for a while about 10 years ago. They could mess it up, sure, but it's not hard to do. So, it's unlikely they would do something so horrible to it that it is not longer in acceptable condition. I never saw one messed up even a little. It's easy to do. Of course, anything is possible.

 

Anyway, Staples and Office Depot do it too for about the same price. I can't remember exactly, but it's around $2. Honestly, I know it's super easy, but it still surprises me how cheap it is. LOL!

 

They could also bind the pages with a ring binding so that it lays open flat or 3-hole punch it for you to put the pages in a notebook. I don't like working in a book that isn't totally flat. I usually cut the binding off of workbooks and then put them in a binder so I an take the pages out as needed.

[QuirkyKidAcademy]

Our OfficeMax declined to cut a binding last fall, saying the glue in the binding messed up their machine/blades/whatever. The customer asked her to move the blade in, removing more of the page. After seeing that her blade wouldn't touch the glue, the employee did cut the binding off. Just an FYI for anyone who might encounter such a situation. I'm not sure I'd have been quick enough to think of that. (It also might not be appropriate for all materials, but it's something to consider before giving up.)

[chepyl]

I had one (that gives permission in the front) cut, copied and spiral bound for $6-7. The book new would be $16, I have two other kids to use it with later. It was a great deal for me :)

[Tammyla]

Thanks for the info....I was surprised how cheap it was too. I wish, I'd checked with Staples or Office Depot or Office Max a few years ago; it would have saved me a lot of drama.

 

I've had it done many times at Staples and Office Depot. (No Office Max around here.) They always do a great job...much better than I could ever do by hand! I worked in the Copy Center at Office Depot for a while about 10 years ago. They could mess it up, sure, but it's not hard to do. So, it's unlikely they would do something so horrible to it that it is not longer in acceptable condition. I never saw one messed up even a little. It's easy to do. Of course, anything is possible.

 

Anyway, Staples and Office Depot do it too for about the same price. I can't remember exactly, but it's around $2. Honestly, I know it's super easy, but it still surprises me how cheap it is. LOL!

 

They could also bind the pages with a ring binding so that it lays open flat or 3-hole punch it for you to put the pages in a notebook. I don't like working in a book that isn't totally flat. I usually cut the binding off of workbooks and then put them in a binder so I an take the pages out as needed.

 

Our OfficeMax declined to cut a binding last fall, saying the glue in the binding messed up their machine/blades/whatever. The customer asked her to move the blade in, removing more of the page. After seeing that her blade wouldn't touch the glue, the employee did cut the binding off. Just an FYI for anyone who might encounter such a situation. I'm not sure I'd have been quick enough to think of that. (It also might not be appropriate for all materials, but it's something to consider before giving up.)

 

I wouldn't have thought to have him cut it further in either...That was a good idea. The guy who cut mine was very precise and took his time lining it up.

 

I had one (that gives permission in the front) cut, copied and spiral bound for $6-7. The book new would be $16, I have two other kids to use it with later. It was a great deal for me :)

 

I didn't even think about having them punch it and put a spiral or comb-binding on it. That could save a lot of money; if it is acceptable with the pub of course. I just wanted the think to lay flat, so I wouldn't hear the fussing from ds about it.

[Element]

We don't have an Office Max, but I wanted to say as far as Staples goes, it depends on the store. Ours used to cut bindings off for $3 but they won't do it anymore. I've been doing the whole hair dryer thing lately. :blech:

 

I wish we had an Office Max!

[chepyl]

The permission was just for the copying. Our Office Depot is very strict with copyright, some others are not. I have never tried to copy anything that did not give permission, I just make sure I know the page it is on and exactly what it says I can do before I go in.

 

Thanks for the info....I was surprised how cheap it was too. I wish, I'd checked with Staples or Office Depot or Office Max a few years ago; it would have saved me a lot of drama.

 

 

 

I wouldn't have thought to have him cut it further in either...That was a good idea. The guy who cut mine was very precise and took his time lining it up.

 

 

I didn't even think about having them punch it and put a spiral or comb-binding on it. That could save a lot of money; if it is acceptable with the pub of course. I just wanted the think to lay flat, so I wouldn't hear the fussing from ds about it.

[violamama]

Our FedEx Kinkos also does it.

[Tammyla]

That's pretty cool that the publisher doesn't mind.

 

The permission was just for the copying. Our Office Depot is very strict with copyright, some others are not. I have never tried to copy anything that did not give permission, I just make sure I know the page it is on and exactly what it says I can do before I go in.

 

[Tammyla]

OUr Kinkos changed to just a FedEx now, but when it was a Kinkos, they were pretty expensive. I've had a few workbooks that were bound so super tight that writing in them was almost impossible. I would have paid almost anything to have some one cut the binding off vs. just working with it or trying to do it myself.

 

Our FedEx Kinkos also does it.

 

[daijobu]

This was very helpful for BFSU. I followed the advice of someone on the BFSU list and had the binding cut off, AND they three hole punched it. I stapled the individual lessons together, so I could pull out one lesson at a time from a binder.

 

(I'm now sending silent thanks to whomever posted this advice.) :closedeyes:

[PachiSusan]

This would be a great idea for Melissa's handwriting book. She always complains and her writing shows it when she has to write on the left side of the page.

[Tammyla]

It would be one less thing to stress her while writing.

 

This would be a great idea for Melissa's handwriting book. She always complains and her writing shows it when she has to write on the left side of the page.

[elizabeth rose]

Thank you so much for posting this. I had my first experience cutting off a binding the other day with an x-acto knife. It was horrible. Seriously, I would rather publishers just give me loose pages that put them in that horrid binding. What is the reason for that?

[Tammyla]

:iagree: I'm not sure why they do it, and I had the same experience with a do-it-myself project. I'm often surprised when an actual book is bound so loosely it falls apart, but consumable workbooks are bound to last forever. I always choose 3 hole or comb bound if it's an option.

 

Thank you so much for posting this. I had my first experience cutting off a binding the other day with an x-acto knife. It was horrible. Seriously, I would rather publishers just give me loose pages that put them in that horrid binding. What is the reason for that?