I needed a cheap sketchbook for just penciling stuff out and not wasting good paper. But newsprint sketchbooks are ridiculously expensive.
So I decided to make my own. I grabbed some cheap packing paper from Walmart. $5 for 15x22 inch news print. The closest size on Amazon is 18x24 and it’s $20+.
A little plywood and some string and I’ve poorly bound my first book. I am both proud and ashamed of it.
Cedar plywood. Because that’s what I had on hand.
We actually made notebooks from plywood in our highschool woodworking class :3. I gave the one I made to my mom tho
I don’t suppose you happen to have the plans for that?
Unfortunately not, this was years ago :3
Nothing wrong with wooden covers. Wood-with-something-over-it used to be quite a common material for the purpose in the days before mass-produced cardboard covers.
Only thing I’d be concerned about is wear on the string, especially if you didn’t sand inside the drill holes. If it does wear through, after sanding the holes, try putting some beeswax on the replacement string.
I counter sunk the holes and beveled the edges to avoid any sharp angles. I was going to use Mason’s line instead of twine but I seem to have misplaced it.
Great idea, gg! And great remark:
newsprint sketchbooks are ridiculously expensive.
+1 only because I can’t do more.
I am both proud and ashamed of it.
Don’t be, you should have a look at my (non woodworking) cheaply handmade notebook. Unlike your sketchbook, my notebook is ugly as hell (made out of recycled plastic, and cardboard) but no matter how ugly (and cumbersome) it is it’s still the best notebook I ever used… in the last 40+ years. I’m loving it ;)
