Make A Book On A Budget: Turning Free PDFs Into Books
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- Link to Bookbinder 3.0 (the software I used to convert PDFs into signatures) quantumelephant...
I've become obsessed with the idea of printing my own books recently. This obsession came about because of my discovery of the wealth of free books that are available for free online. I, however, wanted physical copies of these books as cheap as I could get them. Naturally, this led me down the bookbinding rabbit hole.
The techniques I use in this video are very budget friendly, and therefore, there are certain things that aren't done the "right way."
For starters, I used Elmer's glue mixed with wheat paste. Mixing PVA with wheat paste is a common practice, but whether it's ok to use Elmer's is hotly debated. But seeing as how I don't need flexibility with this bind, I think it will be OK.
Secondly, the covers are made out of cereal boxes. They are most likely not acid free and, therefore, will not last forever.
The paper I used is acid free, but the grain direction is wrong. I've heard DAS Bookbinding say that grain direction almost doesn't matter for coptic binds, and I'll take his word for it.
Overall, I'm pleased with this build and am excited to try new methods in the future.
There is a device that other Book Binders use, it's like a box cutter but is much slimmer and you can snap off the dull portion of the blade called a paper knife cutter.
I started this video thinking "ooooh, this is something I'm gonna do all the time!" and then i watched the video and realized that no, i do not have the patience or space for this. still a really great video! maybe some day......
I’ve been looking for a video detailing exactly what you’ve explained and I’ve not been able to find anything. Thank you!
I've been dealing with having to read books on my computer or tablet. I didn't know there was an app that would print out pages for bookbinding. Thanks,
Neither did I, some have been describing how Microsoft Word or Adobe Pro was supposed to do it but this seems a lot easier and I have a lot books in my digital library - Shakespeare, Homer, Darwin, Tolkien, Harry Potter, to name just a few as well as The Geneva Bible 1599
So you started out strong with explaining everything you was doing and why. but then about half way through you stopped explaining and was just showing your process, an by the time you was working the needle it was all in fast forward... but was glad to see the final product up close to see just how loose it looked.. over all, entertaining vid but i have more questions now then i started with..lol.. What sized paper are you using? Is there anything special about that cloth? Can you just use any cloth? What is this wheat paste? You just gave me more stuff i have to look up! Anyway thanks for the vid bud, Keep it up.
Standard copy paper 8.5 x 11 (acid free though)
The cloth just needs to be a natural fiber. This one was probably a bit thick, but it still worked. This type of bookcloth can also be referred to as buckram.
Wheat paste is just wheat flour + water heated for a few minutes. It's used for gluing things like paper, cloth, and leather. It's surprisingly strong and durable stuff.
@@fallowgroundstudios thank you 😊 funny that is just standard copy paper, it looks so much better in the video. Then when I fold a paper in person it looks so small. Thanks again.
Cutting the edges without a guillotine is the worst, yeah. I hear legends about being able to go to a print store and use their guillotines for a small fee, but I have yet to do that myself; I've also seen bespoke cutting jigs that clamp down on the paper and let you slide a sharp blade along the top flat surface and cut a page or two at a time. Not as neat as taking it in a single cut, but a lot nicer and easier than a box cutter and ruler!
If you keep having problems with the folded edges not staying where you want them, you might be able to tack them down with a few bulldog clamps and some scrap cardboard so you can work on the long edges before the rest of the glue sets up.
I recommend just getting a small block of beeswax (or even a paraffin candle) and waxing your own thread instead of using pre-waxed stuff, it won't shed nearly as much. I've also had some good results using embroidery floss for binding simple Coptic book projects, it takes wax just fine and you can mix and match colors if you're feeling fancy. I'm amazed you were able to bind such a thick book in that style, but it does look handy for a semi-disposable study book!
Two weeks ago I binded a book as an anniversary gift for my girlfriend. I couldn't find the app to separate the pages, but ended up coding a script in Python to do it. I also changed the dedicatory to a custom one. It was a fun process ☺️
That's commitment man! That's awesome!
Have made a few books myself now, and have one of those gullotines you mentioned (technically not a gullotine, i think, they're referred to as "heavy duty paper cutters" in shops) and you're right, they rock. that chomp is *so* satisfying... LOL... especially after struggling through trying to cut books with a knife myself - I feel your pain. Re: cutting. DAS Bookbinding is a professional bookbinder and has a great channel with TONS of information for those wanting to learn. If memory serves me right, he reckons that books over an inch thick shouldn't be cut the way you did, but he does offer an alternative with a chisel that might work for you or anyone else in your position. Otherwise, I can think of two other ideas: 1) don't cut at all. It's not strictly necessary to the functioning of a good book and go back a couple hundred years and you'll find that they sometimes didn't then either, esp in cheaper books :D It looks nice and it does make flipping through to find a specific page easier but other than that... *shrugs*... you don't have to if its more trouble than its worth. 2) The other idea is that you do what I did with my first ever bookbind: cut each individual signature to length *before* you bind them (i.e. just 8 pages at a time). You don't get the nice smooth edge that you get with a chomp machine but I do think it's better than not cutting them at all, and i don't think it makes much difference in process for you since you cut the fore edge before you bound the book (most binders do it after when they're working with a text block which is constructed seperately to the case and put together at the end of the process). Thanks for the heads up on the software - will check that one out!
Music is terribly loud.
Half scissors is not ideal. A small utility knife with breakable piece of blades to cut off every so often when it stop cutting sharp would have been better. Sanding works too, is used for edge gilding too. But hey live and learn, right?
Great explanation ! Could you tell us how long it took you start to finish ?
I guess that depends on if you're including wait time or not. You know, for the adhesives to dry.
Idk exactly how long, and things always take way longer when you're trying to make a video out of it haha. I'd guess though (not counting drying times) it took me between 15-20 hours. Had I not been recording, it could probably have been done in less than 10.
Thank you !
This is the best video ever! This was super impressive and the end result looks incredible!
Barnes and Noble Press would be your best friend.
Music too loud