By: Norman Beange
Reprinted from The Binding Edge
Issue: Fall 1998

Q:What is the most frequent mistake you see in bindery operations?

A: Many binders would have different answers to this question. Some of the most common problems are:

1. Should the drilled hole size be 1/4 or 5/16 inch?
2. Confusion between the words "sheets" and "pages" (100 sheets equals 200 pages); and
3. Wrong lips on saddle stitched signatures.

The mistake I see most frequently involves customers printing on tabs that are subsequently laminated with mylar. There are a number of different printing styles for mylar tabs. Print style refers to the position in which the printing will be placed on the sheet. The best explanation on print style is to consider the following:

Style A is sometime referred to as "head to head," because when the tabs are laid flat, the head, or the top of the letter on the front, would touch the head of the letter on the back side of the tab. This is the most common of print styles, and it is used in manuals where the sheets are turned left to right.

Style B is sometimes known as "stacked-style' tabs, which is obvious by the way the letters are stacked on top of one another. Stacked style should not be used if a tab in the set has several characters. Style B works best for numerical and alphabetical tab usage.

Style C is used infrequently. This style is only requested when the client wants numerical or alphabetical identification combined with copy. Style C is a mixture of Style A and B.

Style D is called "foot-to-head" tabs, because the base, or foot, of the type would touch the head, or top, of the letters on the opposite side of the tab. This print style is used when the tabs are flipped away from the user and not folded over to the back cover. Style D is commonly used for law office files.

Style E is referred to as "foot to foot" because when laid flat, the base of the type touches the foot of the type on the back side. This style is used in manuals that have tabs that flip away from the user and over the back of the manual. Flip-chart easels and teepee binders use style E.

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