UPDATE: Welcome Lifehackers! If you’ve tried these instructions I’d love to see/hear. Drop me a comment!
I was inspired by Brad Isaac’s article on making his own soft cover books to use a similar technique for making glue-top pads. Instead of scrap lumber, I built a jig out of cheap white shelving from Home Depot. First I cut the paper down to size with a rotary trimmer. Guesstimating the middle of the paper to make perfect 5.5″ x 8.5″ sheets was impossible. For my second batch, I thought to print out a light gray dotted line at the center-line to help me cut the pages in as close to half as possible:
I lined the sheets up in the jig. I’ve been collecting cardboard from other pads to make the backing:
And using “Plasti Dip,” a fast drying liquid vinyl intended for coating tool handle…
…I painted the edge with a Q-tip.
I applied two thick coats. I let it dry about 30 minutes between coats and for 2 hours in the jig afterwards.
The pads came out great! My wife and I had decorated the cut sheets with rubber stamps from her collection. She didn’t mind that the pages are all slightly different widths.
Best of all, the pad fits perfectly in my little cheapo junior-sized folio.
For the next batch, I’ll try to make personalized ones using my business card as a template for a printed graphic. (Project idea originally seen at Lifehacker.)
Thanks so much for the tutorial! I was looking all over for “notepad adhesive”. If I end up making stationary notepads, I’ll send you a picture =)
By: Crystal on September 2, 2006
at 11:54 am
Thanks for the comment – I hope it works out well and can’t wait to see the pictures!
By: JHM on September 3, 2006
at 7:32 pm
Nice idea. I’ve been looking to make glue up pads and this looks great. I’ll try plasti-dip on my next one. Thank you.
By: Brian Fay on January 12, 2007
at 5:18 pm
I like your cat.
By: Julie on March 28, 2008
at 4:33 pm
I have not tried this yet, but I’m going to and I’m already excited because I trust that it will work. I’ve been scouring the internet for over an hour, and FINALLY a cheap, smart, simple, diy. I just wanted to take the time to thank you. Thanks.
By: Jessica M on May 1, 2008
at 4:27 pm