Disc binding!

[00goddess]

Disc binding is a method of binding notebooks in a way that sheets are easily removed and replaced without risk of damage. Instead of round holes, the paper is punched with a mushroom-shaped hole, the stem of which intersects the edge of the paper. The sheets are held together by special discs, shaped to fit into the mushroom hole. 

I love disc binding. I learned about it in 2017 via some members of the Dragontree planner group and decided it was the most convenient way to manage a notebook or binder.  It has the flexibility of a ring binder, but faster to use, and has no moving parts to break. It has the slim profile of a spiral notebook, without a wire coil to snag my clothes. It is a very very flexible system with a lot of room for creativity and customization. You can buy premade notebooks in standard US sizes at most office supply stores. But the cool thing about disc binding is that it's relatively easy to make your own notebooks and covers.

In 2018 I had my planner printed at a local print shop and disc-bound it myself. I made two different covers for it, because I carried only about a quarter at a time, but in the end that wasn't super-useful to me. I tried an experimental disc notebook with folded pages but it was inefficient.

Last spring I disc-bound a notebook for the Dreaming & Planning class. Then later in the year I made more notebooks: I made one for my orchid calendar (which I am not using anymore, I need a better solution, maybe an app) and one for my daily Morning Pages practice, and then two for the coaching program (1, 2,) which were the prettiest yet. In the summer I got a thermal laminator, so I made laminated, durable covers for the coaching program notebooks. I really prefer laminated covers, especially for anything you want to be durable.  You can really see how I leveled up over the year.

The next thing I think I will make is an A5 notebook for brain dumps. It seems that would be a good size.

Here are the supplies I use for disc-binding;

Disc Punches: I initially bought a classic size Happy Planner punch on deep discount; I wasn't sure I was going to stick with disc binding so I went cheap. I still used this punch to punch my planner this year, and I am going to try to sharpen it by punching through some fine sandpaper. I do really like that the holes have a longer stem than I have seen on other brands. I think it makes the pages more secure. The downsides: it has not enough holes for a letter-size sheet of paper.

In the summer, when I started making large notebooks regularly, I bought a Levenger punch, also on discount. The Levenger punch is better, much sharper. It can punch up to A4 size paper, and it has an adjustable guide to help you position different  The "stem" of the punched hole is shorter than on other punches, which I think makes the pages a little less secure. This short stem is I think responsible in part for how fussy the punch can be: I have to be very precise and carefully position and wiggle my paper, because sometimes the punch will just push a sheet or two out of the way, deforming it and forcing a repair. The punch is also kind of hard to operate, so at some point I might get a more ergonomic punch.

Mixing systems/interchangeability note: most other-brand discs will not easily fit paper punched with Happy Planner punches. (I've seen people do it, but the pages do not turn easily.) The "cap" part of the punch is smaller than other punches and most other discs. It makes the pages hard to turn when you use a bigger disk than your punch has room for. I've tried to use TUL discs with the HP punch and they do not fit into HP punch holes.

I tried an Arc punch and it had an very small cap and a short stem. I could not use the Arc punch with the TUL discs I had around the house, so I returned it and bought the Levenger.

The Levenger punch on the other hand has a very large "cap" so paper punched with it will fit with most commonly available brands of disc. The Levenger is the most universal punch. However, it's also a looser fit.

Hole punch: the disc punches will not punch through laminated card stock. Unlaminated, sure, but I began laminating my covers last summer and it makes the paper too thick. So, I use a single hole-punch and some scissors to punch my covers. I laminate first and then punch, because the finished product looks better.

Discs: I use Happy Planner discs because they have a heart in the middle and I like that. Also they have a smaller "cap" so they will work with most punches.

Covers: You can make a cover or buy one. If you are making a notebook in a standard size like letter, half-letter,  A4 or A5, you can buy covers and even entire notebooks in those sizes at office supply stores. Disc-bound notebooks do still tend to be pricey, which is one reason to make your own.

Because my planner is ISO B5, I could not buy pre-made covers. So I had to make my own. Materials for making covers include folders, card stock, chipboard, plastic placemats, and plastic food cutting mats. I've seen people cut up paper bags and use those. I have made covers from poly folders and paper folders and I prefer paper folders. Poly folders are too flexible. Poly folders are better for making dividers or a dashboard or something. I made some dividers for my Sacred Expansion workbook, from poly folders.  However, the dividers I made for my planner are of white, light-weight poster board, and I was able to print directly on them with my laser printer, which is handy.

Paper or inserts: Kind of self-explanatory. I use basic printer paper for most of my notebooks, but bought a slightly heavier paper for my planner. You can buy pre-made inserts at office supply stores, and also find lots of printables and ideas online if you want to print your own inserts.

Thermal laminator and film: this is optional but laminating covers makes them more stiff and more durable, and gives them a more finished look. I prefer my covers laminated. Because the folders I've been using are glossy, I run them through the laminator several times for a good bond.

Corner round punch: this is optional but I like rounded corners on my planner pages. They wear better over time and it looks nice.

Cutting mat, blade, rulers: I use this for cutting card stock, covers, laminate, etc. If you plan to cut a LOT of paper, or plan to cut paper often, a guillotine paper cutter is probably a good idea. I used a guillotine cutter to cut the paper for my planner this year.

Tips:

When you are making a cover, cut the cover slightly wider than you would the pages, but not more than a few mm taller, especially if you are laminating. Why? Because laminating will add about 1/8- 1/4 of an inch to your cover on every side, and if you make the cover too tall, it won't sit on a shelf without distorting. Also, disc-binding creates a curve on the vertical edges of the stack of paper. The discs will naturally scoot your cover a little bit to the left. Adding a tiny amount of width protects the pages, and leaves some space to tuck a pen into the notebook as well, or use dividers, etc.

On a cover, I like to punch, or mark the holes for punching, before I laminate. This is because if you punch after, the laminate edge may make the paper beneath visible and I don't like that. If you aren't going to laminate a paper cover, it's a good idea to reinforce the punched edge with packing tape.

My next post about this will be about my 2019 planner, which is my best disc-binding project so far.