Kinko's Notebook Binding?

July 5, 2013

Leuchtturm1917 Major notebook. Love the features and design. The paper is a complete disaster. A4-size notebooks with plain paper are few and far between. Clairefontaine apparently made/makes a good one but I can't find one for sale. I've ruled out the A4 Rhodia Webbie.

I'm in love with Tomoe River paper and would like to put together a notebook from it. The perfect-bound A4 pads with the binding on top are in the right direction. Anybody want to make any suggestions? A custom notebook would be OK if it didn't cost and arm and a leg for fancy leather work.

Has anybody had any experience with perfect binding at Kinko's, Sir Speedy or other copy shops that will do one-offs for cheap?

July 23, 2013

Has anybody had any experience with perfect binding at Kinko's, Sir Speedy or other copy shops that will do one-offs for cheap?

I used to work at Kinkos as an inhouse graphic designer and as a supervisor and have had the experience to manage all the printing and binding services. The perfect binding--atleast back then--was manually done from the collating stage down to the gluin of the cloth or paper wrap on the spine. For my store, we deckled the paper edges by hand using a handscraper to make sure that the glue will completely adhere to each sheet of paper and not fall out when you lay the book or brochure flat open.

However, i can tell you that due to cut backs on costs, Kinkos (or Fedex Office as they are now called) has been using automated binding machines and do not deckle the paper anymore. So when you lay the book/brochure wide open, at some point, expect the pages to fall out.

You can, in a way, mitigate this problem by deckling the edge yourself prior to sending it in for binding. However, that can be time consuming... unless you use a dremel tool (fitted with a rough sander) which can roughen up the edge for the glue to adhere better on each sheet. But if you're going to do this, might as well invest in the perfect binding machine (available at some office supply stores) and make your own books... and also maybe put them up for sale in the Classified section.

P.S. I think Sir Speedy and the smaller shops may be able to do it better as they're probably more reasonable in accommodating and maintaining your business. I would ask them how they do perfect binds and mention that you absolutely do not want the pages to easily fall out. They can probably offer alternatives and suggestions to stay competitive in the printing business.

Edited July 23, 2013 by cednocon

July 23, 2013

Also... just as a suggestion. You may be able to set up some kind of a deal with some of those talented people on Etsy.com who put together handmade notebooks and handbound journals as a hobby and/or business. Some of them do say that they will make the notebook/journal for cheap if you supply your own paper. Something to look into.

July 23, 2013

TMLee is who you ought to talk to. Check out his homemade journal thread here:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/28367-homemade-journal/page-41

He can make a Tomoe River Paper journal or notebook for you at a very reasonable cost.

July 23, 2013

It's been a while since I posted my request. I'm glad it finally got some attention. Thanks for your tips. I, too, remember good ol' Kinkos before they were gobbled by the by the FedEx monster. BTW, I have since found the Clairefontaine's from an outlet in Australia and I like them very much. I still want to put together TR A4 notebooks. Since they don't appear to supply A3 paper, it looks like perfect binding is my only option. There's a Sir Speedy near me. I'll visit and see what they have to say.

July 25, 2013

You're welcome. This thread has had me thinking about perfect binding my stack of Tomoe papers. I may try the Sir Speedy in my neighborhood, too. Goodluck with yours!

July 25, 2013

So other than the front and back cover, deckling the pages and some type of cloth/paper on the spine, what is the difference in the gluing process between perfect binding and gluing a pad of paper from loose sheets?

Asked differently, when I'm making pads, if I were to put the proper backing over the spine after applying the padding glue to the stack and making sure that the backing had a good amount of glue on it, have I just made a perfect binding?

Not that I'm interested in doing it BTW, since pads are relatively easy to make since you can make a whole stack at once. It seems like perfect binding (as I've described it) needs to be done more as a "one-off" affair.

July 26, 2013

So other than the front and back cover, deckling the pages and some type of cloth/paper on the spine, what is the difference in the gluing process between perfect binding and gluing a pad of paper from loose sheets?

Asked differently, when I'm making pads, if I were to put the proper backing over the spine after applying the padding glue to the stack and making sure that the backing had a good amount of glue on it, have I just made a perfect binding?

Not that I'm interested in doing it BTW, since pads are relatively easy to make since you can make a whole stack at once. It seems like perfect binding (as I've described it) needs to be done more as a "one-off" affair.

Yes, if you put together a cover and a wraparound spine cover, its basically a perfect bind. There is not much difference between gluing a pad and a perfect bound book other than roughening the edge of the stacked paper (including the front and back covers--typically boards or vinyl/plastic) with a rough grit sand paper, and applying a very gummy type of rubber cement similar to that found at hardware stores. (Kinkos, just used wood cement glue.) The wraparound spine covers--leather, cloth, or cardstock-- are supplied by manufacturers in large strips to print shops and they come with adhesive backing already that is heat set by a press machine. But you can easily just do the same at home using any soft material and just glue it on with a regular office supply glue--the kind that is less thick than rubber cement so as not to leave clumpy bumps as it dries.

Edited July 26, 2013 by cednocon