FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. WHAT IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED SIZE OF BINDERS?
Binders that hold 11" x 8-1/2" sheet size paper and have 1" capacity rings are the most popular. The binding side (in this case 11") is always listed first.

2. WHAT OTHER SHEET SIZES ARE THERE?
Besides 11" X 8-1/2", there is 8-1/2" x 5-1/2", and 9-1/2" x 6" in the 3-ring format.
For memo binders, which have six rings, there are 7-1/4" X 4-1/4" and 6-3/4" x 3-3/4" sheet sizes. We can make binders for many other sheet sizes and ring styles as well.

3. HOW IS THE RING CAPACITY DETERMINED?
For round ring binders capacity is determined by measuring the INSIDE DIAMETER of the ring. For D-ring binders, measure the inside of the straight part of the ring. This will tell you how much paper the ring will actually hold. For example, a one-inch capacity ring will hold 200 sheets of 20# bond paper, whether it is a round or D-ring. DO NOT measure the outside spine of the binder. See our Artwork Planning Guide for more information.

4. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VINYL AND POLYETHYLENE BINDERS?
Vinyl binders are made by electronically sealing two sheets of vinyl over rigid paperboard. Polyethylene (or poly) is more rigid than vinyl, so poly binders use only one piece of material for the cover. Poly is available in different gauges, or thicknesses, depending on the size of binder and the amount of paper it will hold.
Vinyl binders are usually considered more attractive and allow more versatility as far as adding options such as pockets, business card holders, cassette trays and so on.
Poly binders are more durable and cost less.

5. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRENCH CALF AND SUEDE FINISH VINYL?
French Calf and Suede are two different finishes used for the same vinyl. French calf is a smoother finish than suede. It has small lines running through it, like the lines on the palm of your hand. French calf is easier to print on than suede, so it is a better choice for imprints that have fine detail. Suede has a little more texture, so it doesn't show fingerprints as much. You can see close-ups of these finishes at the color chart section or request a swatch of the color/finish you are considering.

6. ARE POLY BINDERS AVAILABLE IN 8-1/2" X 5-1/2'" SHEET SIZE?
Yes. Poly binders are available in several sheet sizes.

7. ARE POLY BINDERS AVAILABLE WITH D-RINGS?
Yes. Poly binders can be made with D-rings and Angle D-Rings.

8. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF D-RING BINDERS?
D-ring binders allow pages to lie flat whether the binder is open or closed. And because the ring mechanism is riveted to the back cover, artwork on the spine is not interrupted by rivets.

9. CAN I PREPARE ARTWORK FOR SCREEN PRINTING THE SAME WAY I DO 
FOR OFFSET PRINTING?
Screen Printing has certain limitations and many techniques used in offset printing are not suitable. The mesh used to make screens does not produce as small an ink dot as is used in offset printing. Therefore, very fine lines and type should be avoided and half tones, screen tints, close register and other techniques must be approved by our Art Department before we can accept the order. Please see our Artwork Planning Guide for more information.

10. HOW SHOULD I SUBMIT THE ARTWORK?
You can send us conventional black and white camera-ready artwork, with all type and artwork in place, pasted up on illustration board. You can also send your art on a disk, or e-mail it to us. Ask your customer service representative for more information, and see our Sending Artwork section.

11. FOR INDEX TABS, WHAT DO THE VARIOUS TERMS MEAN?
Some of the basic terms used for index tabs are:
Tab: the extended portion of the sheet usually covered with a protective clear or colored laminate (Mylar).
Tab Extension: the measurement of how far the tab extends from the page.
Bank: one row of tabs in consecutive order. For example, if you order 200 sets of 10 tabs, 1/5 cut, and your titles are the numbers 1through 10, numbers 1-5 will make up the first bank; numbers 6-10 will make up the second bank.
Set: the entire grouping of tabs. In the example above, numbers 1-10 make up the set. The total number of banks make up a set. 
Cut: the length of the tab. For long titles, larger cuts are advised so words fit comfortably on the tab. 
Position: the place where the tab falls in a bank. In our example, the tab title with the number 3 would fall in the third position in the first bank of 5.
Mylar: a registered trademark of DuPont, Mylar is the clear or colored protective coating placed on the tab. A strip of clear Mylar is placed on the back edge of the sheet where the holes are drilled for reinforcement. 

12. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLEAR OVERLAY AND PICTORIAL 
BINDERS?
Clear overlay binders have clear pockets on the outside cover that are open at the top to enable you to insert and remove printed sheets. For entrapment binders (also called pictorial binders), you send us the printed sheets and we permanently seal them under the outside layer of clear vinyl, which is not open at the top. 

13. WHAT ARE SHEET LIFTERS?
They are pieces of rigid plastic that prevent pages from curling around the ring mechanism in a binder. As the binder is being closed, they help lift the sheets of paper up and over the rings. In round ring binders curved sheet lifters are placed between the front and back covers and the text. In D-ring binders, one flat sheet lifter is placed between the front cover and text.