ME Binders

[WearyParticipant @weary]

As you are soliciting complaints in your latest editorial (issue 4381, 2 July 2010):

 

I find that the binders for Model Engineer are very poor. 

The design means that they cannot be stacked easily, and are difficult to ‘rack’ on bookshelves, falling over and folding in on themselves. 

The magazines themselves flop about in the binder which is too broad across the spine.

 

You should have a look at those supplied by Tee Publishing for ‘Engineering in Miniature’ which are far superior and resolve much of the ‘problems’ mentioned above. 

They are the same price as those you supply so price is not the issue. 

 

There may of course be other designs of binders that are better still.

 

Regards

 

Phil Roe

 

 

[WearyParticipant @weary]

ME Binders poor functionality

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

I find both the price and functionality of the binders for many magazines unacceptable.  I have used the IKEA birch plywood and finger jointed magazine holders for several years now.  The product is called KNUFF,  I must have about thirty of them by now.  I’ve no wish to do Myhobbystore or any other magazine publisher out of revenue but that is MY solution to the problem.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Niloch

I have been using a plastic equivalent of  your solution but yours look better. How many issues can you keep in each holder? 

Regards

Norman

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

I also use the Ikea holders but not for MEW.

I use them to store folders and other trade leaflets in the main office where they are stained to match all the shelving.

 

MEW’s are stacked in the  old RS boxes that the catalogues come in, not as neat but they hold about 50 copies per box.

 

John S.

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Posted by NJH on 03/07/2010 12:19:28:

Hi Niloch

How many issues can you keep in each holder? 

Regards

Norman

 24 issues minimum of ME and MEW is about the same thickness, probably as many as 27 to 28 even.  I think the last time I bought some they were £2.99 each.  I did consider varnishing mine too as the plywood is unfinished (I mean surface finish) but other tasks have had priority!!

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

I rebuild mine to take a full years worth of ME in each binder and a similar fill of MEW (30 months ish) in individual transparent ring binder wallets. The bumper pack ones sold by Woolworths being excellent value and stronger than many, naturally I stocked up during the closing down offers at the local Woolies.  The edges of the wallets project slightly from the binder covers but I don’t find this objectionable.

 

Method is to fit a shallow, flat bottom, U channel bent up from alloy to the spine in place of the standard wire carriers using 3 mm screws and nuts through the wire carrier rivet holes.  The U fills the full internal width of the spine so the binder sides point straight out, the curved back MEW binders get pulled flat during the process helped by an extra screw in the middle.  The shallow sides are drilled at 4 hole ring binder spacing so that short tubes can be held in place by countersunk self tapping screws.  These tubes support the wallets.  I put 3 or 4 extra wallets at each end for use in case of catastrophe.  Kufnier brake pipe tubing, left over from a full roll obtained mumble-mumble years back to sort my GT 6, works well.  Uses up the box of small 6 mm long, 3 mm diameter C/S screws you get with the Screwfix Gold pack too.

 

As I have a full set of MEW and my ME collection goes back to 1972 the halving in shelf space needed for the A4 and previous size ME issues is worth while.  The old, small, ME go a year to a binder anyway.  Not so welcome is the collection of redundant wires.

 

A production version of this system would be worth considering if changes to the official binder are in the offing.

 

Clive 

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