Paper folding machine?

[Jeff Golas]

I can't believe we're still handling paper, but the (likely 1960s) folding machine I found used at some point seems to have both become a necessary staple, and its wearing out. Does anyone have suggestions for a new (as in brand new ) paper folding machine?

[Mark]

How hardcore are you looking for?  Over the years, we went through a couple low end models.  Don't think we use one for anything now.

[Billy Welsh]

We had a Pitney Bowes folding/stuffing contraption at my last gig just collecting dust.  The clerk with all the volume swore up and down it was actually slower than her doing it manually when all the jams were taken into consideration.  And she was not one to "make work" so to speak - she was all about efficiency so I never pushed the issue.  If she said it was quicker w/o the machine, I believed her.  At the peak, she was folding & stuffing ~ 1,000 invoices at the beginning of every month.

Personally, I've never been a big fan of PB.

I realize this isn't much help, although maybe it'll help avoid a mistake.

[Hans Manhave]

The Formax FD300 we use works quite well.  There are other models by Formax.  Only use it for trifolds.  Pretty easy to clear.  I have taken it apart more with a screwdriver but only once.  It helps if one "guides" the output so it stacks and not run into the previous folded paper.  It works much better than another major brand we previously used.  Probably have this now for five years.

[Jeff Zylstra]

We do mass mailings every month where we use a folding machine.  I think ours is an MBM Corporation.  https://mbmcorp.com/


I've taken to buying used office equipment lately from our office equipment dealer.  My thought is that the adjustment and servicing of these things matters more than the newness of the machine.  I usually buy something that is bigger than I need, simply because heavier machines usually mean higher quality and more robust machines.  Popular models also have a longer parts availability too. 

Our dealer warranties the machine, and it's more the regular service and adjustment of these kinds of machines that is more important in my experience.  Keep them clean, adjusted and maintained and they'll usually run OK.  Another trick to them is the quality of the paper and sometimes even the humidity of the environment that matters for preventing jams.  Good luck with whatever you do!
 

[Jeff Golas]

The Formax FD300 we use works quite well.  There are other models by Formax.  Only use it for trifolds.  Pretty easy to clear.  I have taken it apart more with a screwdriver but only once.  It helps if one "guides" the output so it stacks and not run into the previous folded paper.  It works much better than another major brand we previously used.  Probably have this now for five years.

Can I ask what that other brand was? Even a PM would help.

And to all others - thanks for the suggestions! I'm hoping to pull the trigger on something by the end of the week. THe one we have now, I literally bought it at a junk shop thinking "oh this would help the receptionist", never thinking that I was actually addressing not only a real need, but still needing it now that I would have thought everything was digital at this point.

[Hans Manhave]

The Formax FD300 we use works quite well.  There are other models by Formax.  Only use it for trifolds.  Pretty easy to clear.  I have taken it apart more with a screwdriver but only once.  It helps if one "guides" the output so it stacks and not run into the previous folded paper.  It works much better than another major brand we previously used.  Probably have this now for five years.

Can I ask what that other brand was? Even a PM would help.

It was a Martin Yale model of some sort.  Don't have the records any longer.  Still have the lubricant spray which had the name.