Faux Bound Book

I needed a book for an in game prop that would look like it was bound, but allow me to add and subtract normal 8.5 x 11 printed sheets regularly. It's for a Call of Cthulhu game, and is for a character's grimoire, which she will add to regularly.

I did this by using cheap hardboard from some clipboards, and some posts with screws.

Step 1 Ingredients

Ingredients:
Two legal sized plain old hardboard clipboards
Fabric for the front sides
Fabric for the hinge on the inside
Two sheets of cool paper for the insides
Bits of leather scrap if you are messy on the corners like me
Glue. I used wood glue because it was sitting around.
Three internally threaded posts with screws I found at Lowes.

I had priced 1/8th inch hardboard at Lowes, and it was under $10 for an 8' by 4' sheet. The problem is I can't get that home easily. The clipboards had the added advantage of being near the right size. I only need three cuts each. I'm sure this would work with just about anything board-like, though.

Comments

[footer0]

No one will ever suspect you to hide an Elder Sign in playin sight! - :D

[HeresyOfTruth]

I know! One of my friends is not a Lovecraft fan, and could not fathom why I was embroidering a "twig".

[footer0]

It is more powerful than a twig. Its a sharp twig. - But any way, do you know how to make any other Lovecraftian props? There good fun for every one. I've made almost all manner of props and i'm relativley tired of the some old stuff.

[HeresyOfTruth]

I just re-read The Hound, and was thinking of making a polymer clay faux jade version of the medallion from the story. I can do an okay faux jade, I just need to make it into the right winged hound. That part seems easy. Imparting it with the requisite eldritch horror seems harder.

[footer0]

Cool, Are you going to do an instructable on it? I'd like to see how it turns out.

[HeresyOfTruth]

Honestly, I hadn't thought about doing it, but it could make a cool instructable. Mythos instructables! Next up, how to summon, but not control your shoggoth.

[footer0]

My shoggoth lives in a wood box I carry in my pocket :P the box has about 4 different elder signs on it.

[peppermintsheep]

If you cut the corner of the fabric off (45 degree angle), the edges will be able to fold over each other better, and you won't get that lump of fabric in the corner.
 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/nate/284184160/lightbox/ fourth photo across, third photo down)

[HeresyOfTruth]

Is that work yours? It's beautiful. Thanks! I hadn't actually looked at how it's supposed to be done. Do you know any good books on the subject of binding that you could recommend. Some day I'd like to do a real binding.

[peppermintsheep]

Oh, dear, it's not my work!! I was googling "bookbinding" to find that kind of picture to illustrate what I was saying!! Unfortunately, my own bookbinding... the less said, the better! DX (I clicked on your Instructable for help!!)
 
I've checked out a few bookbinding books from my library, and the older books seem to be more reliable, because the materials they use seem to be tried-and-true, rather than the latest adhesive.
 
Kateordie has a really good tutorial for making Ball Joint Doll-sized books, which I'm sure would work for full-sized books, too.
Here's the link for her perfect-bound books: http://kateordie.com/?p=197
And this is for thread-bound books: http://kateordie.com/?p=245
 
I hope that helps the both of us! :)

[HeresyOfTruth]

Thanks for the advice. I'll check out those links. Thanks for the tip on using older books. I prefer tried and true classical methods. I can deviate on my own after I know how.

[Anathema_Herem]

I've been trying to come up with a way to do a tarot journal that I could add things to or re-arrange but wasn't in some 3-ring binder. This is PERFECT! Thanks!

[HeresyOfTruth]

I'm glad you like it. If you make one, you should post a picture. I love looking at other people's work!

[Nettiemac]

I love this. I had just been thinking the other day of doing something with the posts, but hadn't thought to pretty it up like you have. Brilliant.

[HeresyOfTruth]

Thank you. I love the posts. It's amazing how one tiny piece of hardware can make something possible.

[Creativeman]

Good job Heresy...corners look ok to me...Cman

[HeresyOfTruth]

Thanks. I appreciate that.