Hand fed booklet makers

[GVG]

Thoughts wanted on Duplo DBM 150S, Morgana BM60 and MBM SF2 (or similar) - handfed booklet makers. How do they handle gloss stock and ease of use for short run digital saddle stitched books offline.

 

[Ynot_UK]

I think you mean the Duplo DBM150T (the 'T' signifies the trimmer module is fitted). We have one, with a Morgana 104 Squarefold on the end and it is a great little combination with minimal footprint. There's the benefit of it being futureproofed in that if your volumes significantly increase, a DSF-2200 auto feeder or a set of collator towers can be added later. I should probably mention, we use silk stock or uncoated on ours, having not tried gloss through it.

The Morgana BM60 is the most basic booklet maker, in that it folds and staples, but does not do a fore-edge trim, so this needs to be done offline on the guillotine. Good luck with that on more than a couple of booklets at a time! Without a squarefold, they'll slip forward off the back stop.

If space is not a consideration (it very much is for us), you'd be better picking up a refurbished full size booklet maker with trimmer and squarefold modules. They're almost as large as a small digital press. If you take this route, make sure you source a machine that was designed to be offline. There's more on the s/h market that were designed to be inline and using them offline is not always simple, where there can be dependency on the software on the print engine for them to fully function. That's why they're offered so cheap.

I'm not familiar with the MBM.

 

[kslight]

Love our dbm 150t. Works beautifully and efficiently and handles just about anything size / thickness / stock wise I throw at it. Not a cheap machine but gets daily use so worth it.

 

[GVG]

Are you dropping sets into booklet maker?
If so, is there side or back jog on these models?

 

[brettbygrave]

The Duplo DBM150T has side jog and back jog. It's a really good machine for digital sized runs. I used to do 1000 book sized runs daily at my previous place of work. The registration and finish is perfect. And setting up for the run is very simple. Couldn't fault the Duplo.

 

[kslight]

Are you dropping sets into booklet maker?
If so, is there side or back jog on these models?

Yep, I decided against the feeders. Hand feed is completely fine for our run lengths. It jogs perfectly and you can adjust the amount of times it jogs. I cut my books down on two sides before hand feeding, and let the machine do the face trim. Ready to go in the box.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

Yep, I decided against the feeders. Hand feed is completely fine for our run lengths. It jogs perfectly and you can adjust the amount of times it jogs. I cut my books down on two sides before hand feeding, and let the machine do the face trim. Ready to go in the box.

How much would this machine go for new?

 

[kslight]

How much would this machine go for new?

At the time we bought it, 2021, I think it was around $19k after delivery and such. That is with the optional face trimmer. We bought it at the same time as our new Ricoh 7210.

 

[GVG]

So, do you do all your booklets offline and none inline with the Ricoh?

 

[Ynot_UK]

So, do you do all your booklets offline and none inline with the Ricoh?

We have an FS-532 with just the stapler module fitted on our B/W machine (Pro951) and on the C4080 it's even more basic - the OT-510 stacker with no finishing capability.

In any print shop with competent operators, offline finishing always wins IMO. For these reasons:

• Certainly in the UK (not sure across the pond) a click is a click irrespective of size, up to SRA3. So if you are producing A5 booklets (A4 folded & saddle stitched), if you do these inline, you're straight away paying double the click cost compared to producing them 2-up and finishing offline.
• The decent inline finishing modules are as expensive or more than their offline counterparts, and they are tied to one print engine
• Offline equipment is s much more flexible, in that it can be used for work off any engine, digital, litho, finishing outsourced work, etc...
• Well maintained offline finishing equipment lasts decades - an offline creaser or booklet maker will typically outlive a print engine three or more times over

 

[namelessentity]

To add to Ynot, I've never met a tech that liked in-line accessories. Unless it's made by the printer manufacturer, your tech will likely have next to no experience on the in-line parts if they need service. Also, if your bookletmaker is broken so is your printer, even if the printer is fine otherwise.

 

[brettbygrave]

Yep, I decided against the feeders. Hand feed is completely fine for our run lengths. It jogs perfectly and you can adjust the amount of times it jogs. I cut my books down on two sides before hand feeding, and let the machine do the face trim. Ready to go in the box.

Exactly
Only other thing I do is maybe compress the spine with the guillotine clamp if they are too springy.

 

[GVG]

Trying not to belabor the subject, but how about running gloss cover and inside pages through the Duplo?

 

[kslight]

So, do you do all your booklets offline and none inline with the Ricoh?

That’s correct. I prefer to use the printer for its strength - printing. I did not purchase much inline finishing with the Ricoh.

No problem with any mix of stocks I’ve used on the booklet maker, some jobs or covers get creased / scored when appropriate.