Side stitching is one of the most common and reliable ways to make FlexBind® Books. There are several brands of side stitchers available on the market, depending on the type of books needing to be bound. Many wire-fed saddle stitchers can be used for side stitching books up to 1/4″ thick. Thicker books up to 3/4″ thick can be stitched with industrial stitchers.
General Stitcher recommendations
- Use flat wire rather than round wire. Flat wire will give a more consistently registered staple.
- Do not staple into the laminate. The laminate is indented into the paper which makes that specific area as hard as a rock. For best results, staple 1 mm away from the laminate
- Do not staple into the gap. Each nick of the laminte gap is a starting point for the laminate to tear. Similar to packing tape, it is extremely strong till a nick or tear is introduced, then it comes apart quite easily. This point also relates to trimming. It is extremely important to use a sharp knife so as to cleanly cut the film across the gap.
- Use of stainless steel wire can be done to promote archival book properties.
Stitching defects
Stitching through the FlexBind hinge will weaken the page integrity
Stitching through the laminate and paper can cause jammed staples
Stitching through the laminate and paper can cause jammed staples
Photo of proper stitch placement along the laminate edge.
Common Stitchers/Staplers on the Market