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View Full Version : How To: Hollow out a Book



Evil J
04-21-2008, 01:44 PM
OK, we used to have How To's on things other than car stuff, so I thought I'd share this. Here's a finished result from this process. I made a "custom" gun case out of a book:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g233/WonderWedgeSL/STA70467.jpg

Here's how you do it:

1) Find a thick hardback book. The thickness needs to be at least as deep as whatever you're planning on storing it in.

2) use a plastic container (I cut the bottom off of a water bottle) and mix up a paper mache mixture using an all-purpose white glue (like Elmer's). I used about 3/4s glue and 1/4 water. You want it thick but not too thick.

3) Next, find the place in the book that you want to start your hollow point. It may be a certain page, or a certain spot... now, take (1) page extra. Place spacers in between (I used a couple of stacks of Post-its)to seperate the first pages and the rest of the book.

4) use your glue solution to liberally (but not til it runs) coat the outside of the pages of the section you're going to hollow out. after you're done, close the book (with the spacers in between) and place something to weigh down the top of the book. I can't stress this part enough:
The heavier and more evenly distributed the weight, the better this will turn out. TRUST ME.

I ended up using an old hard wood sign (to distribute the force evenly) and a 30 lbs. dumbell to weigh it down.

5) Let dry. this will take about 15-30 minutes.

6) Now to the hollowing. First, use a ruler and straight-edge to draw a rectangle that is at least 0.5" from the edge of the pages. If you want to just completely hollow the book out for multi-usage storage, you're done. If you're wanting something custom (like the above, or for, I dunno, a small rock hammer a la Shawshank Redemption), create a stencil of the object (the more straight lines and more 90 degree corners the better) with an extra 0.1" for clearance on all sides of the object (just that much, this will make a better fit later).

7) Start cutting using a box cutter, straight razor, or X-acto knife. If you have a dremmel, you can use that too, but be careful... paper is flammable and those things produce heat, y'know! Do small amounts of pages. If you try and do too many, you'll end up with rough edges (like I did) and difficult to cut-out corners (like I did, too).

This will take a while depending on what book you choose and how complex your stencil (remember about as many straight edges and 90 degree corners? Yeah) . Mine had 1,100 pages, and it took about 3 hours.

8) after completing this, use the remaining glue solution to run over the insides of the book as much as possible. If this is a custom job, then wrap whatever item it is smooth plastic (Zip-loc freezer bags worked best for me) and place inside book. Then, use a thin coat of the solution to paste that one page we saved to the front of the hole.

Shut book, weight as before, give MUCH longer to dry (overnight preferable).

9) Cut through that one page we saved, remove objects, reweight and make sure it's completely dry.

And...

You're done. Now you have a clever-ass hiding spot for anything.

Tnhatch03
04-21-2008, 01:50 PM
cool!

i can hide money...

Evil J
04-21-2008, 01:52 PM
cool!

i can hide money...

I honestly did this because I'd ALWAYS wanted a hollowed-out book.

It's basically doing a paper mache... and a forewarning, it gets VERY messy.

SPAM&RICE
04-21-2008, 02:07 PM
alright, Im running outta places to hide my kush from my chick all the time I know she pinches my stache,lol I hope this works for a little:pray:

Aug
04-21-2008, 02:27 PM
Anyone one who knows me would find a book more suspicious than anything hidden inside = \ Guess I'll have to keep looking for another method :mfrown:

Evil J
04-21-2008, 02:35 PM
Anyone one who knows me would find a book more suspicious than anything hidden inside = \ Guess I'll have to keep looking for another method :mfrown:

LOL, yeah, it's funny because people know I'm a book collector, so this sitting on a coffee table wouldn't surprise anyone. Until they opened it.

It's funny, I had a friend who saw this book in my possession (who is afraid of guns) and grabbed and said "Cool, is this a first edition..." then opened it and the blood drained from his face.

It was priceless.

PS, I have a concealed handgun license, so this is perfectly legal for me.

I do not recommend/condone using this for any illegal items, carrying methods, or anything else dumb you might do with it.

That said... have fun :biggrin1:

civictype_r04
04-21-2008, 02:47 PM
Intersting.

cow
04-21-2008, 02:56 PM
I'm going to PM this to all the angsty highschoolers on the forum.

Evil J
04-21-2008, 02:57 PM
I'm going to PM this to all the angsty highschoolers on the forum.

Do we have any?

cow
04-21-2008, 02:59 PM
Touche. I'll post this up at myspace & livejournal.

Evil J
04-21-2008, 03:01 PM
Touche. I'll post this up at myspace & livejournal.

Well, if they can get a gun, them taking the time to camoflauge it is the lesser problem.

I did it more for novelty effect... and because I've always wanted one...

Now, onto making a hidden door that reveals itself when a certain book-lever is pulled!

cow
04-21-2008, 03:04 PM
I'm probably going to do this. I've got no idea what I'll put in it. Maybe drugs.

Evil J
04-21-2008, 03:11 PM
I'm probably going to do this. I've got no idea what I'll put in it. Maybe drugs.

I don't condone the use of illegal drugs nor the use of my method of hollowing out a book to conceal drugs and/or drug paraphenallia.

Let me know how it goes.

cow
04-21-2008, 03:12 PM
I don't do drugs, but having a hollowed-out book seems like a great reason to start.

Evil J
04-21-2008, 03:14 PM
I don't do drugs, but having a hollowed-out book seems like a great reason to start.

It's a gateway hobby, then?

PS, anyone else find this smiley slightly offensive?

:kev:

cow
04-21-2008, 03:18 PM
I like it-- it matches my avatar.

Evil J
04-21-2008, 03:30 PM
I like it-- it matches my avatar.

Oh my God... you have no idea my reaction to that. I seriously didn't even recognize that as Anne Frank. You're a horrible individual... 1/16th of me is truly offended.

The other 15/16ths is laughing hysterically.

cow
04-21-2008, 03:33 PM
:mbiggrin:

shanewdude
04-21-2008, 03:39 PM
I'm probably going to do this. I've got no idea what I'll put in it. Maybe drugs.

:whoo:

Or cash or passport etc... of course, that should be locked up, but we never really do.

Evil J
04-21-2008, 03:54 PM
:mbiggrin:

Quite seriously thought it was just some random old picture of a girl (which was funny)... didn't even think about it twice. I feel like a dunce now.

SD_smrk1
04-21-2008, 06:30 PM
im loving this... im going to do this and now i can stash my shit in there and just place it with all the thousands of school books that i have and no one will ever think twice... thanks... not i can be
sneaky sneaky again...

crhatch02
04-21-2008, 08:10 PM
Now, onto making a hidden door that reveals itself when a certain book-lever is pulled!

Let me know when you have perfected this....

dtt02278
04-21-2008, 10:48 PM
dude... you destroyed a classic bookkk..... it's worth millions.. .... ahhaha nice...i think i can hide a lot with this... but then my whole book shelf willl have something in the books besides words...

Fico
04-21-2008, 10:56 PM
im all about this it the best mod yet for my great gadspy book

paulmofyourhand
04-21-2008, 11:39 PM
can i hide pages from other books into it?

Evil J
04-22-2008, 07:07 AM
dude... you destroyed a classic bookkk..... it's worth millions.. .... ahhaha nice...i think i can hide a lot with this... but then my whole book shelf willl have something in the books besides words...

Trust me, it's not a "classic" and I have another copy of it just like it or I wouldn't have done it... :mgrin:


can i hide pages from other books into it?

Yes. Yes you can.