Mylar dust jackets

[gcstomp]

I am probably referring to them by the wrong name, so put your thinking cap on. I am interested in protecting my hard cover graphic novels. I have seen a couple of dealers at shows put nice shiny plastic cover protectors on their expensive hard covers.

Anyone have first hand experience in using these mylar dust jackets? Any input on where to get them, how worthwhile they are, do they do a good job of protecting the books from the grubby customers?

Thanks.

[lizards2]

They're great. I recommend two-sided 3-M archival tape to seal them on - you basically seal the endflaps to the jacket/protector itself, and keep all tape away from book and dustjacket. You probably also need a bone folder.

 

Highsmith sells the jackets and the tape, and the bone folders.

 

I think Bud Plant sells just the jackets.

[theVisitor]

Brodart also sells all the supplies you are looking for.

 

Phil

[gcstomp]

I just looked at Brodart. The problem is that they carry sooo many varieties, what with 1.5 mill gloss, 2 mill tabbed, 2.5 mill matt, 4 mill with center cut paper, literally dozens of varieties, I am getting stressed out wading through the online catalog. What the freak man I am not a librarian but I want to get the right product.

 

I looked at Bagsunlimited and found 1 product that appears to be what I am looking for. Durable book cover jacket on a roll with paper backing, 1.5 mill polyester, which I hope is like mylar?

 

I will just order that, and if it sucks I may just resort to ripping off all my dust jackets and become some crazed anti jacket villain.

[szelim]

See if Buffyfan has the right mylars for your books.

 

[gcstomp]

I just got it over with and ordered a 300' roll w/paper backing, from Bagsunlimited. I figure that should be good for like 250 books, at a cost of about .20 cents per book for a pro looking shiny mylar cover protector. Nothing worse than a nice book and a dj gets ripped so hopefully this will help with that issue.

 

I will post a review when I get the product.

[letsgrumble]

Hold up a moment!

 

As someone who once worked for a book dealer in my dodgy past, I have a few recommendations:

 

• Do not use Mylar dust jackets with lining (too bulky)
  
• Do not use Mylar dust jackets with adheseve (keep it clean)
  

You can order Mylar dust jackets from Gaylord Brothers. They once sold an assortment pack with 100 Mylars of different sizes but I just called them and they now only sell 100 packs of a specific size (5 to choose from). My recommendation is to order a pack of large Mylars and trim them down for smaller books if necessary. These Mylars are not too expensive, they look impressive, and they do a great job protecting your dust jackets from wear and tear. I don't feel bad when taking that HC Marvel Omnibus out of the sealed wrapper. Just remember, don't put them on too tightly!

 

(thumbs u

[Reno McCoy]

I've been using BroDart for over 12 years. Love the stuff. I have close to 500 hard cover first edition books, and their dust jacket covers make the dust jackets look amazing.

 

For my HC graphic novels, I use this:

 

http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/product.aspx?pgID=3359&catnum=10427009

 

I'm not sure what the difference is, but these look very similar:

 

http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/Product.aspx?pgid=5714&catnum=10339001&attvalueid=51943&attid=24940#prodGrid_bookmark

 

Because many comics are "oversized" compared to regular prose HCs, I use the 14 inch variety. You have trim to fit, but that's a piece of cake.

 

 

 

 

[Reno McCoy]

Just remember, don't put them on too tightly!

 

(thumbs u

 

What happens when you put them on too tight? I don't think I've ever experienced it, so I'm curious...

[letsgrumble]

Just remember, don't put them on too tightly!

 

(thumbs u

 

What happens when you put them on too tight? I don't think I've ever experienced it, so I'm curious...

 

When you open up and place the dust jacket into the bottom fold of the Mylar dust jacket, you then lightly crease the Mylar at the top of the book cover in order to secure it. I try to crease the Mylar at about 1/16-inches - or just slightly - above the top edge of the cover otherwise it will be too tight. You could run the risk of slightly bending the outer edges of the cover if the fold is too close. Also, when you lightly crease the Mylar at the flaps of the book, if you do not crease it where the book cover flaps fold then the Mylar will be too snug around the spine and book and thus the cover. This could cause the paper on the cover to crease or warp. See below for a crappy job (too snug) that I did on one of my books that resulted in the paper warping (lucky it was just a book with text and no pictures - ha):

 

[/img]

 

Here's how I usually will do them - I'm getting better at it. Look at the top edges - rooooomy:

 

[/img]

 

 

[nocutename]

I've been using BroDart for over 12 years. Love the stuff. I have close to 500 hard cover first edition books, and their dust jacket covers make the dust jackets look amazing.

 

For my HC graphic novels, I use this:

 

http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/product.aspx?pgID=3359&catnum=10427009

 

I'm not sure what the difference is, but these look very similar:

 

http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/Product.aspx?pgid=5714&catnum=10339001&attvalueid=51943&attid=24940#prodGrid_bookmark

 

Because many comics are "oversized" compared to regular prose HCs, I use the 14 inch variety. You have trim to fit, but that's a piece of cake.

 

 

That's interesting. I love hardcover books and I just put them in comic bags which definitely does not look that pretty on the shelf. Trades just look better in the comic bags because the fit more snug. I may check these out. Thanks. BTW do you get the roll or just the sheets?

[Reno McCoy]

I've been using BroDart for over 12 years. Love the stuff. I have close to 500 hard cover first edition books, and their dust jacket covers make the dust jackets look amazing.

 

For my HC graphic novels, I use this:

 

http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/product.aspx?pgID=3359&catnum=10427009

 

I'm not sure what the difference is, but these look very similar:

 

http://www.shopbrodart.com/shop/cb/Product.aspx?pgid=5714&catnum=10339001&attvalueid=51943&attid=24940#prodGrid_bookmark

 

Because many comics are "oversized" compared to regular prose HCs, I use the 14 inch variety. You have trim to fit, but that's a piece of cake.

 

 

That's interesting. I love hardcover books and I just put them in comic bags which definitely does not look that pretty on the shelf. Trades just look better in the comic bags because the fit more snug. I may check these out. Thanks. BTW do you get the roll or just the sheets?

 

I get the rolls, just because you can cut the size you need (which cuts back on waste) and because I go through so much of the stuff, it's just easier for me that way.

 

 

[Reno McCoy]

Just remember, don't put them on too tightly!

 

(thumbs u

 

What happens when you put them on too tight? I don't think I've ever experienced it, so I'm curious...

 

When you open up and place the dust jacket into the bottom fold of the Mylar dust jacket, you then lightly crease the Mylar at the top of the book cover in order to secure it. I try to crease the Mylar at about 1/16-inches - or just slightly - above the top edge of the cover otherwise it will be too tight. You could run the risk of slightly bending the outer edges of the cover if the fold is too close. Also, when you lightly crease the Mylar at the flaps of the book, if you do not crease it where the book cover flaps fold then the Mylar will be too snug around the spine and book and thus the cover. This could cause the paper on the cover to crease or warp. See below for a crappy job (too snug) that I did on one of my books that resulted in the paper warping (lucky it was just a book with text and no pictures - ha):

 

[/img]

 

Here's how I usually will do them - I'm getting better at it. Look at the top edges - rooooomy:

 

[/img]

 

 

Great stuff. I have a few books that have that "rippling" effect on the back cover. It doesn't happen often, and I always assumed it was because I was pulling up on the bottom too tightly. I'll need to be wary of that in the future. Thanks.