Basic DIY Bookbinding Demonstration with Hot Glue Gun 

OMG Andrew, you've just saved me a TON of work! I'm designing an 80 page book of poems for an artist using the evil diva InDesign. It'll be printed "for real" 100 copies--about $900!--but I need a few copies for an art opening in two days--eek! Just got back from the store with 3 brands of PVA glue, binding thread, beeswax. Sitting here agonizing about time I thought, "Hmmm, does anyone use hot glue?" All I can say is (DEEP sigh of relief!!) I learned a LOT from the comments also, and your replies. Too many RU-vid tutorial makers just upload and abandon!

This was amazing. I've been studying up on how to make books for a few days, and haven't seen anything this simple! Man, I don't need hard covers -- this is perfect. Almost wish I hadn't ordered some PVA glue.

You might just be my hero of the week~ I needed to do a recipe book for just a few family members and didn't want to spend a fortune~ Thanks!

Thanks! This will save me about 80 bucks for binding my bachelor's thesis, which will be left to rot in the library anyways.

This was good. I myself haven't much finesse with hot glue so I do this with the PVA glue, using three coats. Also, when you get to that last step trimming the cover you do not want to make a mistake. Andrew did recommend a metal straight edge and said he was just eyeballing iT, but I would stress that is risky. After all you go thru there is no point in rushing the finish.

Thanks. Good tutorial. I've been doing this for a few years (but a bit sloppily). A couple of things I've learned along the way. A hot clothes iron can be used over the spine if you want to make the glue flatter or smoother. The cover separates the glue from the iron, but a few passes can scorch the paper or make it shiny. Teflon ironing sheets or the ones for the oven are very cheap and you can place them right against the glue on one side for ironing. The cut/trimmed edges-- paper cuts! I run some sand paper across the edges, let it 'fan' a bit. Takes no time at all. An emery board works (the orange side is about 280 grit). It doesn't take much and your sand paper lasts forever. Anything between 150 and 320 grit should do. I do this when I buy a box of file folders. (If you don't have sandpaper, just find some concrete, take the whole pile and just brush the edges in both directions. ) I also rough up the edge of the pages on the spine before hot gluing to give the paper more 'tooth' for the glue to grip the page. Once the pages are clamped criss crossing with a utility knife. If single pages ever come loose this should help on the next one you make.(This year I began using Tomoe River paper 52 g/m^3, very thin, very 'slippery', I used to just use 20 lb laser print paper which is easier to glue). And I just bought some Pad /Book Compound, but unless I find more information I think this is primarily used for note pads where you tear off one sheet at a time. I also bought some melt strips that are used for the hot glue binding machines. (This whole business is a bit of a scam. If you need to make 200 bound booklets all the same size with cheap plastic covers, great! anything else and DIY Bookbinding hot glue method gives you a lot more flexibility. ) Hot Glue gun glue I think is just a bit too thick. So I'll give one of these strips a try with a hot iron. ( I have a more costly hot glue gun that has temperature settings. If I do use it I think I'll crank the heat setting very high. Now I'm just thinking out loud.) Take none of this as 'expertise' just experience. I've made about 15 DIY Notebooks, most 100 sheets 20lb laser paper, and 200 and 75 sheets Tomoe River. But I still get the occasional loose page. Tomoe River is much lighter weight and thinner, it doesn't bleed (I use a fountain pen), but you can see a bit through the pages. I still write on both sides. Really good paper. For the covers I just use file folders (not at all archival). This is so I can tuck them into plastic pocket folders. These are the simplest ones, just two pockets. I have to trim about 1/4" off the inside of the pocket, otherwise the pockets bulge when I close them. If you do this, be careful, 90% of these folders won't work at all. There are zero better folders for this, no leather, or vinyl, nothing. (Every single 'cover' like this is for pads that are glued along the top.) Not one anywhere, (I think there is one in Australia, but it's about $100 and doesn't seem worth it). I've looked online, in Japan and in the UK. (Japan has the best office supplies and student materials on the planet. I don't think there's anything in the UK that isn't also in the U.S. If you see something really interesting on Amazon, but it comes from Japan-- meaning you wait a month for it and it costs more than it should? If the reviews aren't bad, just buy it. )

This is man Bookbinding style 101 . No BS stright to the point. 💪🔥👌

Years later and this video is still very useful.

You just saved me HUNDREDS of dollars. Thank you.

"If you find yourself having some small lumps or irregularities in your spine, you can use a hot iron." I'll remember that when I next get back pains...

I looked at a few videos and I liked this one the best mainly because of you showing the scoring of the cover to make the folding easier and better finish. I mean if someone wanted to use PVA instead of the hot glue form of PVA there's nothing to stop them and overall I think I'll be using this technique when I bind my pages I printed from a PDF on my old sewing machine that didn't come with a manual. Thankyou so much!

Thank you very much for this video I used it to repair a used book which spine was broken. Peeled it off and glued it on again it worked perfectly!

This is really helpful ! I am scared of my teacher who does book binding and stuff because she always seems annoyed with me. This really helped me continue working on my project.

Great! I did this and the result was solid. Printed front page; glued and lacquered it with acid free clear spray paint.

Big like. Might have saved me a lot of money. One suggestion; I would use a plastic spatula to spread the glue as metal takes the heat out of it, and clean it straight away.

We-r-memory keepers just came out with a new cinch hot binding machine, it works similarly, but costs… you need to buy the glue strips, and it is limited in size. I like your method better! I was thinking of using a thicker card stock, just as wide as the paper, and fabric for the spine, you just gave me so many ideas, thank you!

This is a great idea to make little notebooks to sell :)

WOW....Lord knows I needed to see this years ago. I'm making my own from this day forward. THANK YOUBonnie Burgess

Brilliant way to recycle old calendars, etc. Thanks so much!!

Worked amazing well. Surprised by how great it turned out. Thanks for the clear and simple instructions!

Very straight forward.. thank you for helping feel more confident befor my first bind

Thank you so much for this very helpful method of bookbinding. I'm drowning in bulky plastic ring-folders that take so much space or folders from which sheets o paper always fall out as I look for the page I want to refer to. Absolutely great! I think I can make a jig as well. Thx.

Thank you . Very useful. Will be using this process for my textbook.

You could leave the flap on and glue on some velcro, a few snaps, or add an elastic cord and make it a sealing/locking notebook.

One tip I would offer. It's worth it to get an Aleene's glue gun. It's dual temp so you can get a good flow, and it comes with a variety of tips includng a 'ribbon' nozzle that allows you to lay down a flat strip of glue. That would eliminate the need for the metal paint scraper. I've put a lot of mileage on mine over the years.

Love your videos and I am learning a lot here. i am a old man did not think i could do it. but you still can teach an old dog new tricks, LOL thanks again for the videos. i liked and joined your channel.

This was exactly what I needed. Demystifies the process. And exactly what I need to bind and customize review copies of my novel. Thank you!

Very nice. I haven't read the comments and see this was done a few years ago so you probably have had this suggestion before. Heat your putty knife and keep it warm somehow to make the spreading of the hot glue a little easier.

Nice job. I've done everything but glue binding. I'll try it soon. Thanx.

Thank you so much for this, my husband is making me the Bookbinding Jig and I cant wait to get started.

Im definitely trying this, like to do my own sketchbooks for fun

simple and straightforward

This was a really well explained tutorial. Definitely feels doable.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge Andrew, this I found very interesting and useful, I might improvise on this and make a photo book, thank you again.

Thanks Andrew. I followed ur instructions and made a few books. They look great!

This was really useful

wow! am happy watching this video , hope this binding is strong

that jig you used...tons of improvement. to make it fully adjustible would be easy. and even have a brace to hold it for working it. making plans for it would be easy. so i might impove it for when i make one for myself. am wanting to start making books and skecthbooks and stuff. lol great video tho.

Melhor tutorial do RU-vid! Parabéns.

Wow great video, I was wondering how to make my own books and voila stumbled on you! Thank you! Very good video 😇

Love It. With coronavirus I can't take the bookbinding class at community college. This is better ( I started the college one then had car trouble and couldn't finish).

Thanks greatly for sharing! I think I will use the excess to make a nice fold over closure instead off cutting it off.

Clearly explained .. thanks. Your video gave me info that was missing from other videos on this topic.

Thank you for your tutorial, I found it very interesting, and it has gave me an idea in making a photo album. Watched your tutorial loads of times and can't stop watching it lol.. Great work thank you.

so I'm new to bookbinding and I find your videos very helpful. Keep up the good work!

Very interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing.

Don't fight with drying-time of the glue, and don't use a (cold) spreader.. After I put the glue on the spine, I put the cover on it and use an iron (obviously without vapor). Ironing evenly spread the glue. For perfect binding scratch the spine surface with a saw (don't cut it, just make micro fibers on the spine)

hi. im from indonesia. nice to watched your video... two thumbs up

Great video! ☺️👍

That looks nice and clean.

I like your leather binding

I would like to see the end result more specifically You opening the book and see whether how sturdy it actually is after leafing through it 5-20 times.

Thanks this helps me not to buy a adhesive glue online. I can do this alone. 👍👍

I have a book of Enoch tge book ancient old falling apart thank you so much will make that surely I really love that book and this jig thing what you made , made me smile thank you again

Great video, clearly explained, this will be useful

Thank you, great demonstration

Nice video. Polytetrafluoroethylene or teflon sheet on top of the paper may help in the reheating process without damaging the cover. Thanks. Shalom.

That was so good

Very good tutorial. Thank you

Really enjoyed the tutorial. And that sends my mind back at the Fourah Bay College Bindery Department.Thanks so much.

Excellent content, super useful. Thank you for making this video.

Thanks sir, it's very great

2024 this video goes hard 🎉🎉

at step 9:15 you should be using a hot-air gun (paint remover) on low. Will work a charm. You can do away with the gun and use hot melt powder or pellets. 👀

Thank you Andrew, I enjoyed watching your tutorial and found it very useful indeed, thank you again for sharing you skill. Stay safe. Michael

Awesome! I have these tools at home!

I'm interested in creating my own printed coloring books locally as a back up plan as well as selling downloadable pages online. I thought a book binding club would be cool for my small town. I'm sure there are other artists who might make their own coloring books or sketchbooks as well as authors, or whoever would like to learn this as a potential hobby or extra income.

Great video! Very simple and to the point

Nicely done, Andrew. 👍🏻

Nice and practical technique. thanks for sharing. and by the way, that thing you called "spreader" is a scraper.. just sharing:)

Pretty cool

Hi Andrew, Thanks for a great video..magic stuff very well presented..Michael

Just phenomenal. HUGE Ty! Subscribed. On my way to find your jig directions.

Very grate! Can you please make similar jig for layflat binding type and show how to do it video. Thanks in advance!

Great tutorial

Excellent video. Many thanks!

Wow, thanks!

Cutting mat could be a good idea to save your desktop or table, BUT great video with good advices. ;-) Thank you. ps. I already made some bookbinding but not with hot glue gun.

Just found your channel....thanks for the great info.

Thank you! I have some book projects that need binding.

Oh excellent tutorial, thank you for sharing!

Blz! I really liked your explanation! I am from in the Brazil. (Eu gostei muito da sua explicação!)

Excellent sir

I thought this was a really well done video.

Thanks so much for sharing. Much appreciated.

Cool, great input!

This so... Amazing

Thanks. Where can I find the plans for your book binding jig you mentioned?

great :) I'm going to try it out

What I didn't like much about those thread stitched books are the threads showing in the middle every after a few pages. But it was really really durable. Now I'm watching this to see if this is worth to be a substitute.

love this! thank you for uploading!

i feel sad for the table :(

Such a pro good work!

WOW! So simple to do. I will most certainly be doing this. Thanks for sharing. New Sub Today.

thank you sir

this was easy to follow, thank you!!!

Sometimes I make books for a small editor I know, but I always did it with with glue and the process is slow and boring. I'll try this, I always wondered if it was possible.

You could use the cover excess to make a pocket at the back.

Very helpful! How would you rate the strength compared to stitching? I’m making a book of glossy pages. Would it still be OK to glue? I don’t want to stitch.

Great vid. How much does the heavy duty hot glue gun cost?