Did you know that all of our index tabs are manufactured in the USA and feature recycled stock with a minimum of 30% post consumer waste?

Please check back often as we add a new category of products to aid your organization in their "green" efforts.

On occasion, you will come across documents that are not standard 11" x 8.5" that you will need to bind or reproduce and bind.

They may include legal size or A4 (European standard). See my previous blog in January 2007 for a detailed description on these items. 

In order to bind these additional sized documents, you will want to select a binding comb of the corresponding length.  To bind the left margin of a legal size 14" x 8.5" document, choose a legal size binding comb at 14" length.   This size comb will have 24 teeth (loops).  In order to bind the left margin of an A4 size 11.69" x 8.27" document, choose an A4 comb at 11.69" length.  This size comb will have 21 teeth (loops).

 

What I want to share here concerns the length of the comb.  The aforementioned 11" long comb is designed to bind a standard 11" long by 8.5" wide (letter size - US) document at the left hand margin.  This allows the pages to be turned from right to left as is customary with 3 ring binders and preprinted books and magazines.  An 11" comb will have 19 "teeth" or "loops" that correspond to the 19 slotted holes punched in your document.

The most commonly used GBC binding combs, also referred to as spines or elements, are 11" in length and are available in a variety of diameters between 1/4" and 2".  The diamater of the rings determines the capacity or thickness of the document you are able to bind.  Refer to the previous weblog to view a conversion table that will help you determine the ring size you should select for your particular job.

Are you preparing to GBC bind a document and don't know what size binding comb to use?

Here are some general guidelines to help you determine the appropriate size comb for the job you are binding:

                              

25 sheets - 1/4" diameter comb            

40 sheets - 5/16" diameter comb

55 sheets - 3/8" diameter comb

85 sheets - 1/2" diameter comb

125 sheets - 5/8" diameter comb

150 sheets - 3/4" diameter comb

200 sheets - 1" diameter comb

320 Sheets - 1-1/2" diameter comb

425 sheets - 2" diameter comb

You can find all these binding supplies and more in our catalog.

 

Does your jurisdiction require you to file certain documents using bottom tab indexes?  Please check out our offering to help keep you in compliance.

Need something unique you don't see on our site?  Please contact us and we will help research any item you need.

Not all preprinted legal index tabs are created equal.  Some preprinted legal index tabs on the market are only printed on one side of the tab.

The high speed presses used to print tabs will only print the stock one side at a time.  To print the second side requires an extra step, adding effort and cost to the job. 

Our preprinted tabs are always printed on both sides.  Why is this important?  It allows the user to quickly and easily scan the document forward and backward, top or bottom.

Ease of reference is, after all, the point of indexing the document to begin with.

Not all preprinted legal index tabs are created equal!

You should look for an index whose tab is plastic (mylar) coated for reinforcement.  The tab is the portion of the index that will most frequently be handled or tugged on with force.

If the tab is not reinforced front and back, it is certain to fray, dog ear or tear off.  We use "clear" mylar® reinforcement on the tab portion of our indexes, a Dupont developed product, known for it's strength and durability.

When looking at paper or index tabs, it's difficult to determine the quality of the item's pictured.  The first factor to consider is the weight of the "stock" used to manufacture the product.  The heavier the stock, the more durable the product.

All of our preprinted legal index tabs are produced on 90lb white index stock.  But what is 90 lb index stock?

To help you grasp this, let's use some comparisons to products you may be familiar with.

1.  Standard 20lb copy paper would be equal to 42lb index stock.

2.  The fine papers used in engraved letterhead 24lb would be equal to 58lb index stock.

3.  The buff colored preprinted and 3 hole punched ring book indexes you would find in your local office supply super store are 32lb and would be equal to 67lb index stock.  Since this is still a lightweight product, manufacturer's will frequently put a thin layer of mylar laminate on the binding edge over top the 3 hole punched holes to reinforce the sheet and help prevent it from ripping or tearing out of the binders so easily.

We DO NOT laminate the edges of our legal index stock for two reasons:

1.  We really don't know which edge (side or top) or by which method you will be binding your document.

2.  Our index stock is heavier and is less like to tear free from the binder to begin with.

The three mentioned above are all lighter weight than our legal index tabs.  Cover or card stock which is a stiffer cardboard available in a variety or weight and colors is often used as an economical front and back cover to a legal document that will be filed with a court or regulatory agency.

This product is light weight enough to run through must laser printers and copiers, easy to punch but heavier than the document it covers to provide it come protection.  The lighter version of the product, Vellum Bristol, is 67 lb which is equal to 81 lb index stock.  The heavier version is cover stock 65lb which is equal to 97 lb index stock.  This item, therefore is actually heavier weight than our indexes.

Hopefully, these comparison's will help you visualize the weight of our preprinted index tabs.

Documents can be more easily referred to and read if they are flagged.  For instance, if there is information missing that requires attention our missing info flag will provide clear direction to the recipient. 

 

This also applies if there is important information that needs to be pointed out or if a document needs to be initialed or notarized.  Of equal importance, when a document is being edited for content, certain items may need to be redacted (removed).

View our full line of legal document flags.