Printing PDFs in Bound Books

[GothmogIV]

I am looking at having a few of my PDFs printed and bound (for personal use only!). Just poking around, the prices are...steep (especially shipping). Can anyone suggest a reasonable and reliable service that they've used? I am in the US. Thank you!

 

[John Lloyd1]

My solution was to learn how to bind my own books. It's not particularly hard. The biggest limitation it having access to a printer the right size. A3 for a A4 book.

 

[SteveC]

It's one of the things you'll have to see if you can get a printer to even do. I was going to run a Quick Start adventure and wanted to print it out because it had nice art and everything you'd need to run the game. The local shop I've used in the past has new people at it and they wouldn't do it. Telling them this is a Quick Start and the publisher WANTS me to use it to get people to buy the product, no dice. So I'd find a place that will print it.

I picked up a comb binder from Amazon recently and I've found that it works really well for gaming products, so I'd recommend that, once you can get it printed.

 

[GothmogIV]

If I had the rest of my life to think about it, it would never have occured to me to just do it myself. A binding machine! Wizardry! We live in a age of miracles! Thanks, friends.

 

[Koloth]

If you can print it yourself, places like Kinkos(often Fedex) will bind for a reasonable fee. Having it printed there plus the binding can get costly.

Or use 3 hole paper and 'bind' with a 3 hole notebook.

 

[GothmogIV]

Dude, I'm crafting now. I might open my own Etsy store. Maybe even get into bedazzling. Anything could happen.

 

[guachi]

Laser printer and a comb binder plus some acetate cover sheets. Not quite as professional looking but they do lay flat, and that's REALLY nice.

 

[sevenbastard]

Ive used Lulu to print PDFs in the past. They do % off sales often and they used to do the occasional free shipping sale, but haven't seen that in awhile.

 

[John Lloyd1]

This what I finished making yesterday.

 

[Alzrius]

I am looking at having a few of my PDFs printed and bound (for personal use only!). Just poking around, the prices are...steep (especially shipping). Can anyone suggest a reasonable and reliable service that they've used? I am in the US. Thank you!

I made a thread, a couple of years ago, about having PDF files turned into books over on lulu.com that's hopefully helpful:

Thread 'Printing personal copies of books on Lulu.com: tips and tricks I've learned'

Jul 14, 2023

A few weeks ago, I casually mentioned that I'd been considering starting a thread about things I'd learned since I started printing personal copies of several PDF-only products via lulu.com. The idea got a better reception than I'd anticipated, so I've decided to go ahead and push forward with it.

I want to stress that this isn't meant to be a step-by-step guide to the process. Most of Lulu's interface is fairly self-explanatory (i.e. that you go to "My Projects" to get started, that when creating a new project you choose "print my book" rather than "publish my book" since the...

• Alzrius
• Replies: 3
• Forum: *TTRPGs General

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