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cthornhill
September 12th, 2003, 07:13 AM
In my continuing efforts to put everyone to sleep - more on my book production project!

I got my first proofs back from the binder yesterday, and the results were great. I knew that ExactBind can produce excellent custom covered hard bound and softbound volumes, but we were still experamenting on form factor and two page spreds on photo papers.

Well, we have a few improvements to make, but overall the first test results are good enough to show customers and peers. For anyone planning or interested in creating a high quality bound volume, this approach does work. Our results are not yet equal to those of the high end book albums, but are very close. With a few refinements in glue application and end paper selection, I think we will achieve almost identical results to the $500 - 1,000 cost book albums for about $50 - $100 per volume.

My goal is to be able to offer consumer (portrait and wedding) customers, and commercial (advertising and marketing) customers book style output where reprint costs are low enough to create and fill demand. There is nothing wrong with the product of the high end companies, but given their costs structure to the photographer, the market is much more limited for the results. Given lower costs, I hope to have good margins and returns, and still hit more volume oriented price points.

For anyone looking to present their work this is also a great alternative. Let me know if anyone is interested in ink and paper choice issues, or binding information.

Cecil

crabby
September 12th, 2003, 08:22 AM
Cecil,
I'm very interested in all your info. Especially the binding process and the quality of the final product.

Mike

cthornhill
September 13th, 2003, 05:39 PM
It was awful quite after the other post...I did not want to waste people's time and clutter the board...

For what it is worth, I am using a system from ExactBind (www.exactbind.com). The hardware comes from Finland.

We still have a little work to do on glue to be sure no cracking will occur with the very heavy papers used for double sided images, but it is looking good so far.

The finished volume is very nice in the hand. It does not have the 'thunk factor' of a SoHo from Renaisance, but is very solid. The pages act much like heavy versions of normal glossy paper in a book from say...Williams Sonoma.

Our first volumes are 26 pages at 8.5 inches square. The covers are in a damask right now. I need to do some slightly larger prints to allow full bleed when trimmed, but that is looking OK on the 2200 (tested it today).

I choose a semi-gloss paper (RC compatible - a match for Epson's). A matt would do fine too. You need a heavy stock to avoid ****ling in the 2200 unless you turn down the ink (and loose some color). I wanted strong color so I went with heavy paper.

Email me if you need other details, or feel free to post here.

Good Luck - CT

crabby
September 15th, 2003, 08:35 AM
Ah, so you do your own binding. How much did that piece of hardware cost? I would just assume pass that job on to someone else unless I could do it myself a lot cheaper. I have heard that Apple will make a very nice picture book for very reasonable price but the printed images inside get mixed reviews. Im not sure what type of printing process they use but I'm sure it's not comparable to the 2200 or even the 1280.

I am thinking of doing this for portfolios and just a personal coffee table book or two.

cthornhill
September 15th, 2003, 11:22 AM
I am actually outsourcing my binding. I have been working with ExactBind to help specify materials and techniques for photo album binding. They are doing my binding now, and once we have the details worked out I will move to one of their customers of buy binding gear myself. Given my current cash position (what cash postion?..:-)), I think I will be using out of house resources.

Honestly there are lots of people who can bind for you. I really like what the ExactBind people do, but others do well too. If you want some recomendations I will post a few when I get a chance.

Cecil

PS - Exactbind is at www.exactbind.com