posted
I'd like to start downloading books off of the net and binding them for my personal use. If anyone has done this before and would be so kind as to give me pointers as to the most cost effective way to do this, I would be grateful.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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By format, I take it you mean the program that formats the text for printing. Just doing a brief google for this before I posted, it seems like there are a couple programs that format the text properly for your printer to print pages front and back appropriately, but I was really hoping to get input from people who have done this kind of thing before.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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And I don't want to use a vanity press as that would defeat the whole purpose of saving time and money. I would just order the book before I did that.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I think the estimates of printing cost are excessive with any good laser printer (which if you're planning to do more than 10 books in such a manner you should definitely acquire).
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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If the files are in plain text format, I'd suggest taking steps to prettify them. A nice garamond would likely look good.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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I'm assuming he's intending to pull 'em into a word processor to apply fonts, chapter breaks, and paginations.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Since he's dealing with large documents, he likely wants to avoid Word.
I'd suggest something that does nice layout, such as LaTeX, if you're familiar with it already at all.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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1. Print on 3-hole punch paper, 8.5" x 11". 2. Purchase binder of appropriate width. 3. Open rings on binder. 4. Place pages in binder. 5. Snap rings shut.
For fun variations, buy binders with clear insert sleeves and make your own title page & binder edge use Word and some card stock.
Another fun variation involves using numbered index pages.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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I was thinking LaTeX, myself, but Word should actually be able to do a decent job. While Word 2000 had a known bug in its Outline View that caused large documents to bite the big one, that's been resolved in 2003. I wouldn't want to do substantial TYPING in Word with a document longer than 300 pages, but applying styles and setting up footers should go pretty smoothly.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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I've heard that in even the latest word, merely opening really large documents is excruciating, but I've never tested it myself.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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You could also invest in a machine like this or this for comb-binding. It isn't as permanent, but it's relatively easy to manage.
Posts: 4077 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Onl;y if you are going to do a lot of binding, though. Or just go with the magical three-hole punch method as Bob suggested.
Edit: Do you have kids, SS? Because the little bound books are great for journals and sketchpads if/when you are done with them, if you only print on one side.
[ February 22, 2005, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: Elizabeth ]
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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I use the one we have in our school library all the time and I just love it. I really want to get one.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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