How to bind handwritten notes with very thin margins into a book?
May 18, 2013 6:30 AM Subscribe
Is there any bookbinding technique that would be able to nicely bind sheets of paper into a book, with the constraint that some of the sheets have writing going right up to the edge of the paper? I'm concerned that the text would be lost in the spine. The sheets are A4, with holes already punched, but I'd like something a little more robust/"permanent" than a ring binder... if possible.
So, shot in the dark here. But you could you glue/attach a "spacer" to the inner edge? I'm imagining something like a 1.5 inch wide paper (high quality) that is the same height as the A4 paper and acts as a bridge between the spine (so it's this spanner that is actually bound in the spine) of the book and is, in turn, bound/glued to the written pages.
posted by oddman at 6:37 AM on May 18, 2013
posted by oddman at 6:37 AM on May 18, 2013
Does the final book need to be A4 as well? If you're willing to go a little bit bigger, you could paste each note to a larger piece of paper (or light stock) and bind that. More like a scrapbook, really.
posted by third word on a random page at 6:44 AM on May 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by third word on a random page at 6:44 AM on May 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
I know a little about bookbinding, and I can't think of any method that would hold these notes without losing some of the text within the spine. Also, it's likely that the paper won't be of the highest quality, and wouldn't stand up to much page-turning before beginning to tear at the sewn edge.
If you want to hold these notes together for every day use, I would find an album with plastic slipcovers. If you want something more elegant -something to display, maybe- I would make (or have made) a book with plain, high-quality paper, and use hinge-mounts of Japanese paper to attach the notes to the pages. If well-done, it will be really beautiful, and you'll be able to see both sides of the notes (if that's important) if you only hinge one edge.
posted by cilantro at 6:48 AM on May 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you want to hold these notes together for every day use, I would find an album with plastic slipcovers. If you want something more elegant -something to display, maybe- I would make (or have made) a book with plain, high-quality paper, and use hinge-mounts of Japanese paper to attach the notes to the pages. If well-done, it will be really beautiful, and you'll be able to see both sides of the notes (if that's important) if you only hinge one edge.
posted by cilantro at 6:48 AM on May 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm a graphic design student mostly busy with bookdesign, and I have experience with bookbinding.
It's actually very easy.
Try and get some bookbinding glue. You're looking for "cold" glue because you could basically do it at home and it allows for the pages to fall flat when opened (hot glue is stiff and opening it fully would crack your spine).
It's a simple procedure.
1.) compile your stack of paper
2.) choose a long edge (the left probably) and make sure the edge is as flat as possible.
3.) Lay it down on a sheet of paper on the edge of a table.
4.) Stack some books on top of the pile, to compress it as much possible.
5.) Then with a cutter, lightly cut some diagonal lines along the spine (this is for the glue to attach better). This should be more like brushing it with a knife, you just want to make a rough surface.
6.) Finally, generously apply your bookbinding glue to the spine, and wait for at least an hour or two.
7.) Finito!
8.) The spine will be visible though, but in good paper shops you can find fabric spine covers (like a strip of tape) that provides even more sturdiness).
It's very easy, although I imagine it's hard to get without pictures, but let me know.
PS: Usually there is a special tool, like a box in which the papers can be put in for compressing them, which allows easier glue application. Stacking heavy stuff on top of a table edge is kind of diy, but it will work (I succesfully bound an A3 size book of good quality heavy papers like this).
Good luck!
posted by ahtlast93 at 6:52 AM on May 18, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's actually very easy.
Try and get some bookbinding glue. You're looking for "cold" glue because you could basically do it at home and it allows for the pages to fall flat when opened (hot glue is stiff and opening it fully would crack your spine).
It's a simple procedure.
1.) compile your stack of paper
2.) choose a long edge (the left probably) and make sure the edge is as flat as possible.
3.) Lay it down on a sheet of paper on the edge of a table.
4.) Stack some books on top of the pile, to compress it as much possible.
5.) Then with a cutter, lightly cut some diagonal lines along the spine (this is for the glue to attach better). This should be more like brushing it with a knife, you just want to make a rough surface.
6.) Finally, generously apply your bookbinding glue to the spine, and wait for at least an hour or two.
7.) Finito!
8.) The spine will be visible though, but in good paper shops you can find fabric spine covers (like a strip of tape) that provides even more sturdiness).
It's very easy, although I imagine it's hard to get without pictures, but let me know.
PS: Usually there is a special tool, like a box in which the papers can be put in for compressing them, which allows easier glue application. Stacking heavy stuff on top of a table edge is kind of diy, but it will work (I succesfully bound an A3 size book of good quality heavy papers like this).
Good luck!
posted by ahtlast93 at 6:52 AM on May 18, 2013 [2 favorites]
Clamping the stack of paper between two boards is also a good way to compress it before gluing.
posted by pipeski at 7:36 AM on May 18, 2013
posted by pipeski at 7:36 AM on May 18, 2013
Other ideas:
Make the book, and attach envelopes to the pages in which the notes are folded and kept.
Mount the notes by the corners with glue or photomounts and center them on a page (example a few images down). Leave the bottom free to flip over for content on the other side.
Use bookbinding tape. Cut a 1" or so strip and align it with the long edge of your notes. Back it with another strip of tape, adhesive side to adhesive side. This will create a new edge or lip made only of tape. Bind the tape edges together into the spine.
posted by Miko at 7:50 AM on May 18, 2013
Make the book, and attach envelopes to the pages in which the notes are folded and kept.
Mount the notes by the corners with glue or photomounts and center them on a page (example a few images down). Leave the bottom free to flip over for content on the other side.
Use bookbinding tape. Cut a 1" or so strip and align it with the long edge of your notes. Back it with another strip of tape, adhesive side to adhesive side. This will create a new edge or lip made only of tape. Bind the tape edges together into the spine.
posted by Miko at 7:50 AM on May 18, 2013
Seconding the plastic slipcovers. I have been working on my family history since 1989 and the pages in those slipcovers are as good as the day I put them in there.
posted by brownrd at 9:15 AM on May 18, 2013
posted by brownrd at 9:15 AM on May 18, 2013
I know a lot about bookbinding, other than ahtlast's suggestion or stab binding from the top, you could try a concertina binding either mounting a narrow edge, or making a kind of album and mounting each page. Is there content on one side, or both? The latter is not a bad idea if this is lined 'binder' paper. I work with old files, and binder paper does not hold up well. I'm only on my phone, but if you want more ideas or links to instructions just memail me.
posted by jrobin276 at 4:11 PM on May 18, 2013
posted by jrobin276 at 4:11 PM on May 18, 2013
If only a few sheets have the narrow margin, can you recopy those pages? Most photocopiers have a scaling function; on A4, 90% scale would probably give you a decent margin to work with.
Note that the suggestions to attach extra margin to your pages will double or triple the thickness of the paper right at the junction between the original paper and the extra margin.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:18 PM on May 18, 2013
Note that the suggestions to attach extra margin to your pages will double or triple the thickness of the paper right at the junction between the original paper and the extra margin.
posted by d. z. wang at 10:18 PM on May 18, 2013
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posted by PorcineWithMe at 6:36 AM on May 18, 2013