Spiral Coil Binding

Plastic coil binding, also known as spiral coil binding, is the preferred method of professionals that frequently produce food menus, pocket guides, training manuals, proposals, and much more. Binding any kind of document with plastic binding coils requires the right supplies. Binding101 offers a wide selection of spiral binding supplies that can help you improve production time from start to finish and the overall quality of the documents you prepare. We offer a broad variety of plastic coils, pre-punched paper, and pre-punched report covers to help you stock up on all the supplies you need at affordable prices.

With spiral binding plastic coils, you can make professional books that can withstand heavy handling. This is because the plastic itself is incredibly flexible and durable, with the ability to be bent any which way and still bounce-back and retain its original shape.

Binding with a coil is simple and only requires a few tools. You will need a coil binding punch, the coils themselves, and cutter crimper pliers. An optional addition would be an electric coil inserter to increase the rolling/inserting speed. All you have to do is punch your pages, roll your coils through the holes, and then cut/crimp each end of the coil. It is a simple, professional, and effective way to document bind for users of all kinds.

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Shop Spiral Binding Machines & Supplies

Manual Spiral Coil Binding MachinesManual Spiral Coil Binding Machines
Electric Spiral Coil Binding MachinesElectric Spiral Coil Binding Machines
Coil InsertersCoil Inserters

Manual coil binding machines are great for lower and medium-volume users who need to bind occasionally. Use a handle to punch the holes, then roll in the coil by-hand, and use separate crimping pliers for the edges.

Electric spiral binding machines are perfect for higher volume users who want to eliminate fatigue with punching frequently or in large batches. Coils may need to be manually or electrically inserted. Crimping may be manual or electric.

Electric inserters can drastically increase the speed of inserting coils into your punched pages. Just roll it through the first few holes, hold it up to the machine, and the coils are through in a flash. Some are equipped with crimpers too.

Spiral Coil Binding SuppliesSpiral Coil Binding Supplies
Custom Spiral Binding Plastic CoilsCustom Spiral Binding Plastic Coils
Coil Punched Paper & CoversCoil Punched Paper & Covers
Coil CrimpersCoil Crimpers

Flexible and durable spiral coils are available in a huge selection of colors, as well as in standard 4:1, and specialty pitches.

Special-order colored coils include neons, pastels, and much more. You can also get them custom-cut to length.

Pre-punched covers and paper eliminate the hassle of punching sturdy cover pages and can speed up the process.

Crimpers are available in hand pliers and electrical versions for high-volume. They offer easy and fast finishing of coil books.


Coil Binding Pitch

Spiral coils come in several different pitches or hole patterns. The most common by far, used by about 99% of the industry, is a standard 4:1 pitch coil. This means that the spine has 4 loops per inch of length, to correspond to 4 holes per inch on your paper. All of the other punch pattern options are more specialized, used by industry professionals with specialty equipment.

4:1 Pitch Spiral Coils4:1 Pitch Spiral Coils
5:1 Pitch Spiral Coils5:1 Pitch Spiral Coils
3:1 Pitch Spiral Coils3:1 Pitch Spiral Coils
2.5:1 Pitch Spiral Coils2.5:1 Pitch Spiral Coils

Most Popular Coil Binding Machines

Browse our top-selling spiral coil binding systems below from electric and manual categories. These machines have proven time and time again that coil binding can be easy, professional, and affordable when you shop at Binding101. They have top customer ratings and reviews and are truly built to last the test of time. When you invest in a new coil binder machine, you want to be sure you are getting the most bang for your buck; a great place to start your search is by checking out our best coil binding machines below.

Rhin-O-Tuff Coil Binding System 3000Rhin-O-Tuff Coil Binding System 3000
Akiles CoilMac EPI Plus Electric Punch & Electric Coil InserterAkiles CoilMac EPI Plus Electric Punch & Electric Coil Inserter
Akiles CoilMac ECI Plus Manual Punch & Electric Coil InserterAkiles CoilMac ECI Plus Manual Punch & Electric Coil Inserter
Akiles CoilMac M Plus Manual Spiral Binding MachineAkiles CoilMac M Plus Manual Spiral Binding Machine

• Electric Punching
• Electric Inserting
• Electric Crimping

• Electric Punching
• Electric Inserting
• Manual Crimping (with Pliers)

• Manual Punching
• Electric Inserting
• Manual Crimping (with Pliers)

• Manual Punching
• Manual Inserting
• Manual Crimping (with Pliers)


Colored Coil Binding Spines

Our spiral binding coils are stocked in nation-wide warehouses in a select variety of professional colors. Black, white, clear, navy, and red are just a few of the most popular options. In addition to those stocking spirals, we also offer special order colors including various hues, tints, pastel, neon/fluorescent colors, and so much more, all of which usually only takes a couple of days to produce. Give us a call at (866)537-2244 to inquire about custom options.

Spiral Binding CoilsSpiral Binding Coils
Spiral Binding CoilsSpiral Binding Coils
Spiral Binding CoilsSpiral Binding Coils
Spiral Binding CoilsSpiral Binding Coils
Spiral Binding CoilsSpiral Binding Coils
Spiral Binding CoilsSpiral Binding Coils

How to Choose a Coil Size

Choosing a proper coil bind spine size for your document doesn't have to be a struggle. If your machine has a coil size selector, use that integrated tool as the first option. Typically there are slots cut into the machine that you slide your entire book into until you find the one that best fits your stack. Remember to allow the pages to be loose; you don't want them tight, or they won't turn easily once bound. It is always better to have a coil that is a little too big than too small. If your machine doesn't have this tool, we have a simple formula to help you select the best spine diameter below. And remember, you can always call us at (866)537-2244 for assistance.

Coil Size

6 mm

7 mm

8 mm

9 mm

10 mm

11 mm

12 mm

13 mm

14 mm

15 mm

16 mm

18 mm

Book Thickness

5/32"

3/16"

1/4"

9/32"

5/16"

3/8"

13/32"

7/16"

15/32"

1/2"

9/16"

5/8"

Sheet Capacity*

5-35 Sheets

36-47 Sheets

48-60 Sheets

61-70 Sheets

71-80 Sheets

81-90 Sheets

91-100 Sheets

101-110 Sheets

111-120 Sheets

121-130 Sheets

131-140 Sheets

141-160 Sheets

Coil Size

20 mm

22 mm

25 mm

28 mm

30 mm

32 mm

35 mm

38 mm

40 mm

45 mm

50 mm

Book Thickness

11/16"

3/4"

13/16"

7/8"

1"

1-1/8"

1-1/4"

1-3/8"

1-1/2"

1-9/16"

1-3/4"

Sheet Capacity*

161-170 Sheets

181-200 Sheets

211-230 Sheets

231-250 Sheets

251-270 Sheets

271-290 Sheets

291-320 Sheets

300-320 Sheets

321-350 Sheets

351-390 Sheets

391-440 Sheets

* Sheet capacity was determined using only 20 lb bond copy paper and did not include covers. The actual sheet capacity will vary greatly depending on the stock and covers you are using. We recommend that, whenever possible, you use the "book thickness" rating instead. 


Spiral Coil FAQs

1. What coil bind pitch do I need? The most common binding pitch for spiral coils (by far) is 4:1 pitch, but some industry-specific customers use a 5:1, 3:1, and 2.5:1. To know which one you need, just check out machine pitch; in order to be compatible, the machine's pitch and the coil spine pitch need to match.

2. What is the largest book a coil can bind? Coil binding spines come in diameters up to 50mm. That largest coil can bind books up to 1.75" thick, or about 440 sheets of 20 lb. bond copy paper. When it comes to the largest sheet size, it will depend on your machine; most machines have a 12", 14", or 24" punch opening, so they can handle page sizes up to those lengths. Coil binding spines are stocked in either 12" (for 11" letter-size pages), or 36" long options. Custom-cut lengths are also available.

3. Why is the coil longer than my book? Spiral coils are 1" longer than the intended binding edge length to allow for cutting and crimping-in each end. This leaves 1/2" on each side of your page; smaller extensions can be more difficult to handle. So, for example, standard coils are 12" long and intended for letter-size paper that is 11" long.

4. How do I know what coil size I should get? The most accurate way to determine the best coil size for your book is to lay all of your pages on a desk (including covers and any inserts) and measure the thickness of the stack, then add 1/8" to that. Make sure you are not pressing your pages down when you measure them; just allow them to lay loose. If you press down, you may end up with a coil size that is too small to allow your pages to freely turn. Sample: My book is 5/16" thick + 1/8" = 7/16" should be the coil size. Since coils are measured in millimeters, not inches, you can use a conversion calculator to convert it. My 7/16" coil becomes 11.11 mm. Always round up to make page-turning easier, which would mean I should use a 12 mm coil for my book.

5. Is the coil size the outside or inside diameter? Coil binder measurements are the inside diameter, or "ID".

6. Can I buy smaller packs? Our coils are pre-packaged in packs of 100 or 50, depending on the size. We cannot break down packs to offer smaller quantities.

7. Can I buy assorted packs? At this time we do not offer assorted color or assorted size packs. But if there is a demand for them, we may do this in the future, so let us know that you want us to carry assorted packs by emailing info@buy101.com.

8. Is it possible to coil bind without a machine? Having a spiral coil binding machine will give you the most variety of binding, as you will be able to punch any kind of paper stock you want, but yes, coil binding without a machine is possible (and easy)! Simply get pre-punched front covers, pre-punched backs, and pre-punched filler paper, along with the cutter/crimper pliers. Print your pages and, once all assembled, just manually roll the coil in through all the holes. Then crimp in the ends of the coil with the pliers. Note that some printers may not be able to run pre-punched pages, so check your user manual for compatibility.

9. How much do Spiral Binding Machines cost? The price of a coil binding machine will depend on the volume it can handle as well as the integrated features. They start at about $175 and go up to several thousands of dollars. Our experts can help you find the best coil binding machine for your budget; just call us at (866) 537-2244.


How to Coil Bind without a Machine

When it comes to spiral binding, using a machine is recommended; it ensures consistency, can be much faster, is much more convenient, and is easier. But for some at-home users who only want to bind a couple of books from time-to-time --such as crafters-- investing into a machine doesn't make much sense. So we've created this simple instruction manual for how to bind with coil when you don't have a binding machine.

Instructions:

  1. Print your pre-punched paper using a compatible printer.
  2. Arrange your paper and pre-punched covers into a stack.
  3. Roll your coil through the holes so there is about 1/2" hanging over each end.
  4. Use the crimpers to cut/crimp-in both edges.

From our Blog: Binding University

Browse our industry-savvy blog for educational articles, FAQs, special insights, & more! These top spiral binding posts can help educate you on all of the ins and outs of plastic coil binding, from making a calendar, to choose the best machine for a small business, to making extra-large books, and more.