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How to Make a Phase Box

Protecting your important and irreplaceable books from handling and wear and tear can be accomplished by making your own phase box. Your phase box will not only protect your important book from handling, but it can also delay the risk of fire damage. This simplified version can be done with a few tools for your books at home, the library where you work or your book shop.

Things You'll Need

Foldable, corrugated acid-free cardboard, 2 mm thick
Pencil
Utility knife
Scoring board
Scoring tool
Hook clasp

Instructions

- 1
  Place your book in the middle of your cardboard. The cardboard's height should be two and a half times the height of the book and the length should be two and a half times the length of the book.
- 2
  Score along the edges of the book, all the way to the end of the cardboard so that you have four scored lines.
- 3
  Cut away the top right and left and the bottom right and left rectangles of cardboard using your utility knife. Cut along the scored lines away from the corner of the book so that the book is lying in the center of a cardboard cross.
- 4
  Measure the thickness of the book by folding up each wing of the cross and making a mark on the cardboard with a pencil at the top edge of the book. Make a score line at this mark parallel to the edge of the book.
- 5
  Remove your book and fold all of your scored edges in. Put the book back in the center and make sure that all of the edges fold in perfectly covering the book, the top and bottom wings first, then the left and right wings.
- 6
  Attach a hook and clasp to the left and right wings so that your phase box can be closed shut.

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