FAQ
Ask Us Anything
Why do I need to oil my shredder?
Your cross-cut or micro-cut shredder is a machine with moving parts. Just like a car engine needs oil to keep the gears and moving parts lubricated, your shredder also needs to be kept lubricated to condition the cutters and extend the life of your machine. Strip cut shredders do not need oiling.
How do I oil my shredder?
Oiling your shredder is a very quick and simple process. For detailed step by step instructions click here. If you have an AutoMax Shredder you can click here.
Or alternatively, watch the following useful video:
Do you have any visual guides or videos I can watch?
The Fellowes YouTube channel has many videos which will help you setup, troubleshoot, and in some cases fix your Fellowes product. Fellowes UK – YouTube.
I am not sure which Fellowes product will suit my needs?
The Fellowes Beswick customer service team is here to help with any questions or concerns you might have relating to which machine you should purchase. We can lead you through some simple questions, find out what you are looking for, and then advise on which models you could consider, and from which wholesalers or retailers you could make your purchase.
What oil can I use on my shredder?
We always advise that you use Fellowes Shredder Oil as this has been specially formulated for Fellowes shredders. However, any vegetable based oil will work as a temporary measure, and can also be used to help soften a blockage.
How often should I oil my shredder?
As a simple rule, you should oil your shredder each time you empty the bin, or at least twice a month. If your shredder is not used for any significant period of time we would recommend it is still lubricated whilst standing idle, and is oiled before you start using it again.
My shredder is jammed…what should I do?
There are a few simple steps you can take to try and remove the jam.
Please be careful. Your shredder is a machine with sharp moving parts; always be aware of whether the machine is receiving power from the mains, and also be aware that as you work on the jam the cutters may start working again.
- If your shredder has an overheat indicator, check whether it’s lit up. This is a sign that the shredder has reached its maximum operating temperature and needs to cool down. Wait around 30 minutes/until the indicator is no longer illuminated and see if the shredder re-starts. If it doesn’t:
- Switch the shredder off. This is a vital first step before handling any part of the shredder or bin.
- Find out whether the shredder bin is full. Most shredders have a window showing the level of shredded paper, or you may need to pull the bin out to check. If it is full, you need to dispose of the waste paper for recycling.
- Put the empty bin back in the shredder and switch it on to see if shredding starts again.
- If it will not shred, switch the shredder to reverse to see if this removes the blockage. Switch back to forwards and, if it’s still blocked, switch between reverse and forwards a few times to see if that helps. If it doesn’t:
- Switch the shredder off. Lubricate the blades and the blockage with shredder oil and leave to soak for 20-30 minutes. This may help to soften the blockage.
- Switch the shredder on and feed through a single sheet of paper folded into quarters to test whether the blockage has cleared.
Alternatively, reach out to us via our Contact Page and our team will be happy to assist.
Which thickness of laminating pouch do I need?
When it comes to choosing the right laminating pouch for the job you need to know your microns. Information on finding the right laminating pouch can be found here.
What type of laminating pouch should I use?
Laminating pouches come in different sizes, thickness and finish, and the quality of the pouch you select can also have an impact on the future performance of your laminating machine. Information on finding the right laminating pouch can be found here.
Should I clean my laminator?
In a word, yes. Each time you pass a laminating pouch through the machine it will leave a trace of glue behind. The more you laminate, the more glue will remain in the machine. Therefore, it is vital to clean up this glue to ensure that your machine is kept clean and to protect its future performance. This build up of glue can start to burn, which will produce a smoky vapour, or the glue will build up to the point where the machine jams completely.
The starter pack that comes with your Fellowes laminator will include a cleaning card, and they can be re-ordered on SKU #5350604. This should be passed through the machine each time it is switched on, and then roughly after every 20 laminations, and certainly at the end of each laminating session.
What are the applications and advantages of plastic comb binding?
Plastic comb: For economical and most – versatile presentations. It’s a standard, well-known finish that’s perfect for presentations, sales and marketing material, brochures, menus and more. Popular with architects, scientists, sales and marketing professionals and manufacturers. Plastic binding is the most popular solution for many reasons.
Advantages: Pages lay flat for easy reading and turn 360 degrees for photocopying, most versatile-pages are easily added and/or deleted, binding combs are reusable, broad binding range-from 2 to 500 sheets.
What are the applications and advantages of thermal binding?
Thermal binding provides a smooth book-style finish perfect for mailing and filing. It’s great for reports, proposals memory books and year books. Thermal binding is fast and allows the user to bind multiple documents at once. Thermal Bound documents do not lay completely flat when open like plastic comb and wire binding.
What are the applications and advantages of wire binding?
Wire binding provides a secure, stylish premium look. It’s perfect for sales and marketing presentations, training booklets, financial reports and more. Wire binding provides a secure finish, as once a document is bound it can’t be modified. Wire bound documents lay flat when open and rotate 360 degrees for easy viewing.
When I am using my thermal binder some of the sheets in my finished document are loose and unglued. What is causing this?
- The binding cover may be to thick to bind or it may be too small for the document.
- The temperature setting may be incorrect.
- The documents were left on the heating plate too long.
Please bind the documents again and make sure the sheets are in contact with the glued spine by tapping gently on a flat surface. In addition, be sure to check that the setting is correct and promptly remove your documents after binding cycle is complete.
When I am using my thermal binder some of the sheets in my finished document are loose and unglued. What is causing this?
- The binding cover may be to thick to bind or it may be too small for the document.
- The temperature setting may be incorrect.
- The documents were left on the heating plate too long.
Please bind the documents again and make sure the sheets are in contact with the glued spine by tapping gently on a flat surface. In addition, be sure to check that the setting is correct and promptly remove your documents after binding cycle is complete.
How can I tell when it's time to replace my rotary trimmer blades or cutting strips (note: Atom trimmers do not have cutting strips)?
- When your rotary trimmer is not cutting straight or at capacity, you need flip the double-sided cutting strip.
- If your trimmer is still not cutting straight or at capacity after you flip the cutting strip, you need to insert a new cutting strip.
- If your rotary trimmer is still not cutting straight or at capacity, you need to replace the blade.
I can't raise the blade to cut materials on my Fusion™ 120, Fusion™ 180, Plasma™ 150 or Plasma™ 180 cutter.
To operate the Fusion™ 120, Fusion™ 180, Plasma™ 150 or Plasma™ 180 cutter, the SafeCut Guard must be completely upright.
The guard on my Fusion™ 180 will not stay upright.
The guard on the Fusion™ 180 must be locked in place once upright. Slide the small rectangle plastic piece to the left to secure the guard.
What should I do if I am having difficulty cutting with my Fellowes® Neutron™, Neutron™ Plus, Proton™ 120 / Proton™ 180 and Electron™ 120 / Electron™ 180 rotary trimmer?
The cutting difficulty could be due to one of the following reasons:
- Be sure you’re applying your pressure on the handle towards the side where the paper is being cut (essentially the cutting strip side). If you are still having difficulty please see the possible causes below:
- A cutting strip that is worn out.
- A dull SafeCut Cartridge that needs to be replaced.
- The user should first flip the double-sided cutting strip; if the poor cut quality still exists, try changing the blade. If the cut quality still exists insert a new cutting strip.
Should I use a trimmer or guillotine?
If you’re working with photographs, large format pieces or projects that require crisp, accurate, individualised cuts, a rotary trimmer is your best bet.
If you generally need to cut a larger quantity of sheets at a time, or thicker media, a guillotine may be a better choice.