Review Of Akiles Versamac Modular Interchangeable Die Binding Punch
In the world of interchangeable die binding punches
, there are two heavy hitters: the GBC Magnapunch, and the Rhino Tuff HD7700. Akiles Versamac was clearly designed to compete with these two, and like them, it was created to be used by larger businesses, in-plant print facilities and production floors. In fact it is a great choice for anyone who finds themselves needing high volume productivity and flexibility in binding styles. Here we will take a closer look at the Versamac, and give you some of the machine's pros and cons.
Pros:
1.) Akiles claims the Versamac has a large capacity, and they are right. We found that the oval coil die could easily punch thirty sheets. This puts the Versamac on par with the HD7700 and far ahead of the GBC Magnapunch.
2.) Among modular punching systems, the Versamac is unique in that it includes a built in wire hanger and a spine former for use in spiral coil binding, as well as a sizing guide. We found these pretty handy.
3.) The Versamac has a reverse function that utilizes an electric motor, in order to help with any possible paper jams. Other machines do not have this feature. Plus, the Akiles also includes a special tool to manually reverse the punching mechanism in the case of a really bad paper jam.
4.) Another feature we really liked was the dual controls. To operate the machine, the user can either use the included foot pedal or push a button on the machine itself. If you are just going to be punching a few pages, you don't need to go through the trouble of setting up the foot pedal. That is a really nice feature.
5.) The Versamac is priced far lower that the machines it was designed to compete with, and that includes the dies. The oval coil die is also significantly less expensive than its counterparts over at Rhino Tuff and GBC. It is nice to see a machine with all of these features that doesn't compromise either features or quality.
Cons:
1.) One thing that we weren't crazy about was that, unlike the GBC and Rhino Tuff, the Versamac's dies arrived without having been oiled at the factory. There is, of course, oil included in the box, but the user needs to apply it. After you oil the dies you will want to punch a bunch of scrap paper to clean off excess oil before you start using the machine on important presentations or proposals.
2.) When you use the Versamac, you may find the die lock a bit difficult to engage, and you will to make sure that the die lock is fully engaged. It shouldn't cause too many headaches, as long as you make sure the die is fully locked in place. This is similar to the die lock system used by the Rhin-O-Tuff HD-7700.
3.) We found the color coding system on the front of the machine (meant to aid you in setting the edge guide) a little hard to decipher. The guide is designed to allow you to quickly set up the machine for use with all of the different die sets. It just has so many markings that it is hard to figure out.
4.) This is a bigger, heavier machine than either the HD7700 or tha MagnaPunch. Not a big deal if you have the room for it, but something to consider if you will be needing to move it around a lot.
Recommendation: Overall, if we were in the market for a reliable, heavy duty modular punch, we would not hesitate for a second to purchase the Versamac. It is feature-rich and it represents a great inexpensive alternative to the Rhino tuff HD7700 and the GBC MagnaPunch. Compare the features and price for yourself, we are sure that you will see the difference.
by: Jeffrey McRitchie
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