How to make a PocketMod Book - 50+ Pages

I love my iPod touch to death. Literally, I kill my battery almost everyday. I check just about everything on it: email, blog, bank balances, etc. I don’t get to read ebooks on it often for that reason.

I am in the middle of studying a few languages, and I want to read my ebooks in my free time without having to worry about killing my battery, or missing out on reading BECAUSE my iPod battery is dead.

Just recently I discovered PocketMod.com a few weeks ago and I love them!  I do not need PocketMod as a personal organizer, so I thought I would use it to help me with my language study. More specifically, create PocketMod books to read in other languages.

It’s awesome. I don’t have to print a whole book, I only print 1/8 the number of pages and have a mini book to read at any time, anywhere.

Step 1: Materials

- PDF files of the book of your choice.
- PDF to Pocket Mod converting software
- Printer and Printer Paper (to print PocketMod sheets)

- Material for cover (I used an old planner cover)
- 1 Roll of kite string (cheap 50 cent type you get with the kiddie kites)
- Pair of scissors
- tape, any kind will do
- ruler
- pencil

Comments

[blueangelical]

I love it, I showed my kids and they just love it, thanks. I have a problem. Could you explain more how you go from the first three booklets in the first slot to the second slot starting to hold number four and not crossing the lines at the back if the spine please. I just don't get it. Many thanks in advance.

[joen]

Hi
Your instructable seems like a lot of good fun however I have a problem with your approach of using pocket mod to make your pages. For each face of a page that has writing or something on it there is a blank face on the other side which means that there is twice as many sheets as there should be.

The print feature in Adobe reader has a print booklet option that will allow you to do the same thing only printing on each side of every page making it like a true booklet.

It even lets you print several consecutive booklets if your pages are more than one booklet will hold.

I used it to make a couple of mini magazines and even a mini-book for a friend.

Your cover binding? Love it! Great job!

[marccase]

I'm interested in making booklets like the ones you describe. Do you know of an instructable or other online resource I could look at?

[joen]

Marccase,
the instructable found here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Format-Print-and-Assemble-a-hand-sewn-Booklet/
is a good instructable that creates similar booklets to what I was talking about. What I do differently is that I use the print function in Adobe Reader X to format and print the booklet. When you press [File], [Print] the print window that pops up gives you all the choices you have. Under “Page Sizing & Handling” you should find the “Booklet” option. Choose the options you want as suggested in the instructable above and print your booklet. Follow the duplex instructions for your printer. Then instead of sewing the book together with thread, apply a very thin line of paper glue at the fold of each sheet and glue the pages together at the fold line. You can true up the edges with a sharp utility knife and a straight edge. If you would rather I make an instructable, let me know.

[joen]

FYI: I don't know what those black question marks are, but they were supposed to be quotation marks. I don't know what happened. I typed out the comment in MS word and copy and pasted in to the comment box. I'll have to be more careful next time.

Sorry.

[icspots]

Yes, I agree. So far I believe there is nothing to print double-sided pages with PocketMod; at least for books like this. It's good if you are recycling the paper. Making booklets the way you suggested is something I did think about, but haven't yet tried with this binding method. I will make one in the near future. Thanks for the reminder.

I'm glad you liked the binding. :)

[joen]

You're right! I hadn't thought of that. Any sheets printed on one side would do for this. And even any junk mail you get with single side printing sheets would work with this. So you have a no cost resource to draw from. This way you get "full" use of a sheet of paper before you throw it away. Forget the "I have a problem" part of my comment. I take it back.

[i.am.mozman]

You could print two books, one on each side. When you finish with one just unwrap, fold the opposite way, and re-wrap. I do this on business trips so details for the trip out are on one side and the trip back are on the other.

[SirNoodlehe]

Nice instructable
I don't want to be a grammar nazi but I'm assuming you used literally incorrectly:
Literally, I kill my battery almost everyday.

[Langter]

Maybe it would be easier just to use a pdf search engine, which would find many more books with one click?

[meddler]

I wonder if you could just print blank pages to make a mini sketch book? Does pocket mod do that?

[icspots]

The genius of the PocketMod is in the folding. You don't have to print out blank sheets, just follow the same folding pattern as if you printed the folding lines. Try making a PocketMod that is printed, then attempt one with a blank price of paper. It would make an awesome sketchbook.

[meddler]

That's a really good idea. I'll try it.