stiffener ideas?

[MatthewD]

I was wondering what everyone uses to make the cover of a notebook stiff. I was planning on using something like poster board or another type of cardboard.. would this be a good solution?

[candyleather]

I always use a thin plastic sheet. I never use wood or cardboard. If you use a very hard wood, then could use a thin board. If the leather is vegetable tanned you can use a thin metal's sheet of aluminium.

[MatthewD]

Where would I get one of the thin plastic sheets?

[Dale]

I have used cardboard (or illustration board), x-ray film, sheet metal (aluminum), plexiglass, and nothing at all. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. The most notable tradeoff is between rigidity and weight. The more rigid the notebook is, the more it weighs. The first thing to ask yourself is why you want it stiff in the first place.

Dale

[candyleather]

sorry, I don't know North Alabama but I would like it. I think that you can get it in a photocopy store because they use the plastic sheets for binding. You can look for in a plastics store, I suppose.

[MatthewD]

Well it is for my wife and she is going to be carrying it with her when she keeps score for our quizbowl team at different tournaments.

[bruce johnson]

Matthew,

I use a notebook. I buy a good quality notebook from the office suppliers and drill out the rivets and use the binder clip. I cut the plastic cover off the stiffeners and reuse them for my notebooks. You can sand or bevel the edges slightly so they don't leave a stair-step bump at the edges.

[MatthewD]

Now that is an idea I hadn't thought of

[The Major]

You can also use binders board. But the cheapest way is like Bruce said is take an old binder, or get a new one and take it apart. Keep an eye out at the dollar stores. Especially this time of year with the back to school inventories.

[sheowahya]

I tried using 1/8" plexi for the binder I made. It worked ok for the front and back covers, but as it was a ring binder, I could not set the rivets to hold the rings to the center section without breaking the plexi; so I ended up using a piece of 1/8" masonite for that part. It worked great.