Make a Simple Metal Book - page 1

©2002 Judith Hoffman

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a simple metal book 
Safety: 

To avoid injury be sure to observe safety rules. When drilling, wear eye protection. Never hammer the end of a plastic screw driver or wooden handled tool to make holes. Check the labels of glue for warnings about fumes. Be aware of the safety precautions necessary for the tools you use.

Summary: 

These are guidelines for making a simple metal book. You may have many of the tools already. It would be good to make the first book quickly, buying only the most necessary supplies, to see how you like the results. For people who like a primitive look in their work, these very simple techniques may be all they would ever need.

To the left is the sample metal book I made for this demo. There are three pages of each metal I used, front to back they are galvanized aluminum flashing, plain aluminum flashing and brass shim. The book is bound with brass ball chain.

All supplies I list on page 2 are available in larger hardware stores, except for the optional molding paste. The galvanized aluminum flashing is slightly heavier than the other two metals. I find it very nice to work with. 

Both kinds of aluminum would not show finger prints. The brass will show some, depending on the chemistry of your body. If you want to minimize them, you could work with gloves on, and use a paste furniture wax to protect the pages in the end. Or you might decide the patinaed brass is what you want (over time it will get darker in uneven blotches).
continue to page 2

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