Old Books

revshafer · 12-23-2005, 08:01 PM

I've been picking up these books cheaply, but have been appalled at the condition that some of them are in. One book is a cover with the front and back pages, with the center pages having fallen out all in one chunk.

So I'm wondering what to do?

Can I just take the messed up book, cut the glue off the back side of the pages, and just three hole punch the pages to put them into a notebook?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Scott Shafer

milliken · 12-26-2005, 07:40 AM

At one point, the GURPS books were designed to allow for the pages to be removed and 3-hole punched -- the gutter margins were sized for that. I don't know if the IN book margins are big enough, though.

SJGames had problems with some of the vendors who did their bindings, and runs of some books have had similar issues. It also apparently depends on how the books were stored -- books from the same production run sometimes show a big variation in binding stability.

I would recommend comb binding rather than three-hole punching, it generally produces less wear and tear on the pages, and I think it uses less margin as well. I think you can get stuff comb-bound at a Kinko's or equivalent. We bought a comb binding machine for home, and Elizabeth has a number of IN books that she comb-bound the final proof versions of; these are generally still in good shape, and quite usable. They don't stack neatly, is the only drawback.

---Walter

Archangel Beth · 12-27-2005, 08:13 AM

If you want to cough up a fair amount, and take some time, then get a 3-ring binder, and plastic pages for it which are one big pocket. Razor out each page, trimming as needed, and slide into the pocket.

(I, too, have had some books which are quite sturdy, and then there was a brand new Marches which fell neatly out of its cover. I could probably fix it with white glue or wood glue.)

If you got any of the books from Warehouse23, you can send email to them and ask what the policy is on IN books. (I, alas, have no control over the physical stuff...)

Adrian13 · 01-01-2006, 01:59 PM

I don't know about where you live but by where I live you can take books to this place and they will rebind them for you.

12-23-2005, 08:01 PM	#1
revshafer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Earth	Old Books I've been picking up these books cheaply, but have been appalled at the condition that some of them are in. One book is a cover with the front and back pages, with the center pages having fallen out all in one chunk. So I'm wondering what to do? Can I just take the messed up book, cut the glue off the back side of the pages, and just three hole punch the pages to put them into a notebook? Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks, Scott Shafer

12-26-2005, 07:40 AM	#2
milliken Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Old Books At one point, the GURPS books were designed to allow for the pages to be removed and 3-hole punched -- the gutter margins were sized for that. I don't know if the IN book margins are big enough, though. SJGames had problems with some of the vendors who did their bindings, and runs of some books have had similar issues. It also apparently depends on how the books were stored -- books from the same production run sometimes show a big variation in binding stability. I would recommend comb binding rather than three-hole punching, it generally produces less wear and tear on the pages, and I think it uses less margin as well. I think you can get stuff comb-bound at a Kinko's or equivalent. We bought a comb binding machine for home, and Elizabeth has a number of IN books that she comb-bound the final proof versions of; these are generally still in good shape, and quite usable. They don't stack neatly, is the only drawback. ---Walter

12-27-2005, 08:13 AM	#3
Archangel Beth In Nomine Line Editor Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Frozen Wastelands of NH	Re: Old Books If you want to cough up a fair amount, and take some time, then get a 3-ring binder, and plastic pages for it which are one big pocket. Razor out each page, trimming as needed, and slide into the pocket. (I, too, have had some books which are quite sturdy, and then there was a brand new Marches which fell neatly out of its cover. I could probably fix it with white glue or wood glue.) If you got any of the books from Warehouse23, you can send email to them and ask what the policy is on IN books. (I, alas, have no control over the physical stuff...) __________________ --Beth Shamelessly adding Superiors: Lilith, GURPS Sparrials, and her fiction page to her .sig (the latter is not precisely gaming related)

01-01-2006, 01:59 PM	#4
Adrian13 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kansas	Re: Old Books I don't know about where you live but by where I live you can take books to this place and they will rebind them for you.