Basic creaser?

[bcr]

Hi guys,

Getting our new production printers very soon and I was thinking it would be good to get a creaser for occasional printing of greetings cards and for creasing book covers.

Local supplier has this machine which is inexpensive and it will crease up to 400gsm.

Cyklos KSL 435 manual creaser - Albyco

Easy to use machine with working width 435 mm. Creasing of paper (also digitally printed) made by KSL 435 provides simple but very precise bend.

www.albyco.com

Volumes will be very low and infrequent. Will this machine be sufficient? Is there anything I should know about creasers?

Thanks!

 

[pippip]

What sort of things are you going to be printing on these production machines?

The only reason I ask is that back in the day when we upgraded to a proper production digital press someone suggested to us did we want a creaser. At the time we were like no we have a manual one for small jobs etc. In the end they gave us a good deal on a second hand morgana autocreaser as we were buying a brand new folder off them. It's amazing the amount we actually use the creaser for. Flyers, brochures, greeting cards, book covers. Anything that has toner on the folds basically. I can't believe at the time we didn't really think we needed it. I'd really recommend looking at a second hand production creaser if you can.

 

[keith1]

If it's that infrequent and such low volume you could make up a little jig for jobs as they occur to square & hold the card in place then use a ruler as a straight edge and the back of a knife, or some such similar to make the score.
Alternatively, set the back fence of your cutter (guillotine) to the desired depth, load a handful of cards, and bring down the clamp as a straight edge.
Neither results in a pretty score/crease but does the job. If you want pretty, or have a larger quantity, farm the job out.

 

[bcr]

What sort of things are you going to be printing on these production machines?

The only reason I ask is that back in the day when we upgraded to a proper production digital press someone suggested to us did we want a creaser. At the time we were like no we have a manual one for small jobs etc. In the end they gave us a good deal on a second hand morgana autocreaser as we were buying a brand new folder off them. It's amazing the amount we actually use the creaser for. Flyers, brochures, greeting cards, book covers. Anything that has toner on the folds basically. I can't believe at the time we didn't really think we needed it. I'd really recommend looking at a second hand production creaser if you can.

Thanks for this.

95% of use will be printing office docs and evidence with tab sheets which will be either bound using the modular in line punch or an offline tape binder.

About 5% will be very small runs of greetings cards and book covers. Basically just dipping our toes in the water. We also don't have the space for more large machinery. There is scope to insource a lot more book/booklet production over time but we're not basing our plans around doing that, so we would see how we get on and acquire better equipment as needed over time

 

[bcr]

If it's that infrequent and such low volume you could make up a little jig for jobs as they occur to square & hold the card in place then use a ruler as a straight edge and the back of a knife, or some such similar to make the score.
Alternatively, set the back fence of your cutter (guillotine) to the desired depth, load a handful of cards, and bring down the clamp as a straight edge.
Neither results in a pretty score/crease but does the job. If you want pretty, or have a larger quantity, farm the job out.

Thanks for this - I'm not that handy tbh. Are cheap manual creasers not worth having then?

 

[pippip]

Ah no, manual creasers are very good. Professional finish, just time consuming. We have a manual one to which we use for small sized jobs that need to be trimmed first, like memorial cards. Sometimes use it on larger jobs if they give trouble through the morgana.

 

[keith1]

Are cheap manual creasers not worth having then?

Yes they are! Just thought you were trying to save money.

 

[Ynot_UK]

Have a look at the small semi automatic creasestream desktop machines, they are reasonably priced and reasonably fast for small quantity runs.

 

[Shawnd]

You can get crease kits for some folders.

 

[chucknovo]

I would bite the bullet and find a good used Morgana Auto Creaser. Set you back some $ but you won't regret it once you see how well it does. And if your volume grows with the new printers it's capable of several 1000 pieces per hour - with every one perfect.

 

[Ynot_UK]

I would bite the bullet and find a good used Morgana Auto Creaser. Set you back some $ but you won't regret it once you see how well it does. And if your volume grows with the new printers it's capable of several 1000 pieces per hour - with every one perfect.

We were in a similar position and found an Autocreaser Pro 33 in great condition from a local litho printer closing down his business at the start of Covid.

 

[bcr]

I would bite the bullet and find a good used Morgana Auto Creaser. Set you back some $ but you won't regret it once you see how well it does. And if your volume grows with the new printers it's capable of several 1000 pieces per hour - with every one perfect.

thanks for this. we don't have the space for a standalone machine and our volumes will be very low. it's possible that they increase in the future, but we will be moving offices then and can address that then.

 

[RonHuang]

PT 330 Mini - Graphic Whizard - Numbering, Creasing, Perforating, Scoring, Slitting, Cutting, Folding, UV Coaters & Bindery Machines - Print Finishing Equipment

Product Comparison Graphic Whizard PT 330 Mini Crease Down This semi-automatic manual feed creaser is

www.graphicwhizard.com

 

[farcrowd]

I would invest in the manual tabletop creaser for now. Your volumes are low, and in the future if you did end up with some creasing automation - you will still find that manual creaser coming in handy.

Regarding automation, we currently have a Graphic Whizard PT 331 SCC. The creasing/perfing, slitting, and trimming is all automated, but the feeding is manual. It's really a great little machine. The PT 330 that @RonHuang linked above looks to be the same thing, just the creaser-only. There are a lot of automation options for creasing. When the time comes, see if it's worth buying only an automated creaser, or if it would make more sense to pick up a slitter, cutter, creaser (SCC) that can simplify more jobs in your shop.

 

[RonHuang]

I would invest in the manual tabletop creaser for now. Your volumes are low, and in the future if you did end up with some creasing automation - you will still find that manual creaser coming in handy.

Regarding automation, we currently have a Graphic Whizard PT 331 SCC. The creasing/perfing, slitting, and trimming is all automated, but the feeding is manual. It's really a great little machine. The PT 330 that @RonHuang linked above looks to be the same thing, just the creaser-only. There are a lot of automation options for creasing. When the time comes, see if it's worth buying only an automated creaser, or if it would make more sense to pick up a slitter, cutter, creaser (SCC) that can simplify more jobs in your shop.

Agree

 

[RonHuang]

Hi guys,

Getting our new production printers very soon and I was thinking it would be good to get a creaser for occasional printing of greetings cards and for creasing book covers.

Local supplier has this machine which is inexpensive and it will crease up to 400gsm.

Cyklos KSL 435 manual creaser - Albyco

Easy to use machine with working width 435 mm. Creasing of paper (also digitally printed) made by KSL 435 provides simple but very precise bend.

www.albyco.com

Volumes will be very low and infrequent. Will this machine be sufficient? Is there anything I should know about creasers?

Thanks!

Hi BCR, Albyco is a Belgium dealer so i guess you are from Belgium where Graphic whizard has no dealer. However, their supplier has a dealer located UK supply similar product as following:

Magnum MC-35M | Creasing Systems | Our Products

The quick and reliable entry-level semi-automated creasing system, Magnum MC-35M. With a 30 programme memory and the ability to true die crease in six different positions.

www.vivid-online.com

And the product crajos mentioned above PT331SCC are as following:

Magnum MCC-35 | Cut, Crease & Perforate Systems

The Magnum MCC-35 is the entry-level, semi-automatic cut, crease and perforate system. Using preset programmes, create bespoke professional results.

www.vivid-online.com

You can take a look.