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A Simple Way to Better Scoring on Baum 714 Folders

[fa icon="calendar"] Fri, Oct 30, 2015 / by Andre Palko

The Baumfolder 714 in all its variations is without question one of the most popular folding machines of all time. That’s because it’s simple, reliable, and versatile.  If you own one, I’m sure it does a lot of work for you.

Here’s a tip which could help you produce even more.  We’re going to show you how to score (or crease) paper that’s a little heavier than what you might be accustomed to running on the 714. We discovered this while doing some experimental creasing work with the 714 and a brand new Tri-Creaser®, which we recently developed specifically for the 714.

If you already score or crease flat, unfolded cover stock on your 714, you’ve probably discovered two things.

One—the folder will quickly start to curl your paper, an effect which worsens as your stock gets heavier.
Two— this curl can affect registration of the score. Or you might get some nicking or even bent corners at the lead edge of the sheet.Baum 714 perf stripper used for registration

While there is no official limit to how heavy a sheet you can run, some Baum 714 manuals recommend 65# cover/7 pt./175 gsm as the limit. With the simple setup shown here, we were able to bump that up to about .010.

Simply install 3 perf strippers as shown at right—one in the middle by the score, and one at each end. We’re simply using these as paper guides to route the curled sheet smoothly into the creasing head and gripper rollers. Of course this works for perforating jobs too.

simple way to better scoring on Baum 714 foldersWhen there is no stripper in place, a curled sheet can hit the gripper rollers as well as the scoring tool in the wrong spot…as shown in this diagram (right). Instead of being pulled smoothly by the gripper rollers through the accessory shafts, the curled sheet jams into the roller and then is pulled through. The result is poor registration, or nicked and torn paper, or bent corners.

The 3 perf strippers guide the sheet consistently. You may have to adjust the perf strippers and perhaps bend them slightly to guide the paper where you want it to go. You want the lead edge of the sheet to transition smoothly from the fold rollers to the gripper rollers and tools on the accessory shaft.

perf stripper closeup baum 714If you position the strippers before you put the shafts back in the machine, it’s easy to see where they should be as shown in these photos. Once you know how to do it, it’s fast and easy to repeat the process.

There are a few simple things to remember when doing this type of work:

  1. Make sure the bar that holds the stripper is secure in the assembly so it doesn’t rotate. If it rotates, you’ll lose your carefully set position.
  2. Make sure the strippers don’t rub the fold rollers, perf stripper closeup baum 714 front viewyour tooling, the gripper rollers, or the suction wheel.
  3. Don’t commit to a job without testing it first and always have a backup plan.
  4. Remember that there are indeed limits. We’re pushing them hard, so some things will work and others won’t. Grain direction, coatings, varnishes, relative humidity, and other variables will naturally have an impact.

So when you encounter creasing issues because of paper that’s “too heavy,” try this technique. In fact, you might soon find yourself using your 714 as a little creasing machine.

If you find yourself producing a few more jobs each week or each month, then you’ve reached one of our goals here at the Bindery Success Blog. That’s to help you do more with what you’ve got. Here’s to getting big results from a small technique on a not-so-small folder.

If you have a Baum 714, let us know using the Contact Us form. We’ll alert you when the new 714 video tips are posted. And if you include your mailing address we’ll mail you a New Accessory Update to show how you can stretch your Baum’s productivity even further.

Topics: Bindery How-To Tips, Folding Machines

Andre Palko

Written by Andre Palko

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