Cutting Books - Page 2

Studio717 · 06-15-2009, 07:58 PM

I have often used Kinko's for cutting the spines off workbooks, and it's only a buck or so.

(This was to have the workbooks coil-bound to make them easier to use, but I imagine it would be the same if you wanted to scan rather than bind.)

Edited to add: It might be easier if, for a hardbound book, you cut the covers off, leaving only the spine.

Gideon · 06-15-2009, 08:10 PM

I'd love to get a scansnap, but it's not in the cards. Too pricey. My current scanner can do feed scanning in small bundles (not duplex, have to do it manually) so it's not terribly viable either.

Ah, OpticBook - when you work you're great, too bad you're a piece of crap and your company sucks.

Silverexpress · 06-16-2009, 08:32 AM

I've been scanning books and magazines also - mainly for reference (and using a PRS-700), and it beats having a trunk load of books in your car. To cut them I use a Black and Decker workmate (also used for other DIY projects around the house), a Dremel, 4 clamps, and two aluminum L-shaped channels.

The setup is simple, I lay the magazine open on the Workmate with the cover facing up. I use the L-shaped channels and the clamps(see hardware store) to hold down the magazines, and use the Dremel for cutting.

The Dremel with a thin cutting wheel slices through magazines like butter. Before the Dremel I used two different cutting boards - one with an arm, and the other used a sliding cutter. With the boards, I was limited to 3-4 sheets at once. It also took time - about 30 minutes for a 250 page magazine. The Dremel brought that time down to about 3 - 5 minutes. In about a 1 hr I am able to do a years worth of magazines.

For glued bindings on hardcovers it takes a bit longer. The glue tends to melt and gunk up the cutting wheel too, but it's safer than using a knife. Also I found that I still needed to use a cutting board afterwards to clean up the jagged edges.

There are only two drawbacks to my method:

1. Dust - The cutting wheel generates a lot of dust from the cutting of the media.
2. Heat - At faster speeds any binding of the wheel (if held at an angle) will burn the media.

To counter the dust, I have to vacuum each single page clean. Otherwise, the dust builds up in my Fujitsu Scansnap and it results in funky little streaks when doing color scans.

My pet project is to somehow add hinges to the L-channels, so that it is more like a cover that holds down the media. The channels would have to be mounted either onto the Workmate or some other framework - the idea being that I can easily remove them so I can use the Workmate for other things.

Here are the type of clamps I use to hold the L-Channels down:
Irwin One-Handed 6 in Mini Bar Clamp 4 Pack - Model 5464

L-channel sample: http://tiny.cc/vpAWq

(Wear safety goggles with the Dremel!!!! If the cutting wheel binds, it can break into shrapnel)

JSWolf · 06-16-2009, 08:35 AM

Doesn't cutting books make you emo?

Cabe · 06-16-2009, 04:48 PM

You forgot crazy. But that's just me.

Kirtai · 06-16-2009, 10:22 PM

Gah, all this talk of cutting up books makes me cringe

alilxmas · 06-19-2009, 01:58 AM

This is where im lucky, I work in a1 Duplicating Dept for a large firm.

I can cut with the guillotine then rebind it with a stapler and heatape (many colors), punch and coilbind it, velo, choices are endless.

After scannng I usually put the book in the small section of the library where others drop off books, and pick up one or two. (most are romance, not my style)

To scan a full 300 page book from the time from cutting to done with scanning (use the same copy machine) to .PDF and to rebind it is about 10 min.

Kirtai · 06-22-2009, 10:08 AM

On a related note, why cut, scan and repair a book when something non-destructive like http://bkrpr.org/doku.php could be used instead?

wallflower75 · 06-23-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andybaby

I'm available for cutting and scanning books for $60 an hour. I'm quiet and I do my work

Me too! I'd even be willing to give a discount to MobileRead members.

I've thought a time or two of cutting and scanning books that I know will never, in a million years, be digitized. But it seems like a lot of work and I remind myself that I can't take my ebook reader everywhere I go...so having a few dead tree books isn't such a bad idea.

seanmc8000 · 12-18-2009, 10:45 AM

Just thought I'd throw up this photo before I destroy the book.

My plan is to clamp the steel ruler down hard, and use it as an edge for the stanley knife.

Will this work to remove the binding cleanly? I am using a Snapscan 1500M to scan the pages.

Thanks in advance. Sorry about reviving an old thread.

Jack Tingle · 12-18-2009, 11:16 AM

Personally, I'd pay a pro to do it for me. A buck isn't a lot for this kind of service.

If you do this a lot, find a nice woodworker with a bandsaw in her basement and make up some kind of clamp. The actual sawing should take about 2 seconds per book. If the bandsaw has a vacuum attachment, so much the better. The finer the blade, the better. Second choice would be a miter box or chop saw.

For safety reasons, I strongly recommend against using an unguarded razor knife. If you must do that, get a mail glove at a woodcarver's shop.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Jellby · 12-18-2009, 11:21 AM

A book binder should have a professional guillotine to cut the edges straight. Just ask them to cut the fourth edge. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it for free, in less than 10 seconds.

Silverexpress · 12-18-2009, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanmc8000

Just thought I'd throw up this photo before I destroy the book.

My plan is to clamp the steel ruler down hard, and use it as an edge for the stanley knife.

Will this work to remove the binding cleanly? I am using a Snapscan 1500M to scan the pages.

Thanks in advance. Sorry about reviving an old thread.

I had a similar setup as you, but I used a dremel instead of a knife. Fast, effective, and messy. It left quite a bit of dust on everything, and this easily fouled the glass surfaces of my Fujitsu SnapScan. It came down to vacuuming each page, and occaisionally vacuuming the lenses of the scanner; else, I'd get streaks down the scanned pages.

The best solution I found.... take it to a pro as the prior poster suggested. Here in the US we have a print shop called Kinko's (now called Fedex Office)that has a commercial cutter. For example, it cost me $2.00 USD to have them rip a 300 page hardcover with color plates. Edges were sharp, and pages clean. It took maybe 5 minutes. They also cut past yearly subscriptions of magazines I buy off ebay. 1 yrs worth takes about 1 hr. I usually leave it there and pick it up the next day.

I still need to vacuum the scanner now and then due to dust, but that is to be expected.

Kolenka · 12-18-2009, 12:49 PM

I've been using Kinko's/Fedex Office as well to cut my paperbacks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirtai

On a related note, why cut, scan and repair a book when something non-destructive like http://bkrpr.org/doku.php could be used instead?

It's an interesting idea, although in my case I don't even bother to repair the paperbacks. I just keep the unbound pages together in storage, and I don't touch my hardbacks. If I have a hardback I want to scan, I'll go out and find it at a used book store for cheap and slice that instead. If it is a paperback I can't find anymore (like say, The World of Frank Herbert), I don't slice that either.

Valloric · 12-18-2009, 06:51 PM

I once used a chainsaw to cut the binding. True story!

So me and my father were cutting down a tree in my grandmother's back yard when it suddenly occurred to me I could use this to cut the binding. This probably had something a lot to do with the wine we had for lunch.

So I turn to my father and say: "Hey dad, can we use this chainsaw to cut the binding of a book I wanted to scan?" He gave me a wide smile and said: "We could try".

Unsurprisingly, it didn't end very well. For the book, the chainsaw or the cinder block.

Good times.

06-16-2009, 08:32 AM	#18
Silverexpress Member Posts: 11 Karma: 12 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: PRS700	I've been scanning books and magazines also - mainly for reference (and using a PRS-700), and it beats having a trunk load of books in your car. To cut them I use a Black and Decker workmate (also used for other DIY projects around the house), a Dremel, 4 clamps, and two aluminum L-shaped channels. The setup is simple, I lay the magazine open on the Workmate with the cover facing up. I use the L-shaped channels and the clamps(see hardware store) to hold down the magazines, and use the Dremel for cutting. The Dremel with a thin cutting wheel slices through magazines like butter. Before the Dremel I used two different cutting boards - one with an arm, and the other used a sliding cutter. With the boards, I was limited to 3-4 sheets at once. It also took time - about 30 minutes for a 250 page magazine. The Dremel brought that time down to about 3 - 5 minutes. In about a 1 hr I am able to do a years worth of magazines. For glued bindings on hardcovers it takes a bit longer. The glue tends to melt and gunk up the cutting wheel too, but it's safer than using a knife. Also I found that I still needed to use a cutting board afterwards to clean up the jagged edges. There are only two drawbacks to my method: 1. Dust - The cutting wheel generates a lot of dust from the cutting of the media. 2. Heat - At faster speeds any binding of the wheel (if held at an angle) will burn the media. To counter the dust, I have to vacuum each single page clean. Otherwise, the dust builds up in my Fujitsu Scansnap and it results in funky little streaks when doing color scans. My pet project is to somehow add hinges to the L-channels, so that it is more like a cover that holds down the media. The channels would have to be mounted either onto the Workmate or some other framework - the idea being that I can easily remove them so I can use the Workmate for other things. Here are the type of clamps I use to hold the L-Channels down: Irwin One-Handed 6 in Mini Bar Clamp 4 Pack - Model 5464 L-channel sample: http://tiny.cc/vpAWq (Wear safety goggles with the Dremel!!!! If the cutting wheel binds, it can break into shrapnel) Last edited by Silverexpress; 06-16-2009 at 08:50 AM.

06-19-2009, 01:58 AM	#22
alilxmas Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 92 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: SmartQ 7, VX787	This is where im lucky, I work in a1 Duplicating Dept for a large firm. I can cut with the guillotine then rebind it with a stapler and heatape (many colors), punch and coilbind it, velo, choices are endless. After scannng I usually put the book in the small section of the library where others drop off books, and pick up one or two. (most are romance, not my style) To scan a full 300 page book from the time from cutting to done with scanning (use the same copy machine) to .PDF and to rebind it is about 10 min. Last edited by alilxmas; 06-19-2009 at 02:00 AM.

12-18-2009, 10:45 AM	#25
seanmc8000 Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony PRS-505	Box Cutter & Stainless ruler Just thought I'd throw up this photo before I destroy the book. My plan is to clamp the steel ruler down hard, and use it as an edge for the stanley knife. Will this work to remove the binding cleanly? I am using a Snapscan 1500M to scan the pages. Thanks in advance. Sorry about reviving an old thread. Attached Thumbnails

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06-15-2009, 07:58 PM	#16
Studio717 Addict Posts: 208 Karma: 575 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: California Device: Various Kindles, iPhone, iPad, Galaxy 10.1	I have often used Kinko's for cutting the spines off workbooks, and it's only a buck or so. (This was to have the workbooks coil-bound to make them easier to use, but I imagine it would be the same if you wanted to scan rather than bind.) Edited to add: It might be easier if, for a hardbound book, you cut the covers off, leaving only the spine.

06-15-2009, 08:10 PM	#17
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	I'd love to get a scansnap, but it's not in the cards. Too pricey. My current scanner can do feed scanning in small bundles (not duplex, have to do it manually) so it's not terribly viable either. Ah, OpticBook - when you work you're great, too bad you're a piece of crap and your company sucks.

06-16-2009, 08:35 AM	#19
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 75,268 Karma: 133361584 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Doesn't cutting books make you emo?

06-16-2009, 04:48 PM	#20
Cabe Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 403 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth, UK Device: Sony PRS-505, iPhone	You forgot crazy. But that's just me.

06-16-2009, 10:22 PM	#21
Kirtai Addict Posts: 304 Karma: 2454436 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: PRS-505, PRS-650, iPad, Samsung Galaxy SII (JB), Google Nexus 7 (2013)	Gah, all this talk of cutting up books makes me cringe

06-22-2009, 10:08 AM	#23
Kirtai Addict Posts: 304 Karma: 2454436 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: PRS-505, PRS-650, iPad, Samsung Galaxy SII (JB), Google Nexus 7 (2013)	On a related note, why cut, scan and repair a book when something non-destructive like http://bkrpr.org/doku.php could be used instead?

12-18-2009, 11:16 AM	#26
Jack Tingle Punctuation Fetishist Posts: 557 Karma: 1070000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The Bluest Commonwealth In East America Device: Kindle PW, Nexus 7 (2013), Galaxy S5 phone, Galaxy Tab 4 8.0	Personally, I'd pay a pro to do it for me. A buck isn't a lot for this kind of service. If you do this a lot, find a nice woodworker with a bandsaw in her basement and make up some kind of clamp. The actual sawing should take about 2 seconds per book. If the bandsaw has a vacuum attachment, so much the better. The finer the blade, the better. Second choice would be a miter box or chop saw. For safety reasons, I strongly recommend against using an unguarded razor knife. If you must do that, get a mail glove at a woodcarver's shop. Regards, Jack Tingle

12-18-2009, 11:21 AM	#27
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,522 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	A book binder should have a professional guillotine to cut the edges straight. Just ask them to cut the fourth edge. I wouldn't be surprised if they did it for free, in less than 10 seconds.

12-18-2009, 06:51 PM	#30
Valloric Created Sigil, FlightCrew Posts: 1,982 Karma: 350515 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Kobo Clara HD	I once used a chainsaw to cut the binding. True story! So me and my father were cutting down a tree in my grandmother's back yard when it suddenly occurred to me I could use this to cut the binding. This probably had something a lot to do with the wine we had for lunch. So I turn to my father and say: "Hey dad, can we use this chainsaw to cut the binding of a book I wanted to scan?" He gave me a wide smile and said: "We could try". Unsurprisingly, it didn't end very well. For the book, the chainsaw or the cinder block. Good times.

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