DIY Tear Pads - Made Easy
I am always looking for a piece of paper to write something on. I need to jot down a phone number or an appointment time, or something. But I don’t want single pieces of paper everywhere.
The solution is a DIY Tear Pad. This TODO List is just one of the many DIY Tear Pads that I have made.
With DIY Tear Pads, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
What Supplies Will I Need?
DIY Tear Pads might just be some of the easier projects that you will ever make. Paper, glue and binding clips are the only supplies that you need for this project. It could not be easier.
Do I Need Special Papers?
The Paper can be any size that you want. I like to make my DIY Tear Pads 6.5×4 inches. That is a good size for me and I an fit 2 pages of the design on a single 8.5×11 inch piece of paper and run it through my printer.
I will usually make 60 to 120 copies of a design for my DIY Tear Pad. Because I get 2 prints per page, I only need 30 to 60 copies.
What Glue Should I Use?
Glue is one of those personal choices. I use Elmer’s Washable Clear Glue. This glue is safe, non toxic and can be wiped off if it drips over to areas where no glue is needed.
Binder Clips
I use the medium size binder clips. The binder clips are used to hold the pages of the DIY Tear Pad together until the glue dries. You need a tight hold on these pages so that the glue can seal the pages together without issues.
If you find gaps in your glued seal, just re-apply the glue to that area and all will be well.
Putting It All Together
Start by printing your design and then cutting out the individual pages that will make up your DIY Tear Pad. Now it is time to cut out the individual pages for the DIY Tear Pad.
Time To Get Out Your Paper Trimmer
Take your time. I use my Fiskars Pro Cutter. Alignment depends on accurate cutting. The pages need to be the same size. Personally, I don’t go crazy, since my DIY Tear Pads are for personal use or gift to friends. I do not sell my DIY Tear Pads.
For those of you who do plan on selling these, I would suggest talking to your local print store. They will be able to help you with accurate cutting.
Next Comes the Assembly
Once the pages are cut, it is time for stacking and aligning. 60 to 80 pages is usually a good size. But there are times when I have made 120 pages and that works fine.
Now is the time to arrange the pages. Sometimes I will have a DIY Tear Pad that has more than one design. For example, if there are 6 designs, I will make stacks of 6. A stack will contain 1 of each design.
Once I have the designs separated into stacks, I will put the Tear Pad Stack together with the desired number of pages.
Gluing It All Together
Now that you have your pages stacked, tap them gently on a hard surface to two sides. This will help align all the pages evenly.
The brown cardboard that you see across the top will help keep the page from bulking from the glue. It will also help keep everything aligned when I am applying the glue.
I add the glue and spread it out with my finger. The object here is to get even coverage of the glue.
Now depending on you current climate, drying time shouldn't take long. Here is South Texas, my drying time is only a couple of hours. You will know that your DIY Tear Pad is dry and ready for use when the glue is no longer tacky to touch.
You Did It !!
Wasn’t that easy? Be sure to share your projects. Leave a comment if you liked the project or if you have any questions. I love seeing what you make.
Be sure to check back, I made covers for these DIY Tear Pads. One of the covers has a pen holder and a calendar. In that post I will walk you through the entire process, math and all.
See you soon.
