DIY Book Weights

​The hand binding and conservation of books requires “book weights” in a variety of shapes, sizes, and hefts, for restraining repairs or holding binding components in place during active work and while adhesives dry.  As  experienced bookbinders, book artists, and book conservators know, commercially available book weights can be surprisingly expensive. While I appreciate the Library Lab’s sturdy, functional, commercially purchased book weights, I also enjoy the whimsy of DIY options. And when it comes to my home studio, affordability is key. 

Some of my favorite book weights are repurposed, old-fashioned, cast-iron irons, a tip I learned from book conservator Laura Larkin.  These irons can be found at most antique stores for as little as $6 apiece.  I’ve also seen some shops charge as much as $30, but if you come across a price tag as hefty as the iron itself, keep looking. One of the best features of these weights is the ergonomic handle, which makes them easy to lift and move. Rusted irons can be scrubbed with steel wool and then painted with an iron-bonding product, or lined with felt along the bottom to prevent them from transferring corroded iron particles onto the books. 

Some of the easiest and heaviest fill materials for DIY book weights are lead shot (take appropriate safety precautions for handling lead) or stainless steel ball bearings. I prefer the latter, so I don’t need to worry about lead contamination in case of a mishap and spill. 

​In a pinch, you can make a simple sack weight by filling a zip-top polyethylene baggie. I strongly recommend taping or gluing the baggie shut, as insurance against the zip-top popping open at an inopportune moment and spilling the bag’s contents all over your workspace. Another good insurance measure is to sew a fabric sleeve to fit over the baggie (or repurpose a clean sock) and then stitch it shut, like a little pillow cover. 

​Equally functional weights can be made by filling small plastic bottles, which can be staid, like this plastic film canister, or whimsical, like this dinosaur-topped bottle fabricated for bubble soap. 

​When I was at ISU Library, we would regularly turn “Beanie Babies” or other small, stuffed animals into book weights by ripping open a small part of a seam, removing their original stuffing, and then refilling them with ball bearings. The nice thing about using plush animals is that the incision can be sewn shut easily and discreetly. 

I purchased this little shoe, which had been repurposed into a pin cushion, at the Alexandria Farmer's Market. I replaced some of the stuffing with ball bearings, and the shoe now functions as both a weight and a pin cushion, the perfect choice when I am resewing textblocks.

Finally, on a recent trip to the zoo with my nephew, I was smitten by a squishy rubber alligator. I liked his size and the drape of his body, so I decided to try turning him into a book weight, too.  I cut an incision in the alligator’s belly (which felt like the thinnest part of his skin). Removing the plastic beads was something of a hot mess, because static made them cling to everything – hands, tools, surfaces. It finally occurred to me to vacuum out the alligator’s innards using a micro-nozzle attachment on the vacuum hose. Success! 

​Next, I used a small spatula to hold the incision open while I fed stainless steel ball bearings into the hollow cavity with my other hand. 

I used superglue to seal the incision. I also adhered a patch of thinly pared scrap leather over the incision, as added reinforcement. 

​Now, every time I use this alligator weight at work, I smile and recall a fun day spent with my sweet and smart little nephew.