a book from single pages?

[ThreadOrYarn]

I've got lots of info & patterns etc on single sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 (A4-ish) paper. Besides taking it to a copyshop to be spiral-bound or 3-hole punched (I'd rather not have a removable page style) is there something I could myself? It'll be more than one book, and something I'd probably do whenever I was at my comfort-zone for dealing with loose papers.

I was thinking of gluing the edges together, like a scrap pad, and covering the glue with a cardstock (?) 'spine' but I don't know enough about bookbinding to know if that's reasonable.

If it makes a difference, it's not something that needs to be archive/historical quality, it's just a way to keep info together. I'd rather have the paper than pc files (especially since I don't have a scanner anyway)

I do know though, that folding the papers in half to make signatures won't work just because the info won't be in order anymore once it's bound. (Although.... if one page is folded in half for a signature with 4 pages, page 1 & 4 have the info and pages 2 & 3 will be blank for notes. That might work for some, I'll have to think about that.)

Any info, ideas, input greatly appreciated! Thanks

[antigone]

You could take a piece of paper and turn it into a spine that looks like an accordion, fold it lengthwise \/\/\/ and glue each of the edges of your pages to the inside of a \/. Then you can glue the gaping areas of the spine together. If that makes sense.

[dbh2ppa]

what you descibed is perfectly reazonable, it's actually used to produce cheap paperbacks.
look up the term "perfect binding" for some ideas on how to do it ^^

[SorayaTheGreat]

The method you mentioned is actually how I bind the books I've been making recently.
It seems to be holding up fairly well. You just have to make sure that all of your pages are lined up. I usually shuffle things around and smack it (not really SMACKING it, but I think you get it) against my desk.
Here's a really great tutorial for making photo journals. It's basically what you asked about:http://photojojo.com/content/diy/make-your-own-photo-notebook-journal/
I don't use photographs for my covers, I like using thick cardboard for a sturdier cover.
Also, I use modge podge and not elmers glue. basically because it's all I have lying around =P
I hope this helped.

[Huh?]

Just like antigone said: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/768339/best_homemade_book_binding/

I'm making ^that^ book.

[Suewaackydoux]

The problem with “perfect binding” is that it isn’t. Perfect, that is. My Christmas gifts to family, in the distant past, were books of poetry. My daughter and my youngest son wrote poetry in those days and I would print, illustrate and bind their poems for family and friends.

Perfect binding is basically the same as making scratch pads, except you use a glue instead of liquid rubber. Any pages that are not totally even against the spine will fall out.
No, they are not supposed to. And they must be in a padding press or very carefully heavily weighted down immediately after gluing or they will warp. No it isn’t supposed to warp. 3 cement blocks minimum. And you will want to bind at least several extra pages to the front and back because they will get ruined. No, they...well, you know. After it has properly dried and cured, and you have trimmed off the ruined pages and glued a binding on the horrible truth comes out. It will not open out flat. But you can’t read it closed. So you open it as wide as you can, and the spine cracks. This happens a lot even on commercially bound books. To me, anyway. I ended up folding the pages and staple binding them. But that makes for smaller books.

The best binding is large sheets sewn in “booklets” and these booklets are sewn into a larger book which is glued as described. It is a tad sturdier.

I keep lots of reference materials, too. I used file folders in cabinets for years. And for materials I used often, large loose leaf binders. Neither was totally satisfactory. Now I have been trying to scan my files, and I am not totally pleased with the quality of my scans in relationship to the size of the files. Some people are impossible to please.

My most satisfactory method at this time is to create a really cool pouch of upholstry-weight fabric and place the sheets of reference materials in it, drawing out the materials as needed, then returning them. I have to limit the embellishments because of my feline roommate who gets bored and chews them off. I have a lovely large basket that holds several pouches.

[antigone]

I didn't mean perfect binding; I meant making an accordion VVVVVV of a separate piece of paper and gluing the book pages inside each of the Vs. Should be much more secure than perfect bound.

[Riechan]

I am soo going to try this
I made 2 books with the signature methode, but I want a book with A4 size paper and I don't want to bind it with A3 paper
This is a great idea !

[beckashell]

I didn't mean perfect binding; I meant making an accordion VVVVVV of a separate piece of paper and gluing the book pages inside each of the Vs. Should be much more secure than perfect bound.

Huh thats a really cool idea! I'm so annoyed I didn't see this post earlier. Just the other week I needed to put all my lose paper in a book. I did the 3 hole punch way

OH well, next time.