Hollow Books: Part 1

I make hollow books on occasion. They're great for keeping things secret. Actually, that's a total lie. I like to show them off, because everyone gets a kick out of them. But they're still pretty darn cool. And today, I will tell you a bit about making them!

I do understand that there are those who despise the destruction of any book. If you are a bibliophile, please look away - some of these images are shocking.

Supplies:

A hardcover book you don't like or don't care about
X-acto knife, box cutter, razor, weedwhacker, chainsaw or other sharp implement (please only use the first 3 listed)
Paintbrush
White glue
Disposable cup
Wax paper
Straight edge

Protect your table from glue!

I got all my books from the library for free or for 25 cents. I like the two-toned covers the best. For this first book I'll show you the absolute simplest method of making a hollow book. For this you'll only need the book, glue, brush and blade, and something to hold the cover up.

Open up your glue bottle and get a good amount on  your brush. Paint the edges of the pages with the glue, getting a nice, even coat. Brush in the direction of the pages so that any dried-glue ridges will at least follow the direction of the pages and blend in better.

This is a horrible brush for this job, but I couldn't find a different one.

Make sure the pages are well-coated, but don't leave globs of glue. You will inevitably get glue on the cover. Just brush it down and spread it out to make it less visible. Once everything is glued, set the book on it's back and open the front cover. If it sticks, just pry it up. You'll probably yank a few pages with it. Press them back down if this happens. Put a pad of sticky notes, a couple pencils, a few pamphlets or whatever you have lying around to keep the front cover off the rest of the book. If you have wax paper, you can place it between both covers and the pages. This will prevent you from making a book block. Press it down and let it dry, about 30 minutes.

Slight buckling. The red to the right is not blood. I did a second book that had red-stained pages (the glue lifted the dye) and I wiped my brush there.

When it's dry, open the front cover and draw some lines on the first page, creating a border. These will be where you cut the pages. You can make them narrow or wide, but I wouldn't make them narrower than 1/2 an inch for durability's sake. Once you have your margins marked, start cutting.

Margins. If you're wondering, the book is "Memories of Midnight".

You might find it hard to keep a straight line, or that your margins start to slant inwards or outwards. It's not a big deal unless you want a perfect book. Work slowly for a smoother, more uniform outcome. I was hacking at the book and tearing pages out to work as quickly as possible.

Tip: Watch your corners. It's easy to get fuzzy, rounded corners while cutting. If you can't drag your blade to the very end of the margin, get in there from a different angle and cut clear corners.

You'll eventually hit the back of the book. It's okay if you accidentally slice into it, as long as you don't slice through it. Carefully remove the last few pages.

Deep gouge.

The finished book.

Paint the insides and back of the page with glue, and press them against the back cover. Close the book, press it down and let it dry.

It took me about an hour and a half (not counting drying time) to make this book. It's about 3/4 of an inch thick. You will likely get paper bits and dust everywhere.

Book carnage.

Happy crafting!