If there was only one booth that I could have visited while at the show, I think Unibind would have been my pick! Crazy, I know you're thinking it... but I was so desperate to see the new PhotoBook Creator machine in person, to learn what it was all about and I was thrilled to actually have a sit down with the rep and she answered all of my questions and more! I have been dying to share all this with you girls
It really is just 3 simple steps to creating a lovely bound book of your very own. *Print your pages, use the machine to bind, then decorate if you like and enjoy.*
This machine is soooo easy to use, I got to make a sample book to test it out while asking a bajillion questions. This machine is perfect for anyone, there are so many practical uses that I never thought of before I got to play with this product!
How It Works:
The books are specially designed with a steel spine and a 'super' resin. When the book's spine is placed on the 1" metal plate in the machine (as shown in the image above) a red light appears. This means the machine is on and heating. You do want your book and pages to fan open, this will help them settle into the melting resin in the correct position. After a few seconds, the red light will turn green which means no more heat, the resin will begin to cool. Let your book stand in this same position for a couple minutes, approximately 2-4 minutes is good. Once the book's spine is cool to the touch, the pages are secure in the cover.
How Many Pages Can the Book Hold?
The smaller books hold around 40 pages and the larger books can hold up to 75 pages. Of course, it depends on the type of papers you use in your book, thinker paper like cardstock will take up more room than very thin vellum for example. A good tip to note is that when gathering your pages and fitting them into the book before setting on the machine to bind, you want the pages to have some some breathing room in the spine or they won't be able to sink into the heating resin appropriately. If you have to cram and shove the group of pages into the spine, you probably have too many and if you try to bind the book that way, most often you'll find that the front and back pages will not be able to sink into the heated resin.
How Secure Are The Pages?
Unibind has actually done a stress test on a completed book and found that the pages will rip before they can be torn from the cooled resin! I even tried it on my sample book too, the pages would no budge from the resin. You will not loose your pages!
Can Pages Be Removed or Added After Creating a Book?
If for any reason, you find that you want to remove or add pages to a completed book, simply place the book back in the machine. When removing pages, wait until the resin is melted and slide the page out from the side of the book so as not to smear resin across the neighboring pages. If you want to add additional pages, place them in the book where you want them to show, then place the book onto the machine. As the resin begins to melt, gently tap the new pages down into place until they are flush with the other pages. Continue with the steps to let the book cool and you're done.
What Type of Paper Can You Use?
Unibind offers a very nice double sided photo paper for printing. But what 'WOW'-ed me the most was the idea that you could use ANY type of paper. The example (shown below) has photo paper, vellum, cardstock, embossed paper, patterned paper, glittered and flocked paper, and adhesive-backed cork paper. No kidding, I asked if she had even tried chipboard and she admitted that yes, chipboard and acrylic pages will bind though obviously they will be a little stiff, not as flexible as thinner papers. I personally admired the idea to include patterned vellum sheets between the double sided printed photos, I may just use up my old stash of vellum after all!
More Tips and Information:
[] There is no on/off switch, simply plug it in and you're ready to go.
[] The machine does not turn on until you place the book inside with the spine touching the metal plate.
[] There is no worry about leaving the book on the machine too long. It automatically turns off after the resin has had enough time to melt, which allows the book to cool in the standing position.
[] The hardback books are available in either black or white linen, and in a variety of sizes - 12"x12", 11"x8½", 8"x8", and 6"x4"
[] The albums hold approximately 40 - 75 pages depending on the books size. Double that number by using their double sided photo paper.
[] You can decorate the outside and inside of your Photo Books with ANY materials. She said that to date, she couldn't find a material that wouldn't adhere to the cover of these books.
[] Create quick & easy Photo Books as gifts for family, teachers, co-workers. Bind photos of your family vacation, special event, or as party favors too! Perfect for binding digital layout albums also!
Another Cool Product: The MyBook PhotoBook
The MyBook is a mini 4x6" available in 14 themes; The Everyday Collection, the Baby Collection and the Children's Collection. Very similar to the PhotoBooks above, these books have pre-printed covers with a glossy finish and also come with a coordinating printed mailing envelope so you're ready to print, bind and ship. Each book holds approximately 10 photo pages and makes a very quick and easy gift, ready in only minutes! The best part is, you DO NOT need the PhotoBook Creator binding machine to use these books! They have a staple binding method meaning all you need is a regular old stapler. The books come with a matte cover sheet which includes a guide for placing your pages and staples. Insert the stapled pages into the book's cover and then with an easy to use adhesive strip, the staples are hidden in the binding and you get a lovely, clean finished look. **If you do happen to own the PhotoBook Creator machine, you can opt to skip the staples and use the resin heating method instead! Yes, these albums come with the steel and resin spine as well, so you have two options to bind.
<< it is on SALE in the shoppe right now and only 6 left!
but I have a question.... 
~Angie~
