Graphic Of The Americas Free Expo Passes

Join us as we turn up the heat in Miami at the Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference!

If you've never been to Graphics of the Americas, this is the year to attend. Here's your chance to get the educational experiences you need to make solid decisions. Click here to register: https://www.xpressreg.net/register/grap020/start.asp?sc=SBCJB

This year's show features high-growth areas in the printing and digital imaging industry, and offers a unique view of evolving print markets. See first-hand how the latest technologies and tools can be used to keep you a step ahead of the competition.

Check out some of the incredible opportunities at this year's show:

• Exciting Expo Hall featuring bonus educational sessions, hands-on workshops and some of the hottest demonstrations in the industry
• Over 40 seminars with tracks on print production, color management, variable data, wide format, flexo and more featuring speakers from Clemson, Ryerson, RIT, NAPL, PIA, just to name a few
• CRE8@GOA 25 seminars with expert training by American Graphics Institute where creative, marketing and communications professionals will learn how to get the most from their creative software to improve efficiency, and increase capacity to produce content for print, web, video and mobile devices
• 12 seminars in Spanish with renowned instructors from Spain and Latin America
• Brand Protection Conference featuring the latest technologies and techniques to thwart counterfeiting, including a hands-on case study
• Special presentations by Microsoft, Xrite, HP, Xerox and Heidelberg

Don't miss the exciting free South Beach Party on Friday night. Enjoy live entertainment, free drinks, light snacks and awesome networking with industry professionals from around the globe the perfect way to kick off your weekend in South Beach.

Graphics of the Americas offers you an unbelievable opportunity to take advantage of the expertise of industry leaders, at a fraction of the cost you'd pay anywhere else. Get answers. Learn tricks. Add to your bottom line.

All this takes place February 25-27, 2010 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida.

We would like for you visit with us at our booth. Click here to register for your free pass to the show, with our compliments.

See you in Miami Beach!

Spiral Binding Partners With Duplo USA

Spiral Binding has entered into a partnership with Duplo USA to distribute their paper finishing products line.

Duplo has been a manufacturer of quality paper handling equipment since 1951. Two manufacturing facilities in Japan stand at the heart of continually and successfully producing innovative products. In 1979, Duplo USA Corporation opened its first US location in California and in 1998 expanded with its second facility in Georgia.

Duplo is attributed as the leader in providing innovative collating, booklet-making, perfect binding, folding, cutting, trimming, and creasing solutions in the print marketplace. In response to the digital printing needs of the print-on-demand market, Duplo continues to develop and meet the rapid changes in print technology.

Spiral Continues To Think Green!

All our High Speed Copier Tabs are certified SFI.
View our selection here.

What is SFI?

SFI stands for Sustainable Forestry Initiative. It was founded in 1994 by the American Forest & Paper Association. The program's goals include protecting forest lands through responsible harvesting of forests, reforestation, soil conservation, water and wildlife protection, and efficient use of forest products. Over 136 million acres of forest land is certified by SFI.

Why buy SFI certified products?

Companies that purchase large volumes of paper have become increasingly aware of the impact their buying decisions have on the environment. This consciousness was raised as environmentalists focused on paper mills and the landowners who cultivate the raw materials. Today, this umbrella of responsibility has expanded to include paper merchants, printers, agencies and independent designers. As a group, we must collectively demonstrate to our clients that we are providing "certified" products so our clients can satisfy their goals for responsible purchasing. Our goal is to provide more environmentally and socially responsible printed products.

Happy Thanksgiving

This is the time of year when all Americans share the same intention, which is to express our appreciation for all of the wonderful things we have created in our lives. During our time with our families and friends, we reflect upon every facet of our lives and how we have been blessed with great people and wonderful experiences.

With that in mind, we would like to take this moment to thank you for all of the opportunities you have shared with us over time. Without your professional partnership, our business would not be where it is today. We thank you for your patronage and for allowing us to be of service to you.
With that, we say, wholeheartedly ~ Thank You ~

Spiral Can Help You Cut Your Work Down to Size

Your new wide format print is now laminated or mounted. What do you mean there is more work to do? Finish trimming is the final step to the perfect final product. Now the big question is what do I use to trim these finished pieces?

A straight edge and a utility knife can be used to trim laminated and mounted projects. However, a steady hand is required and a mistake can cost both time and money in reprinted work. In every task that needs to be done, the right tool can make all the difference. So what's the right tool?

Rotary Trimmers: A rotary trimmer has a round blade that is encased in a cutting head, which slides along a metal bar. The blade cuts paper, vinyl banner or laminate film when the cutting head slides across the bar. Available in a wide range of sizes, in both manual and electric, they are perfect for precision cutting. These cutters won't cut foam boards; they will crush the edges of the board and will not leave a smooth finish.

Board Trimmers: Board trimmers are designed to trim just that, foam board, gator board etc. They use a cutting head that slides along a metal bar; the board is cut when the blade slides along the bar. Available in wall mount or table mounted models. Most use a standard utility knife blade to do the cutting on foam board, the key to a clean cut is to make sure your blades are replaced often. Some models are also available with scoring blades for Plexiglas, glass cutting blades and cutting tools for fiber boards and dibond.

The Job's Not Finished Until It Is Laminated And Mounted

So you've invested in a wide format ink jet printer and you just printed your first image. Now what? The job isn't finished until it's laminated or mounted. Here are some tips on how to do it.

Application Tips for Laminating Films

• If possible, store laminates 24 hours prior to use in the same or similar environment as the finishing department. Radical changes in temperature or humidity can create problems.
• Store all laminates upright or make sure they are suspended. Laying laminates on their side, especially pressure-sensitive materials, will create flat spots.
• Polyester based thermal lamination works well when laminating paper based images. However choose a PVC vinyl laminate for over-laminating an image printed on vinyl. Because of their similar composition there is lower chance of de-lamination.
• Before laminating, be sure that the print is clean.
• When applying a laminating film to a print, laminator operators should start with as little tension as possible (unwind brake), adding more tension as it is required.
• Remember that with any laminating film, inadequate pressure can cause silvering which will be particularly visible on darker colors.
• When laminating a print, try to laminate the entire print without stopping. Stopping in the middle of an image can create "hot spots" and/or flat spots.
• Applying a little heat to cold laminating films will reduce silvering and curing time.
• Adjust the take-up shaft in such a way that the release liner is removed just prior to the laminate entering the nip rollers. By reducing the adhesives exposure to the air, there is less chance of picking up dust particles.
• Removing a release liner from a laminate in a "jerky" or stop-and-go fashion (especially clear polyester liners) can create lines in the adhesive, which can then be transferred to your image.
• When laminating on 1 side only, save your release liners and web the liner on the bottom roller of the laminator. As the print is laminated, the release liner will protect the bottom roller from adhesive build-up when your print is smaller that the width of the lamination roll.

Application Tips for Mounting Adhesive Films

If you experience problems when mounting you might not be spending enough time preparing your substrate before coating. This can be the most important step when mounting a print for display, though it is often overlooked. Here are some tips.

• The surface of foam boards, gator foam, etc. is porous and often contains particles that can spoil an otherwise perfect mount. To prepare clay- and veneer-coated foam boards, the surface should be scraped. After scraping the board, wipe the surface with a lint free cloth to remove dust particles.
• The surface of Expanded PVC Boards and Polystyrenes (e.g. Sintra, Core Plast, etc.) should first be wiped down with isopropyl alcohol (99%). This will remove the slip additives applied to these boards at the factory. Be absolutely certain that the alcohol has fully evaporated before applying the adhesive. Do not wipe your substrates with alcohol as they are entering your laminator as you will risk losing adhesion if alcohol gets trapped between the adhesive and the board. You should always allow time for the alcohol to evaporate prior to applying your adhesive.
• Always run your laminator with the least amount of tension possible on the supply shaft. Excessive tension may cause your adhesive to lift or curl your board.
• Draw guidelines on the in-feed table of your laminator. This can become an important reference when mounting to larger substrates. The adhesive material may run off the board at the end if it is not lined up correctly.
• Maintain your equipment. Dirt or debris on your rollers can result in surface imperfections, ruining your prints. Also, adhesive residue left on your rollers can cause uneven hardness across the roller creating more problems for you in the future
• With harder substrates like aluminum, Masonite or acrylic, start by having the top roller of your laminator lowered onto a leader board. Sharp-edged substrates may "chip" the silicone rollers on your laminator, resulting in costly repairs.
• Some foam boards absorb moisture and have a propensity to warp. If, however, you also coat the backside of the board with a suitable laminating film and provide the proper tension, the board should remain flat. Most "bowing" and warping occur as heat exits the board. The heat exits boards at a greater speed through the back of the board causing it to bow towards the back of the board. This film coated on the back of the board helps the heat to escape evenly.

For years, Spiral has been a reliable source for thermal lamination products. We sold our first roll laminator over 40 years ago. Spiral introduced a line of thermal wide format laminates over 10 years ago during the early days of the ink jet printer revolution. And has continued to add to our offerings with mounting adhesives and pressure sensitive laminates for the special applications that require them? For more information on pressure sensitive laminating film and mounting adhesives visit our website.

Spiral Introduces NexGen Series

Advantages of "One-Step" System vs. a traditional L bar Sealer
and Tunnel System

• Lower cost - One Step systems are half the price of a tunnel system and use half the energy.

• Easy operation - Sealing and shrinking is done in a continuous operation.

• Space saver - Machine stand has wheels making it easy to move the unit to where it is needed. Smallest model is available in 110 volt power which makes it "plug and play".

• User friendly - Operator can see package while it shrinks to achieve optimal results.

• Quick payback - Affordable and cost effective even for a small business.

The NexGen-1000 perfect for smaller package sizes, it represents the evolution of one-step shrink-wrap systems. It offers great flexibility, ease of operation and high performance. The NexGen-1000 offers a magnetic hold down and micro-knife sealing technology.

The NexGen-2000 steps up in size and has a timed double magnetic cover latch. It will wrap packages up to 16.5" x 21.5" x 10" high, at a rate of 4 to 8 per minute. The clear chamber cover allows the operator to view the product while shrinking for quality control.

The NexGen-2030 is designed for those customers that have very large size package requirements. It will wrap packages up to 23" x 33" x 10" high, yet it's easy to move from place to place with its stand and heavy duty lockable casters. Anti-adhesive Teflon Coated Sealing Blade and fire-stand glass fiber sealing blade holder, assure clean and strong seal.

It's A Big World, We'll Help You Shrink It!

Spiral Binding offers everything you need from quality films to equipment


Ultra Shrink Film - A premium product with quick shrink and strong seal strength that will perform perfectly even under the worst shrink conditions. If you are having problems with your current equipment and film combinations, Ultra Shrink Film is an ideal choice to solve your packaging problems.

CBT Shrink Film - A general purpose, multi-layer, co-extruded polyolefin shrink film with high strength and puncture resistance. It has memory which allows the film to rebound to its original shape.

One Step Shrink Film - Specially formulated for one-step chamber shrink wrap machines. More strength then PVC film with no smoke and odor free, no residue build up on sealing device and it can be stored without air conditioning.

P.V.C. Shrink Film - Designed for use with bar sealers and heat gun applications, PVC shrink film will protect your products from tampering, fingerprints, dirt, scratches and moisture.