cbulld Report post Posted June 7, 2012 hey yall, looking for any advice on how to build a 3 piece 2 ring binder, any help would be great thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
acowboy Report post Posted June 7, 2012 not sure what you mean by a 3 piece 2 ring binder...but, if youre talking standard 3 ring binder,, back the binder with stiff cardboard,,,set with jiffy rivets, and channel the leather either side of the binder with a french edger wide enough to let the cover fold over flat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbulld Report post Posted June 7, 2012 yes 3 ring binder, typo. what i mean from a 3 piece is you have the side and the spine is a seperate piece sewn on instead of one solid cover if that helps. not sure what you mean by a 3 piece 2 ring binder...but, if youre talking standard 3 ring binder,, back the binder with stiff cardboard,,,set with jiffy rivets, and channel the leather either side of the binder with a french edger wide enough to let the cover fold over flat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Blea Report post Posted June 7, 2012 Hello cbulld, I've made one of these but it was a single piece of leather. After lining it the three ring part attached by rivets through two holes built into it. I have seen several of the three piece types you are looking to make, and I want to make one someday too. The three ring part would attach to the spine the same way, though on the nice ones I've seen on this site they use screw back conchos to lock the metal binder part in place. I like that look a lot and will probably do that when I make one. I will hand sew the covers to the spine when I do mine because I don't have a sewing machine. I believe that you would need to sew the spine to the front and back covers, then sew your lining in around the edges. There is probably a lot more to this I haven't thought of since I haven't tried it yet. It's a project I want to take on this year though. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted June 7, 2012 (edited) hey yall, looking for any advice on how to build a 3 piece 3 ring binder, any help would be great thanks I lay out a full size pattern. First photo shows only one side and spine. I layout what I want for a spine to fit the space on the full layout as in photo 2. The front and back pieces go only to the 'hinge'. The spine overlaps onto the front and back covers. The cover and spine are 8 oz. The edges of all pieces are skived before any glueup and sewing in order to reduce the thickness. I also use a stiffener for the front, back and spine. It is cut to leave about 1/2" clearance from the cover stitching and hinge. The lining for the binder is cut to match the front and back. Lining for the spiine is rectangular only, does not extend to the scalloped edges. Cut everything about 1/4" or so oversize. After tooling the front, spine and back (and applying dye, antique, and at least a light coat of a finish to protect against little dabs of glue that happen), I trim the bottom edge perfectly straight as well as the bottom spine edge. Trim the hinge edges of the front and back to perfect 90 degree angle. I clamp a long straight edge to the bench, position the cover front, spine and back along the straight edge to make sure they fit, the spine is centered, etc. Skive the edges for all pieces, then glue all the 8 oz pieces together. Then I trim the top edge perfectly straight, mark out my stitch line for the spine to front and back covers and sew. Then I gouge out the hinge area to about 1/2 the leather thickness about 3/8" wide. Then glue the stiffener in place. You might want to skive the edges of the stiffeners first. I then layout the lining (3 oz) similarly to what I did with the 8 oz. Skive the edges, align with the straight edge, make sure it fits with the 8 oz cover. Make any small adjustments needed, glueup, then sew the liner front, spine and back together. Now you should have 2 full size covers, the 8 oz, and the 3oz liner. Hopefully you have left a little extra on the sides and top of the liner. Place the 8 oz cover face down along the straight edge. Begin gluing the liner in place starting at the spine. It may help to lightly dampen the hinge areas for both the cover and liner so they will bend and conform a little easier. As you work your way to the front and back covers (1 side at a time) work the liner into the gouged out hinge area. Bend the cover up at the hinge a little. So in effect, the liner will be slightly shorter than the cover, and tend to want to hold the binder closed a little. Finish gluing it all together. Trim the edges, burnish, etc. Mark you stitching lines and sew it together. You will get some wrinkles on the inside of the hinge. While the glue is still soft, you can work on the wrinkles to straighten them out so they look neater. You will not get rid of them. Add any additional finish coats, mark, punch and install the metal rings. I used 1/2 of a Chicago Screw, a nickle plated 8-32 oval screw and an upholstery type trim washer to attach the rings. Glue the screw threads so they don't unscrew over time. Because of the shape of the rings, I had to add a spacer under the rings so they could open fully otherwise they were limited by the spine. The last 2 photos are a finished product for the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park visitors centre. The dimensions were limited by the display table, else it would be nice to add and extra 1/2" width to the front and back covers. So if you can read my measurements, add some width. The park is located on the west outskirts of Calgary, stretches about 15 miles along the river to Cochrane. It is a working ranch that includes the original townsite of Glenbow, several other buildings ruins, and includes several old ranches and homesteads. The binder will have the stories of the original settlers in the area. The brands on the front and spine were registered by the original ranches and settlers in the area. So the binder is supposed to look a little like the period the park represents. Hope this helps you and others, and that you may have found the previous paragraph interesting. CTG Edited June 7, 2012 by northmount Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Blea Report post Posted June 7, 2012 Thank you Northmount, this is great info for those of us that want to try making one of these. I can see I had a lot to learn in making this and you've saved me some trial and error. One question: when skiving the covers to the spine piece, and you trying to make that a feathered edge so from the inside, it's smooth like one piece of leather? Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted June 7, 2012 1339094109[/url]' post='251608']Thank you Northmount, this is great info for those of us that want to try making one of these. I can see I had a lot to learn in making this and you've saved me some trial and error. One question: when skiving the covers to the spine piece, and you trying to make that a feathered edge so from the inside, it's smooth like one piece of leather? I didn't skive that thin, just reduced the thickness to about half for the 3 oz and near a third in the 8 oz. I think you would have a hard time making a 'splice' like joint, and keeping everything lined up. Plus for sewing, I think you want to have enough 'land' on both sides of the stitch. If you skive too thin, there's no room for slips which usually happen to me. CTG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbulld Report post Posted June 7, 2012 I lay out a full size pattern. First photo shows only one side and spine. I layout what I want for a spine to fit the space on the full layout as in photo 2. The front and back pieces go only to the 'hinge'. The spine overlaps onto the front and back covers. The cover and spine are 8 oz. The edges of all pieces are skived before any glueup and sewing in order to reduce the thickness. I also use a stiffener for the front, back and spine. It is cut to leave about 1/2" clearance from the cover stitching and hinge. The lining for the binder is cut to match the front and back. Lining for the spiine is rectangular only, does not extend to the scalloped edges. Cut everything about 1/4" or so oversize. After tooling the front, spine and back (and applying dye, antique, and at least a light coat of a finish to protect against little dabs of glue that happen), I trim the bottom edge perfectly straight as well as the bottom spine edge. Trim the hinge edges of the front and back to perfect 90 degree angle. I clamp a long straight edge to the bench, position the cover front, spine and back along the straight edge to make sure they fit, the spine is centered, etc. Skive the edges for all pieces, then glue all the 8 oz pieces together. Then I trim the top edge perfectly straight, mark out my stitch line for the spine to front and back covers and sew. Then I gouge out the hinge area to about 1/2 the leather thickness about 3/8" wide. Then glue the stiffener in place. You might want to skive the edges of the stiffeners first. I then layout the lining (3 oz) similarly to what I did with the 8 oz. Skive the edges, align with the straight edge, make sure it fits with the 8 oz cover. Make any small adjustments needed, glueup, then sew the liner front, spine and back together. Now you should have 2 full size covers, the 8 oz, and the 3oz liner. Hopefully you have left a little extra on the sides and top of the liner. Place the 8 oz cover face down along the straight edge. Begin gluing the liner in place starting at the spine. It may help to lightly dampen the hinge areas for both the cover and liner so they will bend and conform a little easier. As you work your way to the front and back covers (1 side at a time) work the liner into the gouged out hinge area. Bend the cover up at the hinge a little. So in effect, the liner will be slightly shorter than the cover, and tend to want to hold the binder closed a little. Finish gluing it all together. Trim the edges, burnish, etc. Mark you stitching lines and sew it together. You will get some wrinkles on the inside of the hinge. While the glue is still soft, you can work on the wrinkles to straighten them out so they look neater. You will not get rid of them. Add any additional finish coats, mark, punch and install the metal rings. I used 1/2 of a Chicago Screw, a nickle plated 8-32 oval screw and an upholstery type trim washer to attach the rings. Glue the screw threads so they don't unscrew over time. Because of the shape of the rings, I had to add a spacer under the rings so they could open fully otherwise they were limited by the spine. The last 2 photos are a finished product for the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park visitors centre. The dimensions were limited by the display table, else it would be nice to add and extra 1/2" width to the front and back covers. So if you can read my measurements, add some width. The park is located on the west outskirts of Calgary, stretches about 15 miles along the river to Cochrane. It is a working ranch that includes the original townsite of Glenbow, several other buildings ruins, and includes several old ranches and homesteads. The binder will have the stories of the original settlers in the area. The brands on the front and spine were registered by the original ranches and settlers in the area. So the binder is supposed to look a little like the period the park represents. Hope this helps you and others, and that you may have found the previous paragraph interesting. CTG Amazing, thank you for the help!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Blea Report post Posted June 8, 2012 Yes, thank you for this. I may be making one of these sooner than I thought. My dog just had an 'accident' tonight on my wife's notebook she uses for her school board meetings. I think I need to make something nice to replace it. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted June 8, 2012 Just a note about making sure the hinge sides of the 8 oz cover are perfect 90 degrees. If they aren't, then the hinges will be askew and the binder will not sit squarely when placed on edge, standing up. Also to reiterate, use a straight edge to keep the bottom edges all lined up and parts square during assembly and glue up. Enjoy. CTG 1339117107[/url]' post='251669']Yes, thank you for this. I may be making one of these sooner than I thought. My dog just had an 'accident' tonight on my wife's notebook she uses for her school board meetings. I think I need to make something nice to replace it. Bob So how many occupants are living in the doghouse tonight? CTG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Blea Report post Posted June 8, 2012 So how many occupants are living in the doghouse tonight? CTG LOL! Yes, she is not to happy with us right now.... Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted October 28, 2017 On 6/7/2012 at 0:17 PM, northmount said: Add any additional finish coats, mark, punch and install the metal rings. I used 1/2 of a Chicago Screw, a nickle plated 8-32 oval screw and an upholstery type trim washer to attach the rings. Glue the screw threads so they don't unscrew over time. Because of the shape of the rings, I had to add a spacer under the rings so they could open fully otherwise they were limited by the spine. northmount, I know this is an old post, but this is the info I am looking for to finish several binders I have in progress. Do you have any photos that illustrate how you use the spacer, Chicago Screw and oval screw in sequence? Many thanks in advance! YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted October 29, 2017 On 10/27/2017 at 6:56 PM, YinTx said: northmount, I know this is an old post, but this is the info I am looking for to finish several binders I have in progress. Do you have any photos that illustrate how you use the spacer, Chicago Screw and oval screw in sequence? Many thanks in advance! YinTx I'll put together a little sketch early next week. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted November 2, 2017 (edited) On 10/27/2017 at 6:56 PM, YinTx said: northmount, I know this is an old post, but this is the info I am looking for to finish several binders I have in progress. Do you have any photos that illustrate how you use the spacer, Chicago Screw and oval screw in sequence? Many thanks in advance! YinTx Sorry I was so slow getting back to you this week. Too many things got in the way. See sketch in attached 3-ring binder clip.pdf and example hardware photos. You will have to play with dimensions to suit your clip. The spacer is a piece of 1/4" NC Hex Nut. If you are removing a binder clip from an existing binder, drill the smallest hole that will remove the rivet. Then you may be able to save any spacer they have used. I didn't realize there was a spacer there so had destroyed it! 3-ring binder clip.pdf Edited November 2, 2017 by northmount Replaced 1/4" tubing with 1/4" NC Hex Nut to correct this post. Uploaded revised pdf. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted November 2, 2017 Northmount, Awesome, thanks for the detailed instructions. Is the spacer you speak of the one that is already built into this 3 ring binder that I bought, or do I need to add one to it? The other thing I am struggling with is finding a chicago screw with a diameter small enough to fit into this spacer - none of the ones I have do. YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted November 2, 2017 (edited) You might need to remove this spacer and make your own if an 8-32 Chicago Screw is too large. You can see how long it needs to be and cut tubing to fit. I'm trying to remember if I used tubing. I may have used a hex nut as a spacer. Likely 1/4" NC. I know I started out trying to use a piece of tubing, but when you mentioned that the Chicago Screw won't fit the existing spacer, I doubt that it would fit 1/4" tubing either. Memory is less than perfect! Have to go check now to see. Will edit this after I check it out. Tom Edit: Okay, the shank of the 8-32 Chicago screw just nicely fits through a 1/4" NC hex nut. So I'm pretty sure that is what I used instead of a piece of tubing. You could pad that with an extra washer if you need more height, or use a stack of washers. Edited post above to replace 1/4" tube with a 1/4" NC Hex Nut. Edited November 2, 2017 by northmount added comment Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
