Twin loop wire (also known as Wire-O) binding provides an exceptionally elegant and professional looking solution for report and proposal binding. Perhaps you have seen proposals that have been bound with wire binding and would like to try this type of binding in your office. This article is intended to give you a few tips to help in deciding what wire binding machine is best for your needs. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Find a wire binding machine with a good wire binding closer on it. Many of the twin loop binding machines on the market are fine for binding a few books a month. However, if you are looking to do any volume of twin-loop binding you definitely want a good wire binding closer.

Less sturdy wire closers will slip over time and you will find that the spines of your books will be closed more on one side than the other. Both the GBC w400 and w200 wire binding machines are known to have this problem over time. Look at the Akiles WireMac binding machines, the Renz Manual Wire binding Combos or the stand alone wire closers from Rhino, GBC or Tamerica for excellent wire binding closing performance.

2. Choose the wire binding machine that will best fit the size of books that you need to bind. Wire binding machines are available with two different hole patterns. Some wire-o machines punch a 3:1 pitch or 32 hole pattern (for 11" documents). These wire-o binding machines will accept wires as small as 3/16" and as large as 9/16". For documents larger than 9/16" binding machines are available that punch a 2:1 pitch or 21 hole pattern (for 11" documents). These pieces of binding equipment will accept wires between 5/8" and 1-1/4".

Most twin loop machines punch either a 3:1 pattern or a 2:1 hole pattern. However, if you are looking to bind both large and small books you might want to consider the Akiles WireMac Duo. The WireMac Duo will punch both a 3:1 pitch pattern and a 2:1 pitch pattern and will close all sizes of wire up to 1-1/4". It is currently the only wire binding combo machine of its kind on the market and is reasonably priced at under $700.

3. Look for a twin loop binding machine that is built for the volume of wire binding that you need to do. If you are only looking to bind a few books then by all means purchase the Akiles Offiwire, it will handle the job. However, if you are looking to bind hundreds or thousands of books don't buy a machine made of plastic.

Look at the Akiles WireMac line of binding machines. Akiles makes the WireMac, WireMac Duo and WireMac E wire binding machines, ranging from under $500 to over $1500. Or, if you are really going to do a lot of wire binding consider a modular wire-binding system from GBC or Rhin-O-Tuff wire binding machine. Either way, ask yourself how many books you plan on binding and buy accordingly.

4. Decide if you are going to need to bind books that are longer or shorter than 11". If you need to bind books shorter than 11" then you are looking for a wire binding machine with disengageable dies. This simply means that you can stop one of the pins from punching so that you don't have half a hole hanging off the end of your paper.

If you are looking to bind documents longer than 11" you need to find a machine with a punching throat that is either longer or is open. The Akiles WireMac series of punches comes equipped with a 14" punching throat for legal sized wire binding and has a small pin on the right side of the open throat for punching longer documents. If you are looking for something a lot bigger for large volume calendar jobs you might look at the Rhino HD7500 (a 24" modular punch) and the Rhino HD8024 wire closer (a 24" wire closer).

Overall, your best bang for your buck right now in double-o binding machines is the Akiles WireMac line of punch and bind combos or the Renz manual wire combos. However, look at the options, compare the features and decide for yourself.