Print pages

For lay-flat style binding, you're going to print single-sided two-up. Because I don't actually have an 11x17 printer, I had a print shop do this for me.

Make sure the first sheet of paper only has a page on the right-hand side. This will be your title page, and the left side will be used for gluing to the cover later.

Similarly, the last sheet of paper you use should (in most cases) only have content on the left side, with the right side being used for gluing to the cover. I cheated on this point because the last page of content is only occasionally useful for me.

Construct jig.

In the pictures, you'll notice my jig is a two-part system; a three-sided tray for holding pages, and a flat sheet that presses on them, all wrapped in wax paper. Note that the tray only fits the pages once the paper is folded in half. We need the jig for folding, so just use the full stack of printed pages for measuring/test fitting for now.

Use a metal brake or a bandsaw to cut the sheet metal to size. I prefer the metal brake because it's a very clean approach. Make sure you have 3/4"-1" of space on each side of the tray for folding the walls. Also make sure that all cuts are square with the machined edges and each other. Set aside the piece that's going to be the flat sheet, we'll get back to it later.

Score lines where you'll be folding the sheet metal to make your tray walls. Make sure the folds are going to be square with the machined sides, the cut edges, and each other.

Because I'm working with 26 gauge metal, tin snips worked just fine for removing the two corners of the tray that will prevent folding.

Lastly, I used a metal folder to fold three sides of the tray to walls. If all your measurements came out right, your pages should fit in the tray, and they should have a snug fit in the tray. The sheet metal press should also fit in the tray, on top of the pages, with a snug fit.

Use jig tray to fold the sheets of paper

Using the tray to make sure that you have the corners and edges lined up, fold each sheet of ledger paper in half, one at a time. The printed content should be on the inside of the fold, and you should have one "printed page on each side of the fold. One of the pictures should have a final result of this folding visible.

Find a safe place to use spray glue

That stuff can have some interesting effects on biology. Lay down some wax paper or plastic drop cloth to protect whatever your jig is going to be resting on while you are using the spray glue.

Wrap jig in wax paper

If you're using a spray glue that sticks to metal, paper, and other stuff, wrap the jig in wax paper. You will likely get glue all over the place, and you don't want the pages to stick to the jig. I wound up using spray glue to tack the paper in place.

Make sure that the sheet press and the jig tray are wrapped separately.

Spray glue pages together

Use one folded page to start the stack.

The process I used look like this:

1. Spray glue onto the top of the stack (should be a blank side)
2. Place next folded page on top of stack, blank side to blank side. Make sure the folds line up as perfectly as you can get.
3. Use the press to apply pressure to the entire stack for 15 seconds, the minimum set time for the spray glue I was using.
4. Continue to next page.

In terms of pages in the final book, you should be gluing page 1 to page 2, page 3 to page 4, and so on. Note that pages 2 and 3 are on the same sheet of paper.

Order pages in a stack so that the next page you need to glue is on top of the stack.

A little bit of prep work makes it much easier to work quickly once the glue starts flying.

Press entire stack until glue is set

Trim pages to size, and to eliminate any mis-alginments.

This step is where I am now. I'll update this step once I've completed it.