Karaoke Forums

I know I've posted this question before, but I'm wondering if there
is any new ideas.

I need to buy new hard cover binders again. I know some of you don't use binders,
but this is what I prefer.

Is there a binder I can buy that is heavy duty? I usually go to Office Max and I
buy the best I can get. I thought maybe someone might have found something more
duarable on line etc...

any ideas?

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[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Babs, I have found that the best deal is at a warehouse store such as Costco or Sams.  They carry page protectors as well as vinyl binders in bulk at a decent cost.  The ones with the clear protector allowing an insert allow an easy and changeable cover and spine label.  The ones with the "D" ring make it easier to turn the pages with less pressure on the rings improving their life span.

Truly durable binders have aluminum covers but the cost is  :bawling: huge.  Also, some bar owners don't like providing customers with a weapon  LOL
Dave

Costco - I'll have to check that out. I don't know why they can't
make a binder that can hold up to actual use. Maybe because
kids use them for school and only get about a years amount of use
for a particular class.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

considering that most binders are cardboard with a light plastic outlining, it's not hard to see why they go so bad!

I remember when I was in school, I had some binders made out of hard durable plastic... solid and see-thru. But they were expensive! Even then, about four bucks each!

I settled for the cheaper stuff, with the mindset that Babs and everyone else has come up with.

Every year, get new equipment! !

Why go binder?  We use plastic duotangs with no sheet protectors.  Over the last year + the only thing we've had to do is use some hole reinforcers on some pages.  Something gets spilled on them  wipe of the cover and let air dry and you'll have a hard time telling that something happened to them.  Check out my gallery.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I do have my own home made front and back cover laminated. Everything hole punched
with loose leaf non protected pages in center. If that makes sense.
These get beat up to easy. Pages ripped out and liquid actually killed the laminated covers.

So the books aren't to big, because that was a problem, I seperated "by artist" and "by title". This way when I use protective sleeves for each page the books aren't ginormous. So really I am just looking for binders. I like being able to add my own creativeness for the covers by laminating a
front cover and putting it on the face of the book.

I don't know what a duotang is I'll have to check it out.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Babs,

I to use to used the old standar vinyl/cardboard 3 ring binder.

But now I found a 3 ring binder that's cover (front to bac) is made of 1 sheet of a polly material.  I think the following link is the once I am talking of....
http://www.officedepot.com/ddSKU.do?level=SK&id=446076

I have a set that has been used evey thrs, and fri for about 2 years now, and none of them have torn, which was usualy the problem with the vinyl/cardboard binbders.

Don't know if you're doing it, but when you go dual columns, you really save a lot on the size of the books...

Check out my songpage for the .pdf files!

Some examples:
Singer Songbooks (edited to the 1 best version I have):
http://www.knightshow.com/sb_artist-sample.GIF
http://www.knightshow.com/sb_title-sample.GIF

Master Books (with everything)
http://www.knightshow.com/master_artist-sample.GIF
http://www.knightshow.com/master_title-sample.GIF

I literally save on HALF the paper going that route.

I've seen a triple column songbook in Omaha... the guy had gone computerized, and his own numbering system... just listed songtitle and artist! If you were curious about a specific version, just had to ask him!

Those ARE good binders... only trouble is, they tend to slide off tables! ! I experimented with them and decided to stick with what was working best! Also, as with ANY binder, you will find a lot of wear and tear on the clasps... when books are dropped, they tend to explode open.

The Duotangs that Timber mentioned ARE good options... I just find putting in updates in those a bit more tedious. Babs, the Duotangs (duo-tang) has the metal inserts that spear through the open holes, some are two clasps, others use three)...

http://www.instaoffice.com/Duo-Prong-Pa ... 20.0.7.htm

Trouble is finding them large enough. AND when you use plastic sheet protectors, they get really thick and hard to handle!

To each their own!

These are similar to what we use.  


http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_s ... ort+Covers

At the beginning of the school year we can get them for under .50 ea.  We don't laminate or use sheet protectors in our books.  Much easier to air out a book that's got liquid (beer) on it than trying to wipe of the protectors.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

I got mine at Staples.    You need to get the cards that all of these stores now-a-days give everyone.  You know for discounts and money back.    My binders are as the ones you describe.  1 1/2" thick, "D" ring.   Pages are in sheet protectors.   Cover is laminateed so it just wipes off.     No wasting time and money.   Back to school time all of those things are on sale now.   Quality isn't cheap.

I knew someone would mention this - I did go 2 column to cut down on book size.
I provide small magnifying glasses with each book because I had several of the over 40 crowd that had trouble reading the small print.  LMAO

Good catch sweetie, but I can't go any smaller print. I use Music Book Deluxe to print my books.



There are lots of good ideas here. I'm going to check them all out. Thank you for the links, it will make it a lot easier.  :dancin:

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

When I try that link, it wants the 'canadian postal code"...

thanks again, Tim, for showing us that the canucks have everything and we don't have nothun! !

You're welcome, Babs... you didn't specify, so I did go by the assumption that you were single column!