DIY paper organizer hack - Circa reinforcement strips, not puncher.
I am somewhat compulsive about organizing. I have been using user designed paper forms from D*I*Y planner. http://www.diyplanner.com/ (Check out the image gallery and template directory). Several people there have started a thread on using Levenger Circa notebooks with DIY Planner forms. This post is a hack for using Circa reinforcement strips in place of a Circa punch when you don't have one handy (1st left photo). In a pinch, you can get by without a puncher by using 2 reinforcement strips (2nd left photo).
Demo for using Circa reinforcement strips instead of a Circa puncher.
(double click on the photos to enlarge)
Photo 1 immediately above) On this demo, I used a DIY Planner Combined Actions form printed on a letter-sized paper and folded in half. Photo 2) The holes in the reinforcement sheets will increase the paper's folded size by 7 mm. (A) To match Leverger's paper size, first fold the letter-size paper in half, then cut off 1/4" from the bottm, and then cut off 5 mm from the inner side (opposite of the folded side). (B) If you are using DIY forms and just cutting letter sized papers in half, then just trim 7 mm from the two inner sides (unfolded size of 8 1/2" x 10 1/2"). Photo 3) Use a punched paper as a guide to line up the holes on both reinforcement strips. Mark the paper's edges on the reinforcement strips using a ruler and pen. Cut off the edges or reinforcement strips that extend beyond the paper. Photo 4) A reinforcement strip peeled from its backing. Photo 5) One reinforcement strip attached. Repeat on the other side, carefully matching up the holes. Photo 6) A closeup after both sides are attached. Notice that the holes extend immediately off the paper edge. Photo 7) A closeup of the finished page inserted into a Circa notebook. Photo 8) A full view of the finished page. The reinforcement strip is visible on this photo due to its translucent shine. The plastic holes of the demo page fit the Circa rings nicely.
