I was wondering if anyone has done a RPG book in coil binding?

We are in bata testing of our game and this book binding seems to be winning.

Just tell me what you think.

Thanks

Jared's Octane is coil bound.

A disadvantage would be that you don't have a spine on it.
An advantage would be that it would lay flat and won't crack.

-Chris

I've never seen a game book do this, but I have seen several other cookbooks and quick-reference books use a coil-bind with a dustjacket folded over it. This way, you have the shelf presence of a traditionally bound book with the functionality of a coil bound book.

The Quad-S space ship minis game was comb bound as was all of its supplements.

Comb binding has as its advantage that you can (fairly inexpensively) buy the necessary equipment not outrageously priced at most office supply stores to do the binding at home...far cheaper than paying kinkos to do it. Unless you're planning on doing hundreds of them, the process isn't all that onerous. Basically just a funky paperpunch and manipulating the plastic binder comb through the holes.

Another advantage Comb binding has is the spine of it is a solid piece of plastic, which looks a bit nicer end out than a spiral wire, and is a good place to put a sticker with the book's name.

As for image...well it clearly has a DIY indie-punk cache to it which may be quite appealing (OctaNe) or lame, depending on your target audience. I certainly wouldn't try to appeal to distributors with it, though some individual retailers might well like the indie-cred of it.

But truthfully, with true POD getting so cheap now, for any run of more than just a couple dozen, I think you'd be better off going perfect bound like Universalis, Staple bound like My Life with Master, or using RPGMall's small run service like EABA and Timelords.

The disadvantage of comb and coil bindings is that they marginally compromise the structural integrity of the pages. It's more of an issue with thinner papers, but if users aren't careful when turning the pages you can have problems. Pages can get torn along the punched holes, or folds sometimes develop along the punched holes so the parts of the pages that extend into the coil or comb get crumped and all chaotic in there and start to obstruct page turning.

My second favorite binding is saddle-stitching. My favorite is the one the O'Reilly books have, where they look perfect bound, but have that taping internal to the spine so they actually lay flat when you open them. Anyone know what that binding is called?

Paul

i think that's called "lay flat" binding.

seriously!

but i am also vvvery tired.

-L

A "lay-flat" binding is a generic term that includes mechanical bindings like coil and comb.

I think the O'Reily books use something called the RepKover binding which is a softcover binding process that simulates a hard bound cover in that the text block floats free from the cover spine. Very nice actually.

Julie

At work I am surrounded by coil-, and comb-, bound manuals for the various libraries we employ. I hate them. They are awkward to work with, difficult to flick through and prone to damage and disintegration.

I would not buy a coil, or comb, bound book.*


* - which is kind of silly, because I would buy a .pdf, print it out myself and make do with a pinch-binder...

Comb binding is awful.
I''ve had to deal with it far too much in my day job as well, and it is worse than worthless in my opinion.
I'd rather buy a book that came unbound and provide my own 3-ring binder than deal with one that came comb bound.
I have no real experience with the long term hold-up of coil-bound books, but I suspect they'd be only a little better than comb binding.

Really though, when perfect bound POD is as cheap as it is these days, there's not much reason to avoid going that way.
I've been looking into printing costs for my upcoming game book. I haven't looked that far yet, but I've already found one POD printer with an on-line quick-quote that's coming in at $2.68 a book for a 200 page soft-cover digest in runs as few as 100 copies. Up the number of copies a little and the price drops even lower. I looked into the copy and comb-bind route, much as I hate it, and I can't get that method to come in anywhere near as inexpensive as a perfect bound POD.

madelf wrote: Comb binding is awful.

Really though, when perfect bound POD is as cheap as it is these days, there's not much reason to avoid going that way.

...I've already found one POD printer with an on-line quick-quote that's coming in at $2.68 a book for a 200 page soft-cover digest in runs as few as 100 copies.

Working at Kinkos I get to see many coil binds (plastic spring for those of you not used to seeing it.) I am using it myself for my own Alpha copies of Planets of Peril RPG. It is a useful binding for a few books. It is superior to comb or wire binding in durability. The problem comes in with shipping and the way the coils can be damaged.

My suggestion would be to make the commercial copy of the book in a perfect bind and let the purchasers go and have theirs coil bound at their local binder, copy shop or Kinkos. It will save money for the binding and will cut down on damaged goods in shipping. It also gives a spine to put something on to get the potential buyer to pull it out from the other games.

Valamir wrote: I certainly wouldn't try to appeal to distributors with it, though some individual retailers might well like the indie-cred of it.

Paul Czege wrote: My second favorite binding is saddle-stitching. My favorite is the one the O'Reilly books have, where they look perfect bound, but have that taping internal to the spine so they actually lay flat when you open them. Anyone know what that binding is called?