Binding machines, folders etc

[Ausmumof3]

I print a lot of PDF curriculum for use at home these days:  one problem I’m finding is getting ring binders that are strong or durable enough for my kids.  Particularly the Youngest keeps breaking them.

ive been wondering if it’s worth getting a binding machine.  Plastic ones are pretty cheap.  The wire ones are quite expensive but I’m not sure that plastic binding would hold up to my kids through the year.  The other issue is that most of the curriculum have about 400 pages and I’m not sure if you can even by coil binders that big!

anyway... 

do you use a coil or wire type binding machine and is it worth the money and hassle

if not do you have any recommendations for amazing binders that actually survive the handling of the average 7 year old in a daily basis?

[Pen]

These types of binder seem to hold up better than the regular type...but are slow for opening and shutting them.

Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder, 1 Inch Binder, Notebook and Binder All-in-One, Purple (72514) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JIX4OTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kiQnDbWF251YN

for us inexpensive spiral wirebound notebooks with pockets for extra papers seemed to work better than binders

I never tried a machine

[Moonhawk]

We have a Coilmac M41 Akiles coil binder. I love it. I absolutely love it. We got it originally for business use, so the expense of it was excusable, but I don't know how I'd do homeschool without it, as almost all my classes I print workbooks now. It's simple and quick to use, it really is a cinch, and much cheaper than going to the local printing place for binding services. The workbooks stand up all year to the kids. There are cheaper machines (and more expensive), so if you can find something in your budget I definitely recommend this. Just make sure that you look at the average number of pages you'll be binding together to get the right coil size when buying coils. I have 2 different sizes for my books and that has worked pretty well, there is a pretty big set of sizes you can do. I do split up my huge workbooks into 2 or 3 workbooks for the kids. 

The Coilmac we have, price has gone up slightly or I got it on sale. I also prefer oval holes over circle, but for kid workbooks I don't think it actually matters; that's why we chose this particular model, though. 

[Melissa in Australia]

I also end up buying lots of ebooks and printing them out. I am doing 2 different things.

one is making books of around 30 sheets and stapling them together with a very large stapler that can go through that amount of sheets - this makes the workbook in a not overwhelming size for the twins

 the other thing I use are Arnos fasteners https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/arnos-3-piece-fasteners-50-pack-es42692

the good thing about Arnos fasteners is they are reusable. you can quickly remove or add sheets and  they are not plastic . I particularly like them as a way of clipping together worksheets that are already completed. We are using them to make a history book with SOTW drawing sheets and narrations. I put the fastener in backwards so when we add sheets they get added in the back . That way each boy's history book will be in chronological order

 

I particularity hate ring binders. I have never had one that works for very long

[Ausmumof3]

2 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I also end up buying lots of ebooks and printing them out. I am doing 2 different things.

one is making books of around 30 sheets and stapling them together with a very large stapler that can go through that amount of sheets - this makes the workbook in a not overwhelming size for the twins

 the other thing I use are Arnos fasteners https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/arnos-3-piece-fasteners-50-pack-es42692

the good thing about Arnos fasteners is they are reusable. you can quickly remove or add sheets and  they are not plastic . I particularly like them as a way of clipping together worksheets that are already completed. We are using them to make a history book with SOTW drawing sheets and narrations. I put the fastener in backwards so when we add sheets they get added in the back . That way each boy's history book will be in chronological order

 

I particularity hate ring binders. I have never had one that works for very long

This sounds very practical.  I think you’re right I need to store the whole curriculum and just give ds bits at a time.  This might also stop him flipping through the workbook to find more interesting pages and three pages of regrouping subtraction problems!!!!  

I would cheerfully chuck used Maths sheets etc except I like to have a good pile of stuff to show the education department when they come.

[Ausmumof3]

4 hours ago, Pen said:

These types of binder seem to hold up better than the regular type...but are slow for opening and shutting them.

Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder, 1 Inch Binder, Notebook and Binder All-in-One, Purple (72514) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JIX4OTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kiQnDbWF251YN

for us inexpensive spiral wirebound notebooks with pockets for extra papers seemed to work better than binders

I never tried a machine

The problem is I’m printing and storing whole curriculum if that makes sense.  

[Ausmumof3]

3 hours ago, Moonhawk said:

We have a Coilmac M41 Akiles coil binder. I love it. I absolutely love it. We got it originally for business use, so the expense of it was excusable, but I don't know how I'd do homeschool without it, as almost all my classes I print workbooks now. It's simple and quick to use, it really is a cinch, and much cheaper than going to the local printing place for binding services. The workbooks stand up all year to the kids. There are cheaper machines (and more expensive), so if you can find something in your budget I definitely recommend this. Just make sure that you look at the average number of pages you'll be binding together to get the right coil size when buying coils. I have 2 different sizes for my books and that has worked pretty well, there is a pretty big set of sizes you can do. I do split up my huge workbooks into 2 or 3 workbooks for the kids. 

The Coilmac we have, price has gone up slightly or I got it on sale. I also prefer oval holes over circle, but for kid workbooks I don't think it actually matters; that's why we chose this particular model, though. 

I’d love to get something like that I think.  Just not sure if there is a cheaper more dh friendly solution.  I think if I do it I’ll have to split curriculum into parts

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

The problem is I’m printing and storing whole curriculum if that makes sense.  

 

Do the dc need to get things in and out of notebooks?  If not, a good quality Avery or similar binder with locking Slant type rings should work reasonably well. 

Also ime UK A4 paper notebooks had a different ring system than in US which worked better.  I don’t know what Australia has. 

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

Do the dc need to get things in and out of notebooks?  If not, a good quality Avery or similar binder with locking Slant type rings should work reasonably well. 

Also ime UK A4 paper notebooks had a different ring system than in US which worked better.  I don’t know what Australia has. 

They don’t seem to be holding up.  Most are two ring here it’s hard to find three ring binders.  They don’t need to get stuff out it’s just the way they pick them up and youngest is clumsy so he forever drops his etc etc.  but really it’s probably just too big for him.  

[Pen]

Avery Durable View Binder, 1" Slant Rings, 220-Sheet Capacity, DuraHinge, Black, Multi Pack of 4 (17011) - 5737 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZ2V4DL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8bYnDbBEWXA54

these have been relatively durable , but I am an adult and find thicker than an inch hard to manage  )I prefer white, but black tend to cost less) 

eta anyway even with shipping to Australia at 4 binders for $10-15 you could go through quite a few for the cost of a good binder machine, I think. 

Edited July 23, 2019 by Pen

[Arcadia]

My kids destroyed/dismantled the comb and spiral binding (2nd and 3rd photo https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/Print-And-Copy/Bound-Documents) when they were seven years old. 400 pages is very thick and heavy for a child to handle. DS13 would complain even now if he is carrying a 3” ring binder that is fully loaded with printouts.

I used paper fasteners (https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/j-burrows-25mm-paper-fasteners-gold-100-pack-jb25pf100g) for small amounts of paper. Less likely to tear than using binders because my kids flip the pages in the binder roughly at that age and then we end up having to use reinforcement rings.

[Moonhawk]

5 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I’d love to get something like that I think.  Just not sure if there is a cheaper more dh friendly solution.  I think if I do it I’ll have to split curriculum into parts

Here's a cheaper binding machine : Minicoil binder. This one only does spines up to 11", so you couldn't bind larger books, I don't know what sizes you were intending to do. This allows for books up to 2" thick. You still have to get a crimper (like $30 usd I think) and the actual coils. I did go to the business paper supply store to buy clear covers, I think here it was $8 for 100 covers. You could also just use coverstock which would be cheaper. 

(Just to show the range of options on this solution.)

Edited July 23, 2019 by Moonhawk

[elegantlion]

I have a proclick binding machine. Search on this board and there are several discussion about it from previous years. You can use actual proclick coils or 3:1 coils, which I bought from mybinding.com. The 3:1 coils can go up to 400 pages, but for a young child, I wouldn't expect them to handle work  large and probably divide it into at least 2 volumes. 

I have binded many things over the years, so my machine was a worthwhile investment. I still use on occasion. It was one of my best homeschooling purchases ever.