Junk Creation

Rubber Covered Journal–With Belt!

by Joshua Johnson on September 7th, 2007

**If anyone wants to buy a journal from me (rubber or otherwise, post a comment) and I’ll get back with you on prices!**

In beginning this particular post, I realized, very quickly, that it would need to be two posts.  This post, the first, details how to make the rubber cover of the book/journal in the photos above.  The second post will deal with the making of the insides (I like to call them the guts) of the journal, including rough directions on making and stitching together signatures, endpapers, and gluing the final block into the rubber cover. (I am aware that this is somewhat backward–but I was too excited to hold this journal back and I hope that the finished product pictures might motivate people to find out how to make the insides.)

Your first step will be to find a source of rubber.  I found mine in our apartment dumpster in the form of an old inner tube (probably used to float down a river at some point).  You might find similar material in rubber wading boots.

Next, you will need to cut a section from whatever rubber you have found.  Next, wash it thoroughly–anything left on the inside or outside will either look really bad (like you picked it out of the trash–weird, eh?) or will make it even harder to glue than rubber normally is (it can be fairly difficult).  Once these steps are done, those who used a rubber tire (don’t bother raising your hands, I can’t see them anyway) will be at a slight disadvantage, because the tire was formed rounded in every sense of the word–that means that it won’t lay flat, which means that your cutting and gluing will be even more fun than your friends that found old hip waders.  Try not to retaliate against them in any overtly mean ways.

Once you have a flat (or as close as you can get it to flat) piece, lay out the page block and make certain that the back cover of your “book” has a lot of extra material extending from it–this will be the “belt” portion of your book.  Mark the corners of the back of the book, that way you will be certain to put it back where you wanted it.

Next, keeping the page block in the spot you just marked, fold the rubber over the front and make a front “cover.”  BE CERTAIN TO LEAVE A 1/8 IN -1/4 IN GAP BEHIND THE STITCHING IN THE BINDING.  IF YOU DON’T, THE BOOK WILL NEVER CLOSE PROPERLY!!!

Now, carefully turn the book so that it rests on it’s front cover (don’t move the page block at all).  Mark the corners on the front cover, just as you did the back.

Now that you know where the back cover will be, you need to make the “hole” part of the “belt” that will be the decoration on your journal.  First, find a watch band that you don’t want anymore–the kind with a buckle (you will steal this buckle for the book you are making).  Second, measure to the middle (vertically) of the cover and make a long (very long) strip of rubber the same width as the watchband.  (This way it will fit the buckle you will steal.)

Now, apply the glue to the rubber (I used Gorilla Glue–but I don’t think it will hold up as well as I had originally hoped.  I suggest using Liquid Nails.   (See my 10 Great Places For Junk Creation “Extras” post to find out how to purchase this glue.  Be certain that you buy the correct kind for the materials you are gluing–they offer three separate kinds.)

Whichever glue you use, follow the directions on preparation–then place the page block into all eight of the corner marks you made (front and back covers), and clamp/press the book for the amount of time the gluing instructions direct you to.  (If you don’t have clamps, you can use heavy books–like phone books.  If you have never used this glue or glued books, be certain to use books that you don’t care very much about right next to the journal you are making–that way if you mess up an glue the book to your journal, you won’t be angry at yourself, or at me.)

While your journal is clamping, you can begin work on the front buckle.  This is easier than it sounds.  Find an old watch band and steal the buckle from it.  Cut a piece of rubber the same width as the watchband you took the buckle from and the same length as the front of your book.  Fold the the cut piece in half, and cut a slit into the middle of the fold you just made.  Feed the piece into the buckle and place the pin into the slit you just made, then fold the rubber piece in half, with the buckle around (and through) the fold and slit you just made.  (See picture above)

Now, glue the rubber piece so that it stays folded and makes what looks like a part of a watch band.  After this has dried slightly, place it so that the buckle is in the middle of the book top/bottom and left right.  The rubber portion will probably touch the end of your journal, just like in mine, above. 

Now that the glue is sort of cured, carefully (so as not to disterb the page block) cut out the hole portion of your “belt.” 

I highly suggest clamping the rubber/buckle piece, or it will not stay where you want it.   Before clamping, make certain that the hole piece–the one you made from the extra rubber on the back cover–lines up with the buckle, or the book will look very strange. (Buckles and belts are supposed to meet up–it’s the way the world works.)

Wait for the glue to dry, (both on the inside of the cover and the outside) and Presto!–you have your journal.  Now cut an even width all around the page block to make your cover (I suggest something like 1/8 in or so).  DON’T CUT OFF THE TAIL YOU MEASURED OUT OF THE BACK COVER–IT WILL RUIN YOUR PROJECT IF YOU DO!!!

The last thing you need to do is make holes in the “holed” part of the cover belt.  Make certain to measure so that the holes close the book just like you want and not too loose or too tight.  It looks best if there is a little tension, but not much.

I’d love to hear about any variations.  Stay tuned for instructions on making the inside pages.

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