Printing & Binding PDFs

[Exquisite Dead Guy]

Anyone printed out and bound any sizable PDFs? I've printed out a few modules but my old printer will probably choke and die on a huge PDF, so I'm interested in commercial solutions. Are there any options available that won't break the bank?

Specifically, I'm thinking of picking up the revised Tome of Horrors (~450 pages if memory serves), but I really dislike books of that size as PDFs. I know I could always just print out what I need, but I'd rather be able to just take it off the shelf and read it for fun as well as use it for a reference.

Thanks for any ideas/advice.

 

[philreed]

Grab yourself a laser printer. $125 or so for a good one. You'll save a fortune when printing (compared to ink jet).

 

[jtone]

I've found that coil binding works really well. Get your local printshop or Staples to punch a bunch of paper for you (about $50 / 2000 sheets), some covers for front and back (about $1 each), and get a bunch of coils (about $0.25 each). You can now print up the books on punched paper and bind them at home. I've found this to much more convenient than having the shop print and bind things for me.

(I'm referring to bindings like these http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/bindingstuff_1872_1117468)

 

[philreed]

For binding PDFs I've got a thermal binder. Very inexpensive system (I grabbed it at a going out of business sale at an office supply store about 8 years ago).

There's one on this page:

http://www.abcoffice.com/pad1.htm

That's more than I paid for mine but depending on how many times you print and bind your own PDFs a system at home might pay for itself.

 

[silvermane]

Grab yourself a laser printer. $125 or so for a good one. You'll save a fortune when printing (compared to ink jet).

In B/W of course?

 

[philreed]

In B/W of course?

Definitely. Sorry, I should have stated that.

 

[trancejeremy]

I haven't tried this place, but it's been recommended to me. They'll print any PDF, bind it and ship it to you.

In this case, a 450 book will cost $17. (Dunno if it includes shipping)

http://printfu.org/

 

[jdrakeh]

Anyone printed out and bound any sizable PDFs? I've printed out a few modules but my old printer will probably choke and die on a huge PDF, so I'm interested in commercial solutions. Are there any options available that won't break the bank?

Check the phone book for independently owned copy shops or a DocuMart. I print almost all of my PDF files at the latter, and have them comb bound with a clear vinyl cover. Getting a 190-page document printed double-sided in black and white with a vinyl cover costs me right around $14.00 (about $25 less than Kinko's). So... 450 in black and white would run... about $30, bound in the aforementioned manner. As Phil says, for big products, having your own printer will save you tons.

 

[Eldragon]

I print and bind all of the PDFs I really care about. Just put the PDF on a disk or USB drive, go over to Staples, Office Max, or kinkos, and give them the file. I get the front cover printed in color, all pages printed double sided, and plastic end sheets to form a "cover". Total cost: $10. + tax. The whole process takes about 10 minutes, and you dont have to worry about screwing up and wasting ink and paper.

I could do it myself, but that requires time. I don't know which services the other posters got theirs printed for at the office supply stores, but I never saw anything that costs as much as what was posted here.

I would have to print about 20 PDFs to offset the cost of buying myself a printer that does that.

 

[sjmiller]

Well, I have a distinct advantage when it comes to this. I have, at work, a color laser printer that will print double sided pages and will handle card stock as well. I print out just about every pdf I get, then GBC comb-bind them with plastic covers. It's great! Sometimes, with small ones or similar themed ones, I bind them as a flip book. One side is one book, flip it over and it's the other book.