Book binding ?

[Rolf]

I was scanning some patterns from one of the books that I bought at the open house. I realized that the binding is very stiff and I always worry a bought destroying the book when I open it wide to scan a page. Is there a way to make the books more flexible? ( like the flexible binding on a Hymnal)
I am also concerned about distortion in the pattern copy when it doesn’t lay completely flat.
For smaller patterns it would be helpful if they could be moved to the outside edges of the page. That would make copying them easier.

[CanadianScroller]

There are many binding methods used these days, some which allow the book to be opened and layed down flat are more costly than others.
Ultimately the three ring binder or comb binding is best for scanning, but people do not like that style of binding when buying books, they feel it cheapens the look.

Many of the Dover archive series that Fox Chapel carries allows for the book to be opend flat for scanning.

I guess the point from a publisher angle is one of copyrights and copying. It doesn't make sense for them to make it too easy

I know this is not quite the same thing you want to access the pattern but you can see my point

[Rolf]

I agree Carl about the copy right concerns, but the patterns in the books are ment to be copied. for our own personal use.

[Minnesota scroller]

I hear ya Rolf. I just tried to scan a pattern from my puzzle pattern book and I can't get it to flatten enough. I'll have to wait til the wife can push down on it while I work the PC. It's very frustrating. I really don't want to start tearing the pages out of the book. This is why I prefer patterns on CD.

[sawdustus]

Rolf,

I agree with you about the personal use of patterns from books and magazines. They are meant to be copied. I love books! My wife and I own about 1800 of them, some over 150 years old. We treat them with great respect and have read them all. We are careful when reading them, especially the very old ones; no dogears, no placing them face down when open, etc.. My wife even has me copy recipies from her 200 book collection to use in the kitchen rather than risk staining a page, making it unreadable in the future and ending up with a cookbook full of real food.

Pattern books, of which I own several dozen, are a different animal. Unless I consider the book to be a reference on technique or procedure, the patterns are meant to be copied for our own use and I have no qualms about breaking the binding in order to copy one. If necessary, I will even cut one up and then retape the page back into the book. I have even gone so far as to punch holes in the pages and put them into a ring binder.

My scanner gets a good workout and is able to scan directly to my printer without saving the image to my hard drive (it can, of course, do that also). Since I only have to press the print button on the front of my scanner to print directly I can press down real hard and if the binding breaks, oh well. At least I get a distortion free image.

I hope this helps you out of your delemma.

Sawdustus

[ChuckD]

When I buy a book ( of which I have many, maybe to many) and it is basically for the patterns, I will cut off the binding with the table saw. It will be broken any way and this way I have control of when and how. After that I glue the cover of the book to the approbate size 3 ring binder. I have a jig made which I can use my drill press and drill the holes to fit the binder. That makes a whole lot of difference On how to copy patterns and break the binder.