A Few Album Binder Reviews -

As I mentioned before, this happened to me. The source was shipped from the U.S., but they were in fact four rings, which was a surprise to me.

My solution was to obtain a four hole paper puncher, and re-punch the Steiner pages. That worked, but I don't want to that again.

There is a seller on Amazon that states 3 ring in the description then down below it says 4 ring. One reviewer even noted the issue since they returned. Their description got me confused with Grande and G binders as if the same.

https://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-C...+grande

I bought my Vario F binder directly from Lighthouse, during their current sale, after studying their online catalog. I saw that Amazon seller, too, and did not want to risk getting the wrong number of rings.

Designer stamp and coins actually does have three rings for the Vario F and G's.

If they are advertising for the Vario F and G's, I've always received the correct three rings, and they are based in the U.S.

I recommend them for the Vario G and Vario F if one wants a three ring.

I ordered from someone else based in the U.S. for Vario F's and received four rings!

However, it looks like the Grande is only found with four rings.

[Edit: Actually, the Grande can be found with three rings in Canada. See BeeSee's note below. Thanks BeeSee for the correction.]

Unfortunately Designer stamp and coins has an error in their Grande advertisement, saying they are three rings in one part of the advertisement, and four rings in another part of the advertisement.

I left feedback with Amazon indicating the error - hopefully it will be corrected.

I second Jkjblue's recommendation. They also ship very quickly.

Jack Kelley

I'll third the recommendation for Designer Stamp and Coin. I probably order something from them once a month or more and I have 5 Vario-G's on my way to me from them now. On the other hand, if one does want a 4-ring Vario binder, Nordfrim is currently selling a package of two Vario-F's for US$31.50 (with free shipping to the US). http://www.nordfrim.com/accessories...qp6joHWKHwYw

That's the lowest price I've ever seen for them anywhere, and by a pretty good margin. I'm considering buying some for Vario pages, which would still work. They're also selling leather 64-page stockbooks for under $30, but I digress.

I have been using a mixture of various 1" and 2" standard office "O" and "D" ring binders, but now want to standardize my main collection in Lighthouse type binders. I print my own 8.5 x 11 pages and put them in Staples top loading sheet protectors. They are the type with the holes on the side, so no punching is required. However, this adds about 3/4" to the page width, and therefore the pages stick out on the right side of some binders. This I don't like, but have been living with it.

The lighthouse Grande albums are specified to be 11-7/16" wide x 12-13/16" high. There seems have enough width to keep the edge of the sheet protectors inside the binders, but that of course depends on the actual ring size.

Does anyone here have experience using the Grande album with top loading sheet protectors?

Canada Post sells the Album with the slipcase for $36 Cdn postpaid.

https://www.canadapost.ca/shop/stam...p-341891.jsf

Much cheaper from Europe, I suspect

http://www.nordfrim.com/search?s=grande

Jkjblue, the Grande being sold by Canada Post in the above link has 3 rings.

GeoffHa, I know I would save a little money using Nordfrim, but it appears they only have the 4 ring version. I am looking for the 3 ring version.

BeeSee - thanks for the correction that Canada Post sells the Grande Binder with three rings.

I would think the Grande should have enough room for your 8.5 x 11 pages + .75 for width, but I do not have personal experience with the Grande.

Just for your information, the three ring Vario G's would also have enough room - about 1 inch width with 8.5 X 11 pages. That would leave about .25 inch to spare with your extra need for .75 inch.

The three ring Vario F's definitely would not. With the 8.5 X 11 pages, they have only .25 inch to spare.

Thank you Jkjblue, excellent information, just what I needed

"The Grande doesn't use "a larger sized Vario page", it uses a Grande page."

Correct, and my mistake once again. For some reason, I find Lighthouse names very confusing. Not sure what "Vario" means (in German) but it's just a type of LH binder, of course. That there are Vario F's and Vario G's and Grandes confuses me.

For anyone considering buying LH binders or other products, I really recommend you contact Lighthouse (on their webpage) and request their catalogue which they'll send you -- printed on actual old-fashioned paper, if you can imagine that. It was their catalogue that finally made clear to me the differences among their enormous number of binders and albums and pages and so on. Apparently, I need paper to make sense of anything. I'm analog in a computerized world.

I believe 'Vario' has been used to indicate the flexibility of the Vario system for variable purposes, formats, sizes, sheets, covers etc.

"For some reason, I find Lighthouse names very confusing. Not sure what "Vario" means (in German) but it's just a type of LH binder, of course. That there are Vario F's and Vario G's and Grandes confuses me."

I am like you. Without the printed Lighthouse catalog in front of me, I cannot make heads or tails out of the various Lighthouse binders. Their various types of stock pages and album pages are similarly confusing. But, by golly, their "system" of products is very flexible and wonderful, once one figures it out. Can't beat the Germans for quality and ingenuity.

I always felt Vario must a binder/stock pages that match multiple binders (many different hole punch) and many different stock sheets (single, dual, etc. pockets). It is very variable (versatile).