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.
posted by hoverboards don't work on water
on May 18, 2013 -
10 answers
I have an idea in mind for what to give my niece as a HS graduation/off-to-college gift, but I'm overwhelmed, not knowing where to start on making it. Any crafty people w/ bookbinding or relevant experience wanna give me some (much needed, much appreciated!) guidance?
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posted by little_dog_laughing
on Jan 23, 2013 -
5 answers
I would like to start learning how to make leather journals. I really don't know where to start. More inside.
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posted by Spyder's Game
on Oct 3, 2012 -
5 answers
Did "iron-bound books" ever exist? If they're a modern idea, has anyone gone ahead and made these? If they are completely non-existent, where did this notion originate?
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posted by curious nu
on Dec 28, 2010 -
18 answers
How can I insert a small mirror or peephole into the front cover of a handmade hardcover book? What kind of material is appropriate for the cover? Will cardboard/cloth do? What about leather? Is there a tutorial anywhere to show how this is done?
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posted by waxbanks
on Dec 9, 2010 -
4 answers
I'd like to have a book bound in my tanned skin after I die, as a present for my family. Does anyone know of any legal issues with asking a tanner and binder to do this? Any other suggestions for how to go about it?
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posted by mdoar
on Jun 7, 2010 -
43 answers
How/where can I trim the edges of more than 200 pieces of paper
at once so that they are even with each other? I like to bind books by hand, but I'm having trouble trimming the outside edge of the pages flush once they're sewed and glued together. I'm in the Los Angeles area.
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posted by Nattie
on Feb 9, 2010 -
15 answers
I need a book printer & binder - ideally the same company - in Northern California who is familiar with photography books. The publication may involve 4-color blacks, or black/silver traditionally litho-printed photographs and text on good paper, Mohawk superfine or something like that; hard and soft bindings may be necessary. Any ideas?
posted by luriete
on Nov 24, 2009 -
2 answers
DIY bookbinding question - I need help figuring out: what supplies I will need for this particular project; if I will need a different sewing method than the one in the tutorial I'm using; how much more difficult it would be to bind it in leather, etc.
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posted by Nattie
on Aug 7, 2009 -
8 answers
I'm looking to get 3 or 4 copies of an illustrated book printed and bound. It's a project for my Illustration class this semester, so the print quality of the images is my highest priority, but cost is key as well since I'm your typical broke college student. What print on demand services should I look into?
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posted by Corvidae
on Jan 21, 2009 -
7 answers
I took a few bookbinding classes in university and really enjoyed them, but I stopped doing it after I had saturated the market (i.e. my friends and family) with blank books to use as journals, notebooks, photo albums, etc. I recently thought that it might be fun to make hand-printed and bound editions of novellas and short stories that are in the public domain.
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posted by cilantro
on Nov 26, 2008 -
8 answers
How to best preserve pages taken from old issues of *Fantasy and Science Fiction*, a book-sized literary magazine printed on newsprint?
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posted by cadge
on Jan 8, 2008 -
6 answers
How can I find out what different versions of a book are currently in publication? Especially for older works with open copyrights, how do you find out if some random publisher's putting out a really nice hardbound, vs the paperback that's all you can find on Amazon?
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posted by tirade
on Nov 10, 2007 -
6 answers
I think I'd like to buy a letterpress, but I know nothing about them. Please help.
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posted by OmieWise
on Oct 16, 2006 -
7 answers
Is there a name for the semi-circle dividers found on the pages of larger books (dictionaries, encyclopedias, and/or bibles)?
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posted by ktrey
on Sep 4, 2006 -
9 answers
I need to apply custom type to Davey Board (bookbinding board), is screen printing my only option?
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posted by Sreiny
on Apr 11, 2006 -
9 answers
I've noticed that libraries often put a rigid, clear plastic coating on the covers of paperback books. The coating makes the book covers more sturdy and durable. What is that coating, and is it available to retail consumers?
posted by jayder
on Mar 30, 2006 -
13 answers
A colleague is interested in doing some personal desktop publishing and bookbinding. He came to me and asked a few questions I couldn't answer offhand and don't have the terms to google efficiently.
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posted by George_Spiggott
on Dec 22, 2005 -
15 answers
BookBindingFilter: I greatly enjoyed reading
this edition of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Some of the enjoyment was doubtless due to Tolkien's deathless prose, but I was surprised to find myself also enjoying handling, looking at, poring over a really beautifully crafted edition, with careful binding, stuck-together pages, a little built-in bookmark, etc.
Can anyone suggest other books I might like for these same reasons? Genre's not important; I'm a cheerful omnilege.
posted by ikkyu2
on Jan 23, 2005 -
24 answers
Bookmending tape. I'm looking for brands/recommendations for 1/2" - 1" wide bookmending tape, to fix broken hinges, and/or cracked spines from the inside, and with adhesive that will not damage the paper. Nothing super-fancy, and bonus points for something I could maybe find in local stores! Thanks!
posted by carter
on Nov 5, 2004 -
7 answers
Book binding: I want to make some one-off children's books for my daughter and her friends, and I'm trying to determine the most cost-effective way to make something extra-durable. These kids are all about 2 years old; my own daughter has been known to rip pages out of favorite books as a sign of enthusiasm. My current thought is laminating two-sided color pages and spiral binding it, but to me that's only about a 6 out of 10 on cheapness and durability. Other thoughts?
posted by blueshammer
on Oct 8, 2004 -
7 answers
Does anyone know of any book binding machines that will sew pages together? Most simple binding devices used in offices use thermal adhesive or ring binding. I’m looking for something more serious that will sew books together in the manner of traditional bound textbooks and hardcovers. It doesn’t have to be small, but neither can I deal with any giant factory equipment. Something the size of a large office photocopier would be ideal. Does such a device exist?
posted by Meridian
on Jul 21, 2004 -
9 answers
Bookbinder filter: Would a bookbinder ever take apart a bound book and re-bind it into smaller volumes? (more inside of course).
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posted by marsha56
on Jul 6, 2004 -
17 answers
I want to put together a family recipe book. Has anyone done this, and do you have any advice? Are there kits out there to help with this, or software? Or have you gone to Kinko's and bound it yourself? (If so, details would be welcome on what services they offered.) Spiral-bound would be fine, but I'm open to other styles. I want to be able to make a dozen or so copies without breaking the bank, and I have a good home computer setup if I can figure out how best to take advantage of it. I've already got the recipes typed in in MasterCook, a recipe format program. Thanks for any help!
posted by GaelFC
on Feb 7, 2004 -
12 answers
