Mynyel Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 How do you do it? What is the easiest way? I went to staples to get the spines cut off and they wanted me to wait over 2 hours to get it done. I couldn't wait that long and I wasn't going to leave them over night. They then said they would do it real quick. Great. Mosey the store for 30 minutes, go back to the counter and they were still where I left them for them to take. On the front counter where anyone could have taken them. Spines still on. I took them and left. Not happy. Anyway :) Sorry for the rant. What is the easiest way to tear the books apart? They are paper back and I want to hole punch them and put them in binders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Try another copy place. I have had them done at Office Max and Depot and at the Kinko's/FedEx store and have never waited. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I agree with going to another copy place. It is a PITA to do it yourself. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatA Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I've only torn one book apart, so this might not be what most people do. I took about 10 pages at a time, took an exacto knife to the top of the page to get it to sepearate and pulled at the rest. I don't think I had any issues with torn pages, I just pulled gently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I've had mixed luck taking them to places like that - sometimes they just do it quick, other times they want me to come back later to pick it up (which isn't an option since I live 45 min away). If I get desperate and can't wait until the next trip to town, I've used a ruler & boxcutter or utility knife - open as far as it will go, put the ruler in the "crack" by the spine, and draw the knife down along the ruler (between spine & ruler). This is time-consuming because it only cuts a few pages at a time so you have to make many, many cuts, and it usually comes out a little crooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatA Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Oh I just remembered, I only separated chapters, so the binding was still attached to groups of pages. That would be a PITA to separate each page... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgo95 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I've never had to wait at Fedex Kinko's (I've done this three times). I wanted to take apart books with 400+ pages so I wasn't interested in doing it myself. I think you might want to try another place. Otherwise, a ruler and X-Acto knife sound like a good method (no rough edges). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I used the exacto knife and did it myself. If anyone is going to mess it up, it will be me. Plus we live too far away from an office store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Always went to a printer, never an office store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I've always had great service at Office Max. But, I've also done them my self using a craft knife. It takes more time and it doesn't look as nice, but it gets the job done. I would call the management at Staples and let them know you had problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I KNOW! I KNOW! Get a quilting ruler 9x12", a rolling cutter (what are those things called?) and a cutting board. Put the quilting ruler over the majority of the book and within 1/4 inch of the edge of a "perfect bound" book (Singapore math, eg) and cut a few layers down. Remove pages. Lather rinse repeat. Punch holes. I did this with ALL my cut-aparts and it works really great, and the quilting ruler was also really useful for putting lines in a timeline book. :0) :iagree: A rotary cutter. I usually use a good metal ruler instead of a quilting ruler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralloyd Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Our local printer (small family owned place),did it for me. They did a great job and it only cost $1.50. There was no wait at all; it took about 1 min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I've only torn one book apart, so this might not be what most people do. I took about 10 pages at a time, took an exacto knife to the top of the page to get it to sepearate and pulled at the rest. I don't think I had any issues with torn pages, I just pulled gently. :iagree: That's what I did.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I did it once, and will pay and wait in the future. It took me days to complete with an exacto knife and took a toll on my hands and back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Maybe try Staples again? I would call ahead to see if they are busy or plan to wait. I have always had great service and it's either free or $2 or $3. Even when they are busy they usually do it--not always. It only takes a few minutes--five or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I would call the management at Staples and let them know you had problems. :iagree:Especially if it happens more than once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I don't tear them apart. :blink: I have the best success with Kinko's/FedExOffice. Staples and Office Depot didn't have the equipment to cut the spine off in one fell swoop, and they didn't have the equipment to drill the holes in one fell swoop (doing it piecemeal results in holes that are not in the same position on all the pages. Ask me how I know this. :glare:) I usually take the notebook with me that I'll be putting the books in, just in case the person doing it hasn't done it just like that before, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I usually just plan to drop them off - our Office Depot is great, but you never know if they have other orders ahead of yours, so I've just gotten in the habit of dropping them off and picking up next time I'm in town....I don't wait until I need the book(s), I get it done well before we need it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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