Genealogy Chat

Hi Janet, Not finished yet just preparing, spring back folders I,ve heard of, sounds a good idea. Dea, Ron does the family tree printed sheets I hear he does a good job too. Joan, Yes I,ve seen the photo albums of the sort you are talking about, my only concern there is they usually have photos printed on the front . Now then the information you lovely people have furnished me with has given me some brilliant ideas, and I thank you all very much indeed. Thanks again Rod

I made a book of my mother-in-law's life story - 80 odd pages and made 25 copies. When she got older and had nothing to do we prevailed on her to write her story - which she did on any old scrap of paper. When she died my SIL and I put everything together in chronological order but kept mostly all her words (she was an avid reader and a great writer. I used photo albums as binders. These are the type that have screw fasteners that you can add extra little 'turrets' (for want of a better word.) There are flat buttons on each end and little rods that screw into each other so you can add as many as you need. I printed the story on good quality laser paper and inserted photos to illustrate the story, printed off census and certificate copies and every so often inserted a whole page of family photographs. You can set you printer up to print even and then odd pages and numbered. Removed all the photo pages.The albums take ordinary printer size pages and use a three hole punch. You can find some with neutral cover. The ones I used had a cover like an old map. Purchased them at a good office store and could also purchasae extra 'turrets'. Worked extremely well and looked really professional. Reasonably cheap way of giving a useful Christmas present too.

Here is the website: http://www*genealogyprinters*com/catalog/default.php replace * with . Dea x

I wonder whether - I think it is Ron - from Genealogy Printers would be able to advise ? - I don't know whether it is something he could do, but if not, I am sure he could point you in the right direction. I will try to nudge up one of his threads or find his e-mail. Dea x

Rod, when I did my degree theses , I got some things called spring back folders. They had a thick hard cover - you bent this back and then the spine in the middle opened so you could insert the finished document - didn't need polypockets or anything else. Looked just like a bound book. Wouldn'r recommend that you keep adding additional pages, though. How great to be finished! I don't think I ever will be, so I still work with white ring binders, with a see through pouch on the front, into which I can put a design cover. I currently have 4 folders on the go and each one is a different format, because the raw data differs from family to family. Jay

When I looked up bookbinders Gillian, they quoted about £30 per volume, they dont seem too concerned about the number of pages, but I would have about 3or4 volumes anyway. Rod

Got it Debs, And mighty fine it was too. Rod

Hi Rod, I emailed you my book...did you get it? Deb

I'm just worried that if I bind the book, it will say 'THIS IS THE FINISHED ARTICLE' I'll never be finished! What if I leave out a very important page?! Or find more information! And Rod, I work in a school.....we use binding equipment regularly, maybe your local school could help out?

Rod Are you near a University town? Students use book binders routinely. Gwyn

Jane, I sort of get the feeling that if I dont produce it as a book bound and presented properly it will be passed over as just another book in the bookcase and possibly never get read. I want to make it so that my granddaughter (who the book is for) will go to it in the future and say to her grandchildren there you are its in this book that my granddad wrote, Therefore it needs to stand out as a book of quality. Or am I dreaming. Rod

Rod, Try googling for book binders.....maybe put genealogy in the search also....I will eventually get mine done professionally. Deb

Kathlyn, I,m begining to warm to the binding thing.May sound dalt but what sort of shop did you find to do that? Rod

Hi, My cousin put his life onto paper, complete with photo`s, maps etc. and he gave me a copy. I have had it bound, with the title and his name in gold lettering. Yes it did cost me £80 to have it bound, but what a priceless thing to hand down. Kathlyn

Hi Rod, I wrote mine up for two brances of my family and created a nice front cover. I did it all on PC so I can add to it when I find new info. I just printed it off and used a binder and acetate covers to keep it all together.....You can also add census pages, certs photo's and any other documents you come accross.... Deb ps. I also added a contents page. I'm not that great at explaining things but if you like I will email you a copy so you can take a look

Ive done a similar thing although I print out family groups. Ive used a5 leather filofax and acid free paper to put them in one file for each side of the family. A5 pages have been fine for me but if a4 is preferable to you there are plenty of a4 ring binders around. Recently did one as a suprise wedding present, it went down a treat. Sue

Why not print out 'Family Group Record' pages from www.familysearch.org You could print them onto good quality card instead of ordinary paper, then fill in the details of the person (including wife children etc.) and then on the reverse of the sheet, print out any extra information you have about that person. Then put them all into loose leaf folders or binders. Kath. x

Annie, I like the idea of the binding into a book. I just dont want a pile of A4 sheets looking like an actors script!!. Rod Tina, I,ve been living with that arrangement for the past three or four years, and wondered if there was something of better quality. Rod

Rod, Why not try to find some really nice lever arch files for the different volumes and then you can add pages as it builds. you can also customise the pages. Pages can be made of diffent paper and card also decorated with photos, newspaper clipings, notes, maps etc. or I have seen some nice albums that have photo pages and poly pocket type pages in the same album. Try WHSmith they do albums that you can add extra pages to. Tina

I have a son who is an art student and he has asked for an A3 printer for his birthday. We managed to find one for about £300 at Amazon. Alternatively a good photocopier shop will change A4 to A3 . Ours charges about 12p a sheet. You can buy A3 folders or an office shop will bind the sheets into a book.