Binding with Staples

My preferred home binding method uses staples and tape. This is a hybrid between saddle stitching and perfect binding. This results in a “perfect binding” similar to lots of paperback books - except without the glue.

materials

The staples and tape method requires the following supplies and tools:

  • scissors
  • x-acto knife
    • box cutter style
  • white fabric tape, 1.5 inches wide
    • Comp-o-lite hockey stick wrapping tape
  • thick tape, 3 inches wide
    • Gorilla tape, black
  • binder clips (5 or 6)
    • small, white
  • paper creasing tool
    • metal stylus with flat rounded end
  • extra-long stapler with staples
    • Bostitch Long Reach B440LR
  • guillotine style paper cutter
    • Fiskars Deluxe Craft Bypass Paper Trimmer 12”, 197300-1001

establish signatures

  • collate the printed pile into 4-sheet signatures
  • fold 4-page signatures in half with a crease
    • square the pages
    • bend over in half
    • put a short crease in the middle
    • square the folded-over corner
    • place signature on the table
    • fold the crease along the whole length
    • use creasing tool to ensure crease is crisp
  • trim the signatures with a guillotine cutter at 5.25 inches
  • staple through the middle of each signature
    • set the staple depth to 5.25 inches
    • rotate the staple receiving/shaping form so the staples flare out instead of curling in
  • repeat crease with crease tool
  • secure the book with binder clips on the top and the bottom

build spine

  • apply the first tape spine
    • cut an 8.5-inch piece of white fabric tape
      • over-estimate and trim after adhesion
    • place tape on desk, sticky-side up
    • center the spine of the book above the tape and stick it
    • keep the signatures really tight together and fold the tape onto the book
    • use the crease tool to work the tape into the signatures and press it
  • staple the signatures again
    • insert one staple at 25% and one at 75% through the spine of each signature
    • each staple needs to go through the tape
    • use the crease tool to fold every staple tab down
    • re-apply binder clips to hold book square
  • apply gorilla tape to spine
    • cut an 8.5-inch piece of gorilla tape
    • trim along the length of the tape to be barely smaller than the width of the spine
    • apply the tape over the binding and press it tightly
  • apply fabric tape over the spine exactly as before
    • create a 90-degree ridge along both edges of the spine
    • the spine should be squared

attach cover

  • pre-fold the cover to establish spine
  • cut an 8.5-inch piece of white fabric tape
  • cut along the length to split the tape width in half
  • attach tape to front of book
    • adhere half the tape along its length
    • press it flat
  • attach the cover to front of book
    • place the cover flat on the table
    • fold the unadhered tape back
    • hold book along open edge, pointing up to the ceiling
    • lower the binding onto the cover along the spine
    • use crease tool to ensure adhesion
  • attach tape to end of book, as before
  • attach cover to end of book
    • fold tape back
    • hold book along open edge
    • roll spine of book onto cover
    • use the crease tool to press all the tape flat