Hey everyone! Yes, this blog is still alive! I've been neglecting it lately, but here's another build log! So, what did I make? I made a sketchbook based on the comic series "Locke and Key"!
This project is a custom comission. The client had a key from the comics, and asked me if I could make a book with some sort of holder for the key. He sent me a sketch of the design he had in mind, so I got to work.
The book is a combination of the kraft paper leather technique I use for most of my books and 3D printing. For this book, I also used wood.
The printed ornaments
This book has quite a bit of 3D printed ornaments. There are the corners, wich have the initials of the author and artists on them, and then there's the key holder. I modeled all of these in Fusion 360 and printed them in ABS-X on my Prusa I3.
For the key holder, I did some tests first. The idea was to make the key 'snap' into the holder, snugly enough to hold it in place, but still easy enough to take it out again. I made a few test pieces of the holder and, after I found the right measurements, I started printing. I used ABS-X for the ornaments because it's very easy to sand, and it warps less than regular ABS.
After all the ornaments were printed, I first repaired small defects with spot putty and then started sanding. Lots and lots of sanding! I started with 120 grit, to get rid of all the layer lines, and then worked my way up to 600.
On the corner ornaments, there is supposed to be a texture in the recessed parts near the corners. Rather than modeling it (my 3D modeling skills aren't exactly impressive), I filled them with sand and then added a few drops of watered down wood glue. Much easier than modeling the texture!
Next up, I sprayed everything with a filler primer. This gets rid of the last bits of layer lines and gives everything a nice smooth surface for painting.
The wooden frame
The wooden frame is made from 4mm thick, 30mm wide strips, with rounded corners. The corner ornaments are modeled so these strips fit into them. I didn't want the wood to look all new and fresh from the hardware store, of course. Here's a trick I used before to age wood. First, I dissolved a steel wool sponge in white vinegar. This takes a few days until it's completely dissolved. This mixture is then brushed onto the wood.
The wood will start turning darker brown immediately. I let it soak for a few minutes, and then rinsed the excess away. The reaction darkens the wood grain. After it had dried, I applied a pale oak varnish.
The fake leather
For the rest of the cover, I used my fake leather technique. Cardboard shapes were glued on the cover, for creating the embossing, and next wrinkled kraft paper was glued over it. Then, a black basecoat, dark brown applied with a sponge, a very thin coat of yellow ochre and finally a bronze drybrushing. To finish, a matte clearcoat.
After all the paint had dried, I lined the insides of the covers with felt. To protect the pages from the moisture while the glue dried, I put sheets of waxed paper between the cover and the pages. I put the book between clamps, and let it dry for a few days.
This is quite a crucial step, and one that shouldn't be rushed. With all the glue and paint on the covers, they will always warp a bit. The felt lining is the last thing that's glued on, so the book should be pressed as flat as possible while it dries. I always take my time for this, about five days. Even though the glue has dried after one day, there's still moisture in the covers, so if you remove the clamps too soon, it will warp again.
Final assembly
The only thing still left was putting everything together. For the wood, I used a general purpose hobby glue, and for the printed parts, I used super glue. Again, lots and lots of clamping while the glue dries. Even for super glue, I have found out the hard way it doesn't always cure as fast as you think. The only time it cures almost instantly is when you glue your fingers together!
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