Akiles Coilmac EPI Review

By: Jeff McRitchie
Submitted: 2009-11-06 15:15:10
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

A desktop unit that can still produce at high volume, the Akiles Coilmac EPI is an all-electric coil binding system designed for medium to large sized organizations that do a fair amount of binding. Here is a brief overview of this machine's strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

  1. The punching capacity of the Coilmac EPI is easily one of the largest that is available on the market. Officially stated at twenty five sheets of twenty pound paper, we found that it really worked best at around twenty two. Still, that's a lot of sheets, and it will get you quickly through even the largest projects. This machine can also punch two clear covers at one time.
  2. The foot pedal control of the Coilmac EPI is a great feature that makes it possible for you to hold onto your documents with both hands while you are doing your punching. We found that this was really handy for increasing the punch quality when working with sheet numbers at or near the top of the machine's capabilities. Plus you can operate the coil inserter using your foot pedal by simply flipping the switch located on the front of the machine.
  3. The Coilmac EPI features an open throat design which allows the user to punch documents that are longer than the number of pins available. The continuous punching guide enables you to align the stack, flip it over, and punch the rest of the holes. We found the whole thing to be a fairly easy process even though we didn't think we would have to do it very often. The standard 13 inch width of the machine should be more than adequate to get you through the vast majority of jobs.
  4. While it only represents about a thirty dollar value, and we are talking about a machine that costs a little bit of money, we did find it nice that the Coilmac EPI comes with a pair of high quality crimping pliers. This tool is so important to the process that we can't imagine anyone attempting spiral coil binding without them.
  5. Another couple features that we really appreciated about the Coilmac EPI were the depth of margin punch control which allows you to set the correct punch from the edge of the document (increasing the usability and durability of larger documents), and the open throat design that lets you bind letter, legal, as well as A4 and A5 sized sheets with ease.
  6. The Coilmac EPI appears to us to be extraordinarily well built, and we see no reason why it wouldn't last the user for a good many years of daily use.

Weaknesses:

  1. For all its benefits, the Coilmac EPI does not include fully disengageable dies. Although for the vast majority of jobs this won't matter in the least, it is a nice feature to have when you are going to be producing documents that are custom sized. For this feature you will need to step up to the CoilMac EPI+
  2. We would have liked to see this system come with separate foot pedals for inserting and punching. It is currently designed so that the user must flip a switch to toggle between functions. It can get a little tedious if you are punching and binding one document at a time. You would be better off doing all your punching first, then all your inserting.
  3. For larger volume projects, you may want to purchase a standalone inserter so that one person can work on punching while another works on inserting and crimping.
If you are interested in more information about the Akiles CoilMac EPI Heavy Duty Electric Coil Binding Machine, you should really check out MyBinding.com. They offer a great price on this machine and they even offer Free Shipping on all orders over $75. MyBinding carries the entire line of Akiles binding equipment along with one of the largest selections of Spiral Coil Binding Supplies that you will find on the internet. Choose from more than fifty colors and twenty-seven sizes.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Shopping category

  • Compulsive Shopping - By: Harmon Ykaylynn
    It is difficult to imagine that shopping can also be the cause of psychological obstruction. But there are people who spend money due to a compulsive urge that they cannot control. Shopping by and large is a harmless way to enjoy time.
  • Choosing a 3-Hole Punch For Your Office - By: Jeff McRitchie
    When you think of binding, what comes to mind? Perhaps you're thinking about plastic comb binding machines or a gadget such as the Powis Parker Fastback, which can produce bookstore-quality documents. However, three-ring binders are also a viable binding option and they're one of the easiest and cheapest binding methods around. All you need to get started are some three-ring binders, your document, and a hole punch. You probably already have your binders picked out, but what about your three-hole punch? This article will fill you in on what need to consider when buying a three-hole punch for your office.
  • Comparing the PediPaws and Peticure Pet Nail Trimmers - By: Anthony Gilberto
    Pet lovers know how important it is to be careful when clipping their nails. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when you cut a dog's nails is to cut too much so that it bleeds. That is extremely painful for the dog. And so tools like Pedipaws and Peticure are very useful for dog lovers.
  • Will the Steam Buddy Steamer or Pressa Bella Steam Iron Remove Wrinkles from Your Clothes? - By: Grace McLellan
    How much do you love your iron? Conversely, how much do you hate your iron? Because your answer determines the future of two products that want to be your best friend. They are the Steam Buddy and Pressa Bella. They want to make your life easier.
  • GBC Catena 65 Roll Laminator Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    By all appearances, the GBC Catena 65 offers in-plant print facilities, copy shops, and other businesses that do laminating in-house a flexible and reasonably-priced choice for professional laminating. We took a close look at this machine recently. Here is a quick overview of what we consider to be the Catena 65's strengths and weaknesses.
  • Is Ab Circle Pro or Ab Flyer the Better Abdominal Machine? - By: Grace McLellan
    Love handles on the front and the sides are not sexy. NOT. Call that politically incorrect, but if that were not true, why are there so many products aimed at removing them, with people eager for the fix that will really firm the abs--the sooner, the better, the more easily, and hopefully, forever.
  • Six Reasons Why You Should Consider the Fellowes SPL-125 Professional Pouch Laminator - By: Jeff McRitchie
    If you need a new laminator for your workplace, one of the manufacturers you should check out is Fellowes. Fellowes has been in business for almost a century and they're well-known for their top-notch office machines, including laminators. They offer one of the least expensive professional-grade laminators on the market, the SPL-125, which retails for $599.95, but is still high-quality and is a great choice for people who need a professional laminator. Here are six reasons why you should consider the Fellowes SPL-125 laminator.
  • MBM Destroyit 3803 Shredder Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    The Destroyit 3808 is a heavy duty shredder that the manufacturer posits as a centralized, heavy-use office shredder. Here we take a look at this machine, and give you what we consider to be some of its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Choosing a Booklet Maker For Beginners - By: Jeff McRitchie
    Creating booklets can be fun, but it can also be time-consuming and tedious if you do it by hand. This is especially true if you need to produce a large number of them. That is where a booklet maker can come in handy. These are machines that make it easy to create booklets because they do all the work for you: they staple the paper and then fold it in half, and voila, you have your booklet. However, it can be tough to select the right machine if you don't know what to look for. That being said, here are some things you need to consider when selecting a booklet making machine for your company.
  • MBM Destroyit 4005 Shredder Review - By: Jeff McRitchie
    The MBM Destroyit 4005 offers a super-wide 16 inch feed opening. This large opening enables users to shred just about any size document with ease. The sheet capacity of 30-32 pages on the cross cut model we tested was nice. The strip cut version is purported to be able to handle as many as 52 sheets at a time. That's impressive in anyone's book.