Book Bindings

By Christophermarshall6, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

Does this help?

I used to do book repair for a library. This is the usual approved method for an in-tact text block that has separated completely from the cover. However, if you would like to take pictures of your damaged book, I can tell you what the method of repair should be.

The uninitiated will tell you to use common types of tape like duct tape, packaging tape, or school glue. Do NOT use those. They sell book binding tape and archival quality glue. Anything else will shorten the lifespan of your book, not lengthen it.

I have all the books, and for some reason, just my AoR core is a bit of a mess. The cover just feels a bit loose. All the other books are great, so I just rarely pull that one out unless I need something specific in it and use the other two cores for rules reading.

My copy of Edge of the Empire and Suns of Fortune both split at the binding. I ended up ordering replacements and gave the defective book to group members. There is definitely something wrong with the Chinese printer that manufactures the books. Probably skimping on quality for maximum profit. FFG should put their foot down and threaten to withdraw their business if quality isn't improved.

My EotE binding is a bit loose and worn for the wear, but I lug that thing around everywhere. so I'm not too upset.

I'm beginning to wonder if I could make a modest business out of a repair service for PRG books.

I'm beginning to wonder if I could make a modest business out of a repair service for PRG books.

PRG? Pseudo-Random Generated?

Why would you need to repair those?

;) ;) ;)

The thing is, my AoR book that I mentioned practically came shipped to me with the loose feeling cover :/. It wasn't from rough wear or anything.

I have found the books of today, Printed from China especially, are not as sturdy as yesteryear. Books from 20-30 years ago were much sturdier. My parents have 2 series of Encyclopedias, from the 70s and 80s, that went through some SERIOUS heavy use by myself and my 5 siblings that still hold Strong today.

There is a trend of the Production market today, regardless of what is being produced, to build in obsolescence into the products so that you need to replace them at reasonable regular intervals. Manufacturer warranties are typically set to try and beat the numbers by having them run out before the product is estimated to "burn out".

For instance, Microsoft has a Full coverage Manufacturer warranty of 3 years full replacement or repair from the date printed on the back of the case. Interestingly enough more than 70% of all Xbox 360s went Red Ring soon after there 3rd year from the date of the warranty on the back.

We are seeing this Trend More specifically in the RPG industry with these Larger Books. This Binding used for the smaller books, Like the FFG splat books, or D&D X.x Books, didn't tend to be the same issue as there wasn't as much stress put on the book by it's own weight and size/thickness. But the FFGSW Core books (as well as other games Like Hackmaster, Aces and Eights and Champions) have more trouble as the weight and thickness doesn't hold as well in this Same binding.. It is, relatively speaking in the Book production world, Cheap.

this isn't a Kick at the game companies. It is a fact of the production. They need to learn from this and Upgrade the Binding & Backing a step. It' Hard because that either Cuts into their Profit margin, or they have to charge us a Bit more. And the Price of these Style Books is Already Balked at by many.

Of Course the Price Range of each Book is part of Why I wish FFG had Gone with a Player and GMG style book for each of the Versions.... Having to Only Buy the GMG with ALL the Rules and Galactic Information and then Buying a Cheaper Supplemental Players Book For each section (EotE, AoR and F&D) would have been an Easier Pill to swallow when they had pans to do at least 3 core books.

It may have also Helped some with the Binding Issues.

My 2 ms printing is starting to go bad

My Lords of bank hutts is starting to go bad.

Autocorrect gone bad?

Seriously, it sounds like you might have something environmental going on, because all of those books should not have gone bad. First step is to contact customer service and talk to them.

That also can Be. Depending in where you live. Humidity and temperature of the area you live in can greatly impact your books. Books Do best in Humidity levels of 30-50% and temperatures no higher than 70 Degrees Fahrenheit. No lower Humidity or your books get more brittle... Higher humidity and temperatures cause Mildew and allow For easier Degradation in the Paper, Higher Humidity and temperatures also have a Heavy effect on the glues used, causing the Glue to slacken, loosen and even breakdown the glue.

I'm beginning to wonder if I could make a modest business out of a repair service for PRG books.

PRG? Pseudo-Random Generated?

Why would you need to repair those?

;) ;) ;)

PRG is the transliteration of an ancient Hebrew word (without its vowel markings) which roughly translates into English as "typographical error."

The thing is, my AoR book that I mentioned practically came shipped to me with the loose feeling cover :/. It wasn't from rough wear or anything.

as I noted above.. Your easily could have been in the Container that can across from china on the Outer part of a Container exposed to the Sun and/or Humidity.

Other possibilities are when it was shipped out to distributors.. or from distributors to The store.. or if you purchased yours Direct from a webstore... during the shipping from them to you...

Yes, it could also have been one produced at the end of a Production run on the machien where things like the glue were getting thin or what not... But exposure to the Elements can have an effect on the book Before it arrives..

I know with the Aces & Eights book, Mine and Others Looked like they were Warped (the company replaced them for us) It looked Like Moisture Exposure Warping.. not just of the Backing.... but of all the pages int he book....

At some point, The boxes they were in were Likely on the Outside of the stack some where are exposed to A Lot of Heat and Humidity. Even to the Point of where the Box itself Got wet.

I have found the books of today, Printed from China especially, are not as sturdy as yesteryear. Books from 20-30 years ago were much sturdier. My parents have 2 series of Encyclopedias, from the 70s and 80s, that went through some SERIOUS heavy use by myself and my 5 siblings that still hold Strong today.

There is a trend of the Production market today, regardless of what is being produced, to build in obsolescence into the products so that you need to replace them at reasonable regular intervals. Manufacturer warranties are typically set to try and beat the numbers by having them run out before the product is estimated to "burn out".

For instance, Microsoft has a Full coverage Manufacturer warranty of 3 years full replacement or repair from the date printed on the back of the case. Interestingly enough more than 70% of all Xbox 360s went Red Ring soon after there 3rd year from the date of the warranty on the back.

We are seeing this Trend More specifically in the RPG industry with these Larger Books. This Binding used for the smaller books, Like the FFG splat books, or D&D X.x Books, didn't tend to be the same issue as there wasn't as much stress put on the book by it's own weight and size/thickness. But the FFGSW Core books (as well as other games Like Hackmaster, Aces and Eights and Champions) have more trouble as the weight and thickness doesn't hold as well in this Same binding.. It is, relatively speaking in the Book production world, Cheap.

this isn't a Kick at the game companies. It is a fact of the production. They need to learn from this and Upgrade the Binding & Backing a step. It' Hard because that either Cuts into their Profit margin, or they have to charge us a Bit more. And the Price of these Style Books is Already Balked at by many.

Of Course the Price Range of each Book is part of Why I wish FFG had Gone with a Player and GMG style book for each of the Versions.... Having to Only Buy the GMG with ALL the Rules and Galactic Information and then Buying a Cheaper Supplemental Players Book For each section (EotE, AoR and F&D) would have been an Easier Pill to swallow when they had pans to do at least 3 core books.

It may have also Helped some with the Binding Issues.

As your post goes on, you start hitting the 'shift' key more and more.

I have to know why.

I have found the books of today, Printed from China especially, are not as sturdy as yesteryear. Books from 20-30 years ago were much sturdier. My parents have 2 series of Encyclopedias, from the 70s and 80s, that went through some SERIOUS heavy use by myself and my 5 siblings that still hold Strong today.

There is a trend of the Production market today, regardless of what is being produced, to build in obsolescence into the products so that you need to replace them at reasonable regular intervals. Manufacturer warranties are typically set to try and beat the numbers by having them run out before the product is estimated to "burn out".

For instance, Microsoft has a Full coverage Manufacturer warranty of 3 years full replacement or repair from the date printed on the back of the case. Interestingly enough more than 70% of all Xbox 360s went Red Ring soon after there 3rd year from the date of the warranty on the back.

We are seeing this Trend More specifically in the RPG industry with these Larger Books. This Binding used for the smaller books, Like the FFG splat books, or D&D X.x Books, didn't tend to be the same issue as there wasn't as much stress put on the book by it's own weight and size/thickness. But the FFGSW Core books (as well as other games Like Hackmaster, Aces and Eights and Champions) have more trouble as the weight and thickness doesn't hold as well in this Same binding.. It is, relatively speaking in the Book production world, Cheap.

this isn't a Kick at the game companies. It is a fact of the production. They need to learn from this and Upgrade the Binding & Backing a step. It' Hard because that either Cuts into their Profit margin, or they have to charge us a Bit more. And the Price of these Style Books is Already Balked at by many.

Of Course the Price Range of each Book is part of Why I wish FFG had Gone with a Player and GMG style book for each of the Versions.... Having to Only Buy the GMG with ALL the Rules and Galactic Information and then Buying a Cheaper Supplemental Players Book For each section (EotE, AoR and F&D) would have been an Easier Pill to swallow when they had pans to do at least 3 core books.

It may have also Helped some with the Binding Issues.

As your post goes on, you start hitting the 'shift' key more and more.

I have to know why.

LOL

A Bad habit ...lol

My mind and my fingers are way to interconnected. They tend to emphasize words that are emphasized in my head.

2 years in and my books are not showing the same signs of poor manufacture - I guess I'm lucky! They show wear & tear all right, but nothing's coming apart yet. That would certainly chap my hide....

Edited by themensch

I bitched about this elsewhere. The spine needs to be segmented vertically to accommodate the U shape of an open book