MRJ Binders

If you are making something new or have found something, announce it here.
David Thorpe

MRJ Binders

Postby David Thorpe » Thu Jan 05, 2012 3:02 pm

I have long wanted binders for my Model Railway Journals, but as far as i know Wild Swan do not now offer these. But this Christmas I received some binders for my "Steam Days" magazines and they look so good and are so convenient that I thought I'd go ahead and try to source some myself for MRJ. The same firm that does the "Steam Days" ones will happily make some specifically for MRJ, but the quantity required is such that I can't go ahead unless I find some other people who want them as well.

Basically, what they offer is a "wirex" binder that will be made specifically to fit MRJ (I have to send them a copy of the magazine) and which will hold 12 copies. The words "Model Railway Journal" will be printed on the spine in gold. The binders can be of any reasonable dark colour - I'm open to suggestions (they'll all have to be the same!)

The price will depend on how many I order (minimum is 50). If, for example, 100 or more binders were required I reckon that they'd cost you about £4.50 each plus postage from me to you. If it's between 50 and 100, they'd be about 75p more.

Anyone interested?

DT

David Bigcheeseplant
Posts: 337
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:10 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby David Bigcheeseplant » Thu Jan 05, 2012 6:29 pm

Yes from me, need them for BRJ and GWRJ too

David

User avatar
steamraiser
Posts: 557
Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 4:49 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby steamraiser » Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:34 pm

Yes from me as well.

Gordon A
Bristol

Andrew Ullyott
Posts: 225
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:31 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Andrew Ullyott » Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:39 pm

Yes please. I reckon I could do with 10. Green preferred to match the original binders I inherited (I assume the original Wild Swan ones).

Philip Hall
Posts: 1943
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:49 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Philip Hall » Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:39 pm

Wild Swan have never offered binders for MRJ or the other magazines, only a casebinding service which is still undertaken by Grays Bookbinders in Mitcham. They are obviously a lot more expensive than the very reasonable price that David has sourced for ready made binders, and a dark green cloth would seem to match how Grays do them. BRJs were done in a dark blue cloth until it became a book, and I'm not sure if a service is offered for the GWRJ.

For those who would like casebinding, here are the details: They are done in a dark green cloth, complete with index, and can be bound with or without the covers. My last two volumes cost me £26 each and for that you end up with a very nice book. I take them direct to the binders, but I'm sure that carriage can be arranged if required.

Grays are at: Unit 5, 24 Willow Lane, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 4NQ Telephone: 0208 640 1449 Email: graysbookbinders@btconnect.com No website, only email; just a lovely old fashioned bookbinders!

No connection other than as a long standing customer, since volume 1.

Philip

User avatar
Rod Cameron
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:01 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Rod Cameron » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:10 pm

Yes from me too (10 or so). The dark green ones referred to by Andrew (of which I have a few) were made by a company called Celsur Plastics, long since gone - similar to a wirex binder but using a plastic loop affair to retain the copies. So dark green would be a good colour for me.

I much prefer binders that keep the individual integrity of each copy rather than casebinding - just a personal preference.
Rod

doktorstamp
Posts: 73
Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 9:07 am

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby doktorstamp » Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:13 am

I, too, would be interested.

Showing my age I well remember as a child having the magazine Finding Out bought for me, these were kept in dedicated binders by a wire that was removed, layed down the centre pages of the open magazine and then reinserted. Hey presto magazine stored, very simple, and I have looked in vain for something similar ever since.

I would happily purchase 10.

regards

Nigel

User avatar
Jol Wilkinson
Posts: 1111
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:39 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:01 am

I have my early MRJs in "Wirex" binders (bought from WHS but no longer sold by them). I've found that the wire can rust, marking the magazines.

I now use a black binder supplied by the LNWR Society for their Journals, but available without the printing on the spine. This has a slightly elastic cord retainer for each magazine. I find them better than my old Wirex versions, as they retain the MRJ rather better.

If interested as an alternative supplier, I can find who supplies them.

Jol

David Thorpe

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby David Thorpe » Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:58 am

The "wirex" in the binders is not actually wire - it seems to be a springy type of plastic and there would therefore be no rust problems.

DT.

User avatar
Rod Cameron
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:01 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Rod Cameron » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:22 am

No rusting problem with wire in wirex binders I have for MORILL and early BRILL.
Rod

User avatar
Jol Wilkinson
Posts: 1111
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:39 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:34 am

I've just found a flyer in one of the binders. It is a "Cordex" Binder, from Modern Bookbinders Ltd, so sounds like the same thing.

The Cordex ones that I have hold twelve issues, the wire versions hold fourteen but are wider for a given number of issues.

I would like to rebind my early MRJs and get rid of the Wirex type, so would be happy to take a dozen, if in a suitable colour. By which I mean black or dark blue , but not GWR green or Midland red!

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Paul Willis » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:53 am

DaveyTee wrote:I have long wanted binders for my Model Railway Journals, but as far as i know Wild Swan do not now offer these.

Basically, what they offer is a "wirex" binder that will be made specifically to fit MRJ (I have to send them a copy of the magazine) and which will hold 12 copies. The words "Model Railway Journal" will be printed on the spine in gold. The binders can be of any reasonable dark colour - I'm open to suggestions (they'll all have to be the same!)

Hi DT,

I'll definitely have some - my collection of "loose" MRJs is starting to look dog-eared on the bookshelf :-(

I've got fourteen of the original Celsur ones in green with gold blocking for the title - if you could match these in style it would be superb. I only ever put ten editions in a binder - any more and it seems a squeeze, and too difficult to get the binder to lie flat on the workbench.

So given current and future needs, I'd say that I'm up for twenty of them.

That might seem a lot, yet we don't know how many more editions of MRJ there are that Wild Swan have for us in future... I had my fingers burned with the original binders when I ordered them from Celsur "as needed" and it must be something like fifteen years ago that I spoke with Celsur and they said that they'd stopped production!

Interestingly, they now seem to have re-started producing something similar - http://stock.celsur.co.uk/category/82-magazine-binders.aspx.

When I last spoke with Celsur, they said that they could do another run of MRJ binders, but the minimum order size was something like a thousand units - I didn't feel that I could stump up the cash for that sort of investment, not fancying going into the stationery trade myself. Of course, Celsur may also now be interested in the business themselves as well.

HTH
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

Bulwell Hall

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Bulwell Hall » Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:05 am

Good Morning

This may be taken as a plug for my business but as a bookbinder myself I may be able to help those who require casebinding. I can arrange for volumes of MRJ, BRJ, GWRJ, Midland Record, LMS Journal and any other periodical to be bound. Volumes will be fully sewn, covered in Waterproof Library Buckram and lettered in gold on the spine. I have blocks availiable for front board logos for MRJ and GWRJ. Additional decorative gold lines, blind lines and head and tailbands may be added as required. Rather than quote prices here should anyone be interested please contact me at:

gerry.beale@cedricchivers.com

I look forward to hearing from interested parties in due course.

Gerry

User avatar
Rod Cameron
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:01 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Rod Cameron » Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:15 am

Jol Wilkinson wrote:I would like to rebind my early MRJs and get rid of the Wirex type, so would be happy to take a dozen, if in a suitable colour. By which I mean black or dark blue , but not GWR green or Midland red!


Oi! It's not just the GWR that is associated with green you know! ;)

Thanks Paul for the update on Celsur, I wonder if they (or whoever DT is speaking to) could do ones with 'Scalefour News' as well - at least for issue 52 onwards when it went to stapled binding. More options given the A4 size I would have thought.

Whilst checking the issue concerned, I noted that the cover shows the demo tables at Scaleforum 86 with the caption 'A scene of intense concentration' :? Thank God we have more fun nowadays ...
Rod

David Thorpe

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby David Thorpe » Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:24 am

Jol Wilkinson wrote:I've just found a flyer in one of the binders. It is a "Cordex" Binder, from Modern Bookbinders Ltd, so sounds like the same thing.

Yes, the quote i've got is from Modern Bookbinders. They do both cordex and Wirex - I've gone for wirex simply because I'm very pleased with the wirex ones I got for "Steam Days" and because I've had problems with cords stretching with binders in the (long distant) past. I also feel that a broken wire would be easier to replace than a broken cord.

Moderrn Bookbinders will make these specifically to fit MRJ. When I place the order I send them a copy of MRJ so that they can take measurements and ensure a proper fit. I can choose the colour - dark green currently seems to be the favourite and is probably the one I'd have chosen if it was only for me - and I have to supply some artwork for the gold lettering on the spine. Art is not my speciality - if anyone else has any sugestions as to that, I'd be very pleased! The company want the artwork in strick black and white and it'll be reproduced in gold.

As you'll appreciate, the binders will not be supplied "off the shelf", and it will therefore take about 5 weeks from placing the order to delivery. They will send me a "proof" to approve before they go ahead.

Flymo wrote:I've got fourteen of the original Celsur ones in green with gold blocking for the title - if you could match these in style it would be superb. I only ever put ten editions in a binder - any more and it seems a squeeze, and too difficult to get the binder to lie flat on the workbench.


I haven't seen the celsur ones, so can't comment. But if you can supply the artwork (see above) I don't see why they couldn't do something similar.

My "Steam Days" binders are designed for, and comfortably hold, 12 copies, each copy being about 62 pages (they seem fatter than MRJ). The spine of the binder is about 85mm wide, so they're quite bulky. My wife, on the other hand, has some binders (also produced by Modern Bookbinders) for one of her spinning magazines, and they are cordex with a much narrower spine (about 45mm for 12 magazines). Both the cordex and the wirex seem to work well though, as I said, if there were any breakages I think it would be easier to get and replace the wires than the cords.

Later today I'll try to take some photos to illustrate the above.

Rod Cameron wrote:Thanks Paul for the update on Celsur, I wonder if they (or whoever DT is speaking to) could do ones with 'Scalefour News' as well - at least for issue 52 onwards when it went to stapled binding. More options given the A4 size I would have thought.

Moderrn Bookbinders will accept commissions for all sorts of custom made binders with a very reasonable minuimum order of 50 although, of course, the price decreases the more one buys.

DT

User avatar
Rod Cameron
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:01 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Rod Cameron » Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:46 pm

I haven't seen the celsur ones, so can't comment. But if you can supply the artwork (see above) I don't see why they couldn't do something similar.


Basically the same font as the original MRJ title on the magazine. Like this

P1060063.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Rod

User avatar
newport_rod
Posts: 138
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:48 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby newport_rod » Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:51 pm

I get my MRJs, GWRJs etc., casebound by Cedric Chivers (see Gerry Beale alias Bulwell Hall's note) and would happily recommend them to anyone as they produce a good solid product which is much nicer to handle than the DIY binders.

But I could do with a Cordex/Wirex style binder (for each of MRJ and GWRJ, if there is interest) to stop issues from the current volume going astray.

Rod

User avatar
Tim V
Posts: 2865
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:40 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Tim V » Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:19 pm

I use magazine racks - they do what it says on the tin.....
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

David Thorpe

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby David Thorpe » Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:00 pm

I've taken some photos and here they are. They show both wirex and cordex binders.

binder1.jpg
binder2.jpg
binder3.jpg
binder4.jpg
binder7.jpg
binder5.jpg
binder6.jpg


I've just spent a happy couple of hours going through my MRJs and have just realised that if I'm to bind them all I'm going to need 18 binders! Frightening to think that that first preview edition came out 36 years ago.

DT

P.S And something like this for the binder (albeit in gold)?

mrj3.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Jol Wilkinson
Posts: 1111
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:39 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:50 am

Davey,

the photos confirm - for me - the other benefit of the Cordex binder. For given number of issues they are narrower. As space in my bookshelves is at a premium, I would want to go with the Cordex version.

If you opt for the Wirex type, I'll get mine directly from Modern Bookbinders, as I can also match the ones I already have.

Jol

Trevor Grout
Posts: 137
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:34 am

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Trevor Grout » Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:20 am

I would certainly have 10 or so if cordex ones were on offer.

David Thorpe

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby David Thorpe » Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:37 am

I'm quite happy to go cordex if that's the general concensus. To get the price offered, however (and that appears to be trade price) thay've all got to be the same! So would everyone who has already expressed an interest be happy with cordex rather than wirex?

DT

User avatar
Penrhos1920
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Penrhos1920 » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:16 pm

I get my MRJ binders from the Welsh Railways research Circle. They are plain green cordex, have 13 cords and are exactly the right size.

User avatar
Rod Cameron
Posts: 850
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:01 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Rod Cameron » Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:48 pm

Cordex OK with me.
Rod

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: MRJ Binders

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:06 am

And Cordex (the slim ones, if I follow correctly) is my preference as well. Still in for twenty :-)

Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk


Return to “New Products”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 0 guests