Are you too precious with your notebooks? Are you particular about paper? Do you like binders, but wish they could fold back on themselves? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this DIY refillable notebook might be the project for you!

Uses 2x generic “3 ring loose leaf combs” available on Amazon or AliExpress ($10 for 20).

The “killer feature” of this design that I have not seen anywhere else (and I looked hard) is that the long cutouts in the covers create enough space to fit the posts of the binding combs, so that the notebook can lie flat when folded back on itself.

Alternative to discbound notebooks and proprietary systems (Filofax, Kokuyo Campus).

By default, this notebook is in A5, but you can resize it using parameters. You can punch your own paper (see my supplies below), or you can buy pre-punched 6-hole A5 paper.

Files provided:

• Parameterized Fusion 360 file (F3D)
• STEP as generic export
• DXF for laser cutting
• STL for 3D-printing

Features:

• Lies flat when opened to a spread 📖
• Folds back on itself (saves desk space) 📒
• Lies flat when folded back! 😤
• Can store a pen (or mechanical pencil) in the rings
• Kinda janky, so you aren't too precious with it 🤠
• Just hard enough to refill that you don't spend too much time fiddling with it 😉
• Industrial A E S T H E T I C
• Smells like campfire* 🔥

* campfire smell available in lasercut edition only. dissipates after two days.

Available parameters in Fusion 360:

Supplies used for my make:

• Strathmore 400 Series Recycled Sketch Pad (80 lbs)
  • Chopped each 9" x 12" into two 9" x 6"
  • Trimmed height from 9" to 210 mm
  • Got 48 x A5-ish sheets
• Lineco Binder's Board (0.067")
• WorkLion Adjustable 6-Hole Punch
• Sunstar Kadomaru Pro Corner Cutter
• Generic 15 mm rings
  • Fits about 35 sheets (80 lbs) plus covers (10.7 mm)
  • Using 20 mm rings should fit all 48 sheets

If you are still reading, it's time for Bookbinding 101 trivia! Here are some terms I didn't use when naming parameters because no one would have any idea what I was talking about:

• squares = The part of the boards and/or cover of a book that project beyond the edges of the bookblock.
• head = The top of a bound book as placed vertically on a shelf.
• tail = The bottom of a bound book as placed vertically on a shelf.
• fore-edge = The edge of a codex-form book from which it is opened, opposite the spine.
• spine = ok, you prolly knew this one already. is it a spine if it's made of rings though? idk

One last thing. If you are laser-cutting binder's board or chipboard to make the cover, you should pay attention to the grain of the board. Make sure that the grain "runs long" i.e. vertically, top to bottom. Here's a good guide:

[https://myhandboundbooks.blogspot.com/2007/09/paper-grain.html](https://myhandboundbooks.blogspot.com/2007/09/paper-grain.html)

It doesn't really matter for the paper in this loose-leaf design, but it does matter for the board.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLg2Q3Ncbwc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLg2Q3Ncbwc)

I forgot to do this in my make. As a result, there's some warping:

If you ensure that the board grain runs long, you won't have this issue.