Best bookbinding supplies according to redditors

If you go to an art supply store, they have special paper tape that you can use - it is virtually invisible and will bring those pages back together. Sample here:
book repair tape from amazon

Or you can buy neutral pH Glue and glue the pages together at the spine very carefully. Should also be available at an art supply store (specialty ones) Product here:
neutral ph glue

Source: I have a degree in printing

Yeah! Come visit us at /r/bookbinding and browse around first. Then, check out Sea Lemon's channel on YouTube. She posts some really interesting tutorials that are a great way to get started.

If you want to pick a project you could do right this minute, watch her video on Coptic Stitch binding. All you need is a piece of thick cardboard, some computer paper, a sewing needle, a ruler, and some thick thread like embroidery floss. This kit has pretty much everything you'll need to get started if you want to wait a few days, but you can do it with stuff you have lying around too.

Here's some of the stuff I've made: https://imgur.com/gallery/tfFGhm8

I would recommend Filmoplast for everyday tears.

I was thinking of getting this beginner's kit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DM781PI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1ICGYUVJFAQ70

Do I need all of this, or am I being ripped off?

Thanks!

Hi everyone! I recently decided that bookbinding is something I want to try out, as I'm kind of a bibliophile and always dreamed of being able to do something like this, but never really considered how until now. I bound a small Coptic Stitch notebook with scraps of yarn, cloth, cardboard, and printer paper. It's pretty poor quality, but it is functional, and I'm immensely proud of my first attempt. However, I'd like to work with more than just scraps. I'm in the market for some tools and materials, though I'm going to college soon and have a lifetime's worth of expenses near ahead of me. I've piddled around Amazon for a while, and I've found a starter kit that seems to work out nicely. If anyone could vouch for that, that'd be nice, and if it's a no go any recommendations help!

A couple other questions:

Is there anywhere I can get materials and tools affordably, and do you have any tips for saving money on these things?

Is printer paper fine for simple projects right now, or are there outstanding reasons I shouldn't get used to working with it?

I'm not dirt poor, thank God and God willing, but I need to be conscientious on how I spend my money (textbooks being the most major expense in my future). Thank you all!

This problem is generally caused by a combination of heavy stock and no pre-crease. Print vendors creating products like this like this will run the print through a pre-creaser before folding. You can pre crease manually with some success using a bone folder but you'll never get that lovely u shaped valley that a machine gives.

Tldr; use lighter stock, precrease manually, or have it produced with a vendor.

Yes. You buy it as solid polyvinyl acetate beads, and dissolve it in the acetone. You can have a very liquidy mix to get it to soak in (about as viscous as water), or a thicker mix that you can kind of paste on the surface. You can apply more acetone to loosen things up if necessary.

I don't think it's available pre-mixed. A) it's simpler to ship it separately, and B) you can control how thick it is.

As I mentioned, breathing acetone isn't healthy. Don't fool with it in an enclosed space. Some people are more casual with it, but I always use it in a fume hood, which isn't exactly common household equipment. Outdoors might be okay, but I'd still be careful. It's not something that is filtered out by regular filter masks because it's a vapour. It's also flammable. If you've not worked with hazardous materials, I don't recommend that route. Go for the water-soluble glue and just be patient with it. It will harden up eventually. Like I mentioned, the salt water might be a problem for your specimens, in which case you'll have to experiment to see what happens.

I use this stuff made by Lineco, which is quite watery to begin with. The 8-oz bottles are probably most convenient, and usually they're pretty cheap (<$10). Amazon's prices seem ... utterly ridiculous. Shop around. The Lineco glue is often available at art supply stores if you have one of those nearby.

Both techniques take some practice. Try something unimportant first.

It’s a bookbinding tool for manipulating paper.

It’s called a bone folder Genuine Bone Folder Crafts Scoring Folding Creasing Paper Crafting Scrapbooking Tool for DIY Handmade Leather Burnishing Bookbinding Cards and Paper Crafts

I use Brodart and have never used tape, a good bone folder is all you need to cover the DJ safely.
I guess I wouldn't risk tape since I can't imagine the benefit, but to each their own.

Use something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Books-Hand-Neutral-PVA-Adhesive/dp/B0025TZ26Q

Backed with something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Cloth-Linen-17x21-sheet/dp/B0025TZ2TI/ref=sr_1_6?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1413835557&sr=1-6&keywords=linen+sheet

You can mount the entire piece to to a linen backing for better archival qualities.

Mod Podge has too high of a water content, which is what causes bubbling and other issues. Switching to Neutral PH adhesive from LINECO changed everything for me. It still gives time to move and adjust pieces, but there's no lifting. You can get an 8 oz bottle on Amazon for like $9. Highly recommend it!

Amazon

Technique tip - paint your surface with a coat of gesso & let it dry before you start working. It gives the surface you're working on a tooth for the glue to grab onto.

Finally, press/flatten your pieces down with a bone folder after they're where you want them.

Good luck!

Riddle the First
a toast!
There's this emergency candle. It has three wicks! How else would you make toast, if not over an open flame? And everyone knows how much more pleasant it is to study by candlelight. Found here

Riddle the Second
a broom?
On the arts-and-crafts list there lies a "bookbinding brush," to use when making notebooks! Not only does it look like a miniature broom, but every student needs a notebook to take notes in! Found here

Riddle the Third
a hat!
On "Chris's List," There is a lovely bundt cake pan. This lovely bundt cake pan could serve as a beautiful hat! As long as you don't mind looking like you've been caught in a whirlwind! And, it always serves to have something sweet to bribe your teachers with. ;) Found here

Riddle the Fourth
a book!
I have a whole wishlist full of books. The one I'd like most right now is The Hot Sauce Cookbook. It's about how to make hot sauce! Keeping a student entertained during holidays is the best way to avoid chaos at school! Found here

Riddle the Fifth
a trunk!
In the arts-and-crafts list, there is a beautiful wooden box. It's just the right size for a few novels. And just the right size to hide under those school books so no one finds those ahem special books. Found here

For Bonus Points
a cape!
On my "Arts and Crafts" list, I have an unfinished lighthouse. Just like the ones on CAPE Cod! A cape is necessary for those brief naps in the library. Better than a sleep mask! Found here

Mischief Managed!

I have some experience with leather but would definitely say I’m a beginner still.

If you’d stitch each side of the opening, you’d get a little less deformity when you put the knife in.

You could also wet the leather and use a creaser or something similar to get nice hard lines along your leather. This would make a better fit for the knife.
Otherwise, are you gunna carry it on your belt or in your pocket? You may add a simple belt loop and I think it’d make it a little more functional.

Cool project though! Looks nice hope I didn’t sound like I was being too critical about it.

I think the best way is just to keep an eye out for another copy at half price books, or buy used on amazon. To prevent future stains you might try this: I buy plastic book covers to cover the dust cover of my nice hardback books. http://www.amazon.com/Brodart-Just-A-Fold-Archival-Book-Covers/dp/B0033766GE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405484846&sr=8-1&keywords=Brodart

Buy another copy? The second one could be trashed as long as the cover is in good shape. Then notate that the "real" one is in the other place. If you can get one from the $1 bin, you're good!

My impression is that this particular overlap is going to be pretty limited in scope for most folks, so an extra record for the cover might not cause a financial burden. If this idea were to be expanded for the dreaded "featuring" or duets, etc, it might get expensive.

Maybe some properly sized card stock with the name of the record and where the real record is located would suffice. The ultimate would be something like this - blank white LP covers. Expensive, but pretty much perfect.

Vinyl Record Jackets - White Coated w/No Center Hole | 25-Pack. Thanks adayinalife 2 days ago.

Like these: https://www.amazon.com/TunePhonik-12-Vinyl-Record-Jackets/dp/B06ZXXH2J7

Yeah the UHU stick that came with my printer originally didn't work well at all.

I tried using another PVA glue I have on hand that I use for little things when I'm mounting photo prints, but turns out that stuff's not completely water soluble. It was a real pain in the ass to remove from the glass and it didn't grab onto the print very well anyway.