[FM Discuss] hand bound manuals/workbooks

[Cara Bell-Jones]

Hi there
Firstly I'd just like to introduce myself to the list - I'm currently 
based in Berlin working freelance for museums and galleries and 
generally making ends meet! In February I helped stream events for the 
transmediale festival and then took part in a book sprint to document 
the process, I really loved the experience, the concept and potential of 
people coming together from different disciplines to create free manuals 
for free software.

More recently I've been working towards making hand bound manuals, with 
the following aims in mind: (please see below for links to pictures of 
the prototypes)

1. possibly incorporating book binding in to book sprints, with 
contributors screen printing their own cover and binding their manual as 
a keepsake or present.

2. distributing the manuals to independent book stores for approx 20euro 
cover price (within the manual there would be a mini manual on how to 
make and distribute your own books, promoting an open business model).

3. targeted fund-raising, a limited edition of books would be made to 
sell for 50euros in order to raise a specific amount (e.g. 3,000) to 
fund a particular book sprint. Each book can be inscribed with something 
like..."this book contributed to the pure data book sprint." (I'd also 
take a bit of money to cover the time I spend making the books too!)

I just wanted to see what people thought about how the manuals should 
look, feel, cost etc.

You can see a few pictures of prototypes here:
http://adam.engagetv.com/fm_pics/

any comments good or bad will be really appreciated :)

notes on pictures
* 'blue,' 'book1'/'holdingbook' and 'spines' are screen printed with 
just one colour at home - but I've access to a printing studio where 5 
colours can be applied quickly and easily if we have more detailed 
covers designed for the books (which would look stunning!)
* 'book1'/'holdingbook' is Japanese bound with raffia
* 'inside_cover'/'inside_page' is printed paper glued in to hide the 
tape that you can see in 'workbook_open'
* binding screws can easily be removed so that updates can be added to 
your book after purchase - suitable for the workbook/exercise book idea

a few other things...
* I bought materials from art shops so these books have worked out quite 
expensively at 10-13 euros each.
* the board used for the cover is 1.5mm thick 1800g/m²
* I cut the board and paper (and rounded corners) by hand in these 
examples but will borrow/buy guillotines/cutters if making neater copies 
for sale.
* these books took about 30mins to make each (this should decrease when 
making greater quantities, using guillotines etc.)

please comment to the list with any thoughts that you have on this
thanks :)
cara