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Aluminum and Leather
Board: Tools of the Trade
Jul 1, 2015 6:33am
Thread (disabled) Board
I've got an idea for making a logbook. I want to make the cover with aluminum (from a can) and leather. Since metal that thin will have sharp edges, any thread (natural or synthetic) WILL fray through small movements and eventually break. I could use a thin wire which will work better.

I've got this idea to use rivets instead. I've looked into some at Amazon. I'm thinking that I should get a tool that does rivets, Snaps and eyelets. I'm looking for recommendations from those who have such a tool. What would you buy with what you know now?
Re: Aluminum and Leather
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #903176 by Oberon_Kenobi
Jul 1, 2015 10:25am
Thread (disabled) Board
Handsome Logbook Idea - INDEED! Unique artisan handmade logbooks are one reason why i prefer Lbxing over Gcing. The following assembly suggestion is based on one of my handmade logbooks having square pages. The following example will be with 3”x3” page squares. You’ll need a good 3-hole punch for proper alignment to end up with identical pages.

1. Cut the paper you’ll be using for your logbook pages Xactly 6”x6” and punch a hole in each corner using the 3-hole punch. You should be able to disable the middle punch. So as you turn the 6”x6” piece of paper you’ll only be punching a hole in each of the four corners of the 6”x6” piece of paper. Then cut the 6”x6” sheet Xactly in half both ways ending up with 4-3”x3” identical pages. So for 40 logbook pages you’ll need 10 - 6”x6” sheets.

2. The two aluminum and leather covers should be slightly larger (e.g. 3-⅛”x3-⅛”) to equally overlap the edges of the assembled 3”x3” pages. So for example the punched hole in the covers would be 5/16” in from each corner edge of the cover if the holes in the pages are 1/4“ in from each corner edge. You can use a 1/16” shim against two of the backstops on the 3-hole punch when punching the 6”x6” pages. Then remove the shim when punching/marking the covers. You'll also need to adjust another shim stop at the end of the 3-hole punch so that the punched hole in both the covers and the pages is the same distance from each edge of the corner hole in both the cover (e.g. 5/16") and the pages (e.g. 1/4"). If the punch won’t punch a hole all the way through the leather it will make a significant mark so you can finish out the hole with a hand punch or Xacto knife in the correct location.

3. Using those sticky hole reinforcers attach one to each 3”x3” page hole. This will reduce the page friction by slightly separating the pages so they will easily fan out from one another as well as preventing any pages from accidentally ripping out of the logbook. This is more labor intensive, but do you really need more than 40 pages to begin with in your handmade logbook.

4. Using a small nylon bolt and nut (Ace Hardware) that’s slightly smaller in diameter than the cover/page holes assemble your logbook. Adjust the tightness so the logbook is not too sloppy or too snug. With just the right adjustment of the nylon bolt/nut the pages should easily fan out as well as return and stay in place like the appearance of a bound book.

5. Once the nylon bolt/nut is adjusted to your liking nip off the length of nylon bolt that extends beyond the nut. Apply a drop of crazy glue to the nut threads that will secure it to the bolt threads. Once the glue is set file/sand the nut to remove any rough edges so it is smooth like the head of the nylon bolt.

6. If at some point you need to add more blank pages it is easy enuf to nip off the nylon nut. Then reassemble the logbook with additional blank pages or whatever with a new nylon bolt and nut.
Re: Aluminum and Leather
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #903176 by Oberon_Kenobi
Jul 1, 2015 6:21pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Is it possible to roll or bend the edge of the metal sheet to make a folded edge? then maybe put a layer of duct tape around edge before covering with fabric/leather?
Re: Aluminum and Leather
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #903252 by ankhira_andiroth
Jul 1, 2015 10:41pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Is it possible to roll or bend the edge of the metal sheet to make a folded edge?

Let me give you some more details of my idea: The covers would be slightly larger than the pages inside of the book. The front cover (and possibly the back) would have the metal piece in the center with a relief of the stamp. The edges would be wrapped in leather. Imagine a picture with a frame around it. I'm wondering about how to attach the inside edge of the leather to the outside edge of the aluminum. It will take holes in the aluminum which (being small) will be very difficult to roll over so that they aren't sharp. That's why I'm looking for some metal way of joining them.

However, your question does bring up another idea: What if instead of making a frame, I make the entire cover out of aluminum. That way I don't have to worry about framing it. But then I have to worry about tacking it on the inside of the cover. How do I do that? Do I end up with the same problem? The spine would still have to be flexible.
Re: Aluminum and Leather
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #903279 by Oberon_Kenobi
Jul 2, 2015 8:14am
Thread (disabled) Board
This DIY site has one idea - duct tape for hinge (they are covering a textbook, but maybe similar idea?) or can you use grommets and thread leather/sinew straps? ... http://www.instructables.com/id/Aluminum-Sheet-Metal-Book-Cover/
Re: Aluminum and Leather
Board: Tools of the Trade
Reply to: #903176 by Oberon_Kenobi
Jul 2, 2015 9:42am
Thread (disabled) Board
I want to make the cover with aluminum (from a can) and leather. Since metal that thin will have sharp edges, any thread (natural or synthetic) WILL fray through small movements and eventually break.

The front cover (and possibly the back) would have the metal piece in the center with a relief of the stamp. The edges would be wrapped in leather. ... The spine would still have to be flexible.

Get a few pieces of usable thinner leather from an old sofa, auto salvage yard, etc before they are about to be trashed/crushed. The leather and/or fabric is thin enough that you can glue two pieces together (2-ply) that will overlap onto the middle aluminum piece to secure everything by gluing under pressed weight until glue has cured. If you want to finish off the outside edges of the 2-ply leather covers you could use an overlock hand stitch around the edges. Possibly you know of someone with an overlock sewing machine stitch feature ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlock

Using a heavy duty sewing machine needle (for leather) would enable sewing the 2-ply thin leather to the thin aluminum to make a handsome durable Front Cover. As far as the back binding both Front and Back Covers would be one continuous piece of leather (or heavy duty fabric) with the fold in the middle (e.g. wallet) taking into consideration the thickness of the assembled logbook pages. Depending on the thickness of the logbook you could score a fold creases in the leather, if even necessary, so the Front Cover would open at the scored crease.

The pages would be held to the middle of the leather covers with a strip of lap binding attached at the center of the Front and Back Cover fold. The wings of this heavy duty hinged piece of lap binding would first be glued between the two pieces of leather by removing a narrow piece of the inner leather ply in the middle fold. This could be done at the same time that the two pieces are glued together to secure the thin piece from an aluminum can. Like with the aluminum the wings of the lap binding would extend a ways into/between the two plys of thin leather under pressure/weight until the glue is cured to secure it in place. The missing piece of inner ply that will be the back of the Logbook (between the Front and Back Covers) should be wider than the thickness of the pages of the logbook to allow the Front and Back Cover to close. The secured strip of lap binding would then be glued to the assembled pages similar to a traditional bookbinding or Perfect Binding used with paperbacks. If your binding of the pages to the Covers is more like Perfect Binding (not as labor intensive) then you could remove a thin strip (1/8") of the inner ply of the Front Cover where you think the fold would be more suitable for opening the Front Cover. So you would want to do any overlock edge stitching around the edges of the covers after you've removed the inner ply from the middle fold and glued in the lap binding strip as well as any removal of a 1/8" strip from the inside ply of the front cover for easier opening of the Front Cover.

All of this labor intensive rigmarole is only a suggestion assuming you might have the will, way, time, means and patience to produce a one of a kind premier logbook. It would be great if you lived closer to MCBA so you could see examples of other bookbinding techniques and talk with some of the artisan experts about your unique bookbinding idea... http://www.mnbookarts.org/