Once you have downloaded the guide it is important to know how to print it. There are two versions - one is a straight A5 document, but the one you will most likely need to produce the book is the sub-booket A4 version.

If you have a printer that can take a 300+ page A5 PDF document and produce a book then you're set. For the rest of us with simple printers, download the sub-booklet A4 PDF.

The sub-booklet A4 pdf needs to be duplex-printed, if your printer can do duplex then set if for that and skip to the folding & binding section.

To be sure that the document is centered properly on the page, do a test print of a page with text on both sides. If it is not centered, the most likely reason is that the page is set to Letter, not A4.

Simple Printing

If you wish to simply print the guide on standard sheets of paper, for example to punch holes and insert in a 2-4 ring binder, or in plastic sheets, you can print the A5 version and scale it to an A4 (or letter) sized page.

Most PDF programs will allow you to do this. Simply set the paper size to what you need in print setup, and in the main print dialog make sure 'stretch to page' is selected (this is usually on by default).

This will print the guide double sized which can be an advantage to those with poor eyesight as admittedly the main text is a little small. This will make a very hefty manual (about 100 mm or 4" thick), especially if it is not duplex (double sided) printed, but it does make reading easier.

Manual Duplex Printing

To do manual duplex, the ODD pages needed to be printed first, then the stack of paper is fed back to the printer and the EVEN pages are printed. You should do a test print of a two-page document to find out how to position the paper when you feed it back through. If it helps, mark the paper before you print to better understand how it is fed through. For most printers it is fairly easy to work out, but still surprisingly easy to mess it up (I know, trust me), so make sure you've got it before you feed all pages through.

Once you know how to feed the paper to the printer for the second page, go ahead and print all odd pages, then feed the stack of paper back into the printer for the even pages.

IMPORTANT!
If the pages come out of your printer face-down, when you print the even pages check the 'reverse order' box,
if they come out face-up, leave it unchecked.

Folding & Binding

Once you have your stack of seemingly random pages, take them into groups of 4 and fold them into sub-booklets. Make sure you fold them the correct way otherwise it won't work. The easiest way to tell is the pages either side of the centre-fold should follow on.

At this point you could just staple the stack (assuming you have one of those bigass staplers) (it's too big for that now) and leave it at that, if you want a more book-like finish then read on.

The sub-booklets can now be sewn down the middle. If you don't have a sewing machine then they can be handsewn with a back-stich. A straight stitch should also work because the glue will prevent it from moving. If you are not proficient with a sewing machine then ask your girlfriend to help.

Cover

Because of the girth of the pages (about 10mm 25mm compressed) an A4 sheet is too short to wrap around for the cover. What you will need is a piece of cardboard that is trimmed to A4 width (210 mm) and left longer than a standard sheet (which is 297mm), so 350mm will cover it. The printer won't like it, but it won't complain either.

Here is the cover that I use, and here is another.

Print that and score it lightly at the correct points to fold over the stack of booklets. Now place some glue - craft glue or PVA is good, gluesticks are not - along the spine and clamp the pages in. If you don't have clamps then a heavy book should do. Let this set for a good 12 hours or so. Don't use too much glue or it can spill into the main pages.

The final result can now be trimmed. I use a metal ruler clamped to the book on a breadboard, then run a sharp knife along the ruler a few pages at a time. Don't rush this or the pages will tear. Once complete this makes the whole thing easy to flick through and walla you have your own personal handbook of DooM!

Enjoy!

Leather Binding and Gilded Edges

No idea.