On speccing a book.
One of my favorite things to do is spec a book, by which I mean "define all the parts and materials of the physical object." It combines so many things that I enjoy, from the technical details to the sensuous effect of the paper stock. It's extra fun when it's not a routine book--I can spec routine books in my sleep at this point, since the choices are fairly limited.
Today I put through an estimate request to my printer for something that was mostly routine, with a few new bits. Here's part of what I said, with explanations:
Trim: 8.5 x 11
casebound, no jacket
Arrestox B cloth
Spine and front-of-case foil stamp
-->This is describing the basic structure of the book. It will be a hardback, with no jacket, and the pages will be 8.5" x 11". Note, though, that they aren't actually printed on copier paper; the book will print on a regular offset press, on giant sheets that are folded into signatures.
Arrestox B cloth is an extremely durable cloth that will stand up to anything except fire (and even that for a while). It's cotton coated in something very water-resistant.
There will be foil stamping on the spine and front of the book.
At this point I'm not specifying colors, since I'm just asking for a cost estimate. Whether I choose green or brown or blue cloth makes no difference to the cost.
Then I talk about some other details, and the number of pages and the kind of paper we want the text to print on. But this book has FUN THINGS like a map and a foldout diagram! (The book is an archaeological report, so maps and diagrams are extremely important.)
Pocket map: Like [an earlier book we printed with them], this will fold up into an envelope to stick on cover 3.
-->"Cover 3" means the inside back cover.
They are not persnickety about how it folds, so long as it fits in the envelope.
Map prints CMYK on one side only. Should fold with the colored side in.
Map dimensions: 29.67" wide x 28" high.
Map stock: 80# house matte (I guess the 28" x 40" sheet?)
-->How a map folds can be an issue. The previous book had a title block and key and legend that needed to be front and center when the thing folded up. This one is strictly informational, which is also why I specced it to fold with the printed side in, to protect it a little. Anyone who uses it will have to pull it out and unfold it anyway.
The map stock is a question, but really, I know that's what they're going to use. I just don't like to dictate too hard, because perhaps they have something new that they might suggest.
Long foldout: This is where we enter new territory for me. We have a thing that we would like to have bind in with the main block, but which is a long foldout, 11" x 46.75".
It prints black only, one side only.
I would like to have the left end bind into the spine with the text block, then the whole thing is all folded up so it is not wider than the text block. It should be flush trimmed with the text block top and bottom, and the folded edge is slightly set-in from the face trim.
If this is possible, are there limitations or preferences for placement, i.e. in the middle or at the back?
-->I've never done something like this in a book, but I've seen similar things. My questions here are because (a) I might be asking something really ridiculous, and (b) even if it's possible, it might not be something this printer does. Or they can, but maybe something in my other specs makes it difficult. I simply don't know, so I simply describe what I want, and depend on them to tell me what can be done.
Given the dimensions of this, I'm assuming we need to go 70# house Web gloss, on the 52.5" rolls.
-->This is because printers don't have infinite dimensions of paper in stock. Sheets come in certain sizes, or rolls of paper come in certain widths. Though I don't mention it here, there is also the question of which way the grain of the paper goes--we don't want to fold this diagram across the grain, which could make the folds bulky and prone to deforming (getting wavy, or expanding longitudinally).
I know the standard stocks the printer keeps in house, and they have a limited selection of stock for things of this size, but the Web gloss on 52.5" rolls should do the trick (and will work regardless of which way the grain runs; we just orient the image the right way). Again, I phrase it a bit softly so that they feel comfortable telling me if that isn't the best choice.
It's important to work with one's printers. For starters, they have more information than I do regarding their exact limitations or abilities. Yes, even though I've been doing this forever, there are still plenty of things I don't know.
Second, they like to help you save money--it makes them look good, and it doesn't cost them anything (since they will make their profit either way), so they will suggest the cheapest and most efficient way to do something. Sometimes they'll say "Here's the cost for X, which you requested, but for less money we can do Y, which is almost as good." And I'll look at X and Y and decide if Y is good enough (sometimes it isn't).