This all started with a blog post about bookbinding I saw over at Brad Isaac’s Achieve-IT! blog (He’s since turned it into a really nice inexpensive report called The Fun and Easy Guide to Binding Your Own Paperback Books at Home… Fast!)
Until I read this article I had been printing out e-books from my computer on full sheets and stapling them together – very wasteful and bulky. When I saw this simple approach to glue bindings I was inspired to try it myself (who knew you could make your own books without thousands of dollars worth of supplies and years of training?) The DIY Bookbinding tutorial on this site (originally published on my Go-To Guy! blog) documents my adaptation of Brad’s tutorial and when I was done I was hooked on bookbinding.
I’ve spent many more hours and dollars studying the subject and experimenting with glues and techniques. The content here is a result of that research. There is plenty of junk content out there and reprinted public domain information that is 100+ years old and offers little to the do-it-yourselfer who just wants to make some durable and attractive paperbacks and hardcovers.
This little bookbinding hobby has grown into a fairly comprehensive collection of information on the subject of self-publishing and I look forward to watching it continue to grow.
I wish you all the best in your bookbinding and self-publishing endeavors,
Andrew Seltz
The Go-To Guy!
P.S. In addition to my personal blog, I also operate several sites dealing with marketing online and information publishing that may be of interest to DIY Publishers. They are Internet Marketing Insights and E-Book Marketing Secrets. I also sell an information publishing audio course at my Info Product Seminar site.
January 1, 2010 @ 12:49 pm
Hi there,
Just wanted to let you know that I linked to your videos “Bookbinding Part 1” and “Japanese Bookbinding” in my article “List of Resources for Beginning Bookbinding.”
Art of the Diary is a new blog that concentrates on the art of bookbinding and my own books that I’ve made. Check it out; if you like it or my “List of Resources” article, share it or give it a shout out!
Thanks, and Happy New Year!
Elsa
http://artofthediary.blogspot.com/2010/01/list-of-resources-for-beginning.html
Follow me! http://twitter.com/ArtoftheDiary
January 1, 2010 @ 12:51 pm
OOPS sorry, got my emails mixed up! I actually linked to your “Basic DIY Bookbinding Demonstration.” 🙂
Elsa
http://artofthediary.blogspot.com
Follow me! http://twitter.com/ArtoftheDiary
October 3, 2010 @ 6:38 pm
Hi, I have several old issues of National Geographic that were bound in leather. I’m not sure if it was a professional service or DIY. I have hundreds of old National Geographics that have bug eaten spines. I would like to learn to bind books just so I can bind the National Geographics. Where should I start. Is there a resource just for this type of job? Is this considered bookbinding or rebinding? Any infor or references will be appreciated. Thanks lots
Charles Fridge
blakdogg@yahoo.com
January 5, 2011 @ 7:36 am
I am looking for PVA flexible glue do you sell this?
January 23, 2011 @ 4:17 am
Visit our Amazon-powered Bookbinding Store for links to supplies.
We also recommend Dick Blick Art Supplies as a source of supplies as well.
June 23, 2011 @ 12:28 pm
Good Morning
If you get a moment maybe you could point me in the right direction.
I would like to know how I can stitch 10 book pages together. I just started a personalized children’s books home based business. The books supplies company recommends stapling the pages together. Staples are not child friendly. I want to sew the pages together. Is there a special kind of sewing machine for this? Or a special kind of thread? I’ve priced ordinary sewing machines in the $30.00 to $50.00 price range. But I would welcome the advice of someone in the know.
The binding is not a problem. I just need to sew the 10 book pages together.
Thank You Joe Mesa, Az