FAQ

What is the standard size?

Simply, there is no standard size – we make every product custom so we build the portfolio book or case from the inside out. We start with the print size you give us and construct from there. However, our most popular print size is 14” tall x 11” wide. (vertical presentation)

What does “panels” mean?

Panels are the turned edge lining in all of our portfolios. This extra service is included in the price and it is one of the features that distinguishes our products from our competitors. Not only are the covers turned edge, but the linings are too.

What does “sewn inside works” mean?

Another feature that separates us from our competition is that our inside works (binding) is sewn together instead of glued. This is helpful to keep the book's integrity when it is filled to capacity with prints or whatever else is going inside. The strength of the stitching is one factor that enables our books to last so long.

How is size determined?

Once the size of the insert is known, we add on size for the sheet protectors (jackets) if you are using any. The cover then gets a standard addition in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions. All of our products follow strict sizing standards, but we still encourage customers to tell us the desired look so we can make adjustments accordingly.

How does cover size relate to image size?

The cover will be approximately 1” taller than the image and 1 1/2” wider than the image. These numbers are not set in stone – if you want to design cover art, please contact a salesperson to see how your book size will turn out.

What does “binding first” mean with regard to dimensions?

At Brewer Cantelmo, we always define the size of a book by the sheet size (the sheet protectors – or the images if there are no jackets). In addition, when referring to sizes we always give the binding side first. For example, a 14 x 11 portfolio represents a portrait style book with the binding on the tall side, the 14” side. To us, an 11 x 14 book would be a landscape book since the binding dimension is 11”. This means the 14” side is the non-binding dimension.

What is 2 lip, 3 lip, and 4 lip binding?

The lips are the term we use for the binding. A 2 lip binding would have the screw posts exposed in the front and back (typical for scrapbooks). A 3 lip binding has the screws concealed in the front and exposed in the back (to easily make changes) and the 4 lip binding has concealed screws in the front and concealed screws in the back with a velcro closure (so that the screws can still be changed easily.) Our pricing includes 2 lip or 3 lip binding, but adding a 4th lip will incur a charge.

How is capacity determined? How does type of insert affect this?

Capacity is the measurement of the prints, sheet protectors, and flysheets going inside the binding. Our sheet protectors all have a thickness, and your prints/tear-sheets have a thickness. This combined measurement is critical to make sure everything looks spaced correctly in the book. If you overestimate the capacity, it may look like a skeleton book, and if the capacity is too small, some prints will simply not fit. Please discuss your type and quantity of inserts with our sales team to determine the perfect capacity. Note: we will build the book to the largest capacity you will ever need it – since it cannot be increased nor decreased in the future.

What is the minimum order?

There is no minimum order. We have made as few as 5 menus for small bars and we have made single menus for personal wine collections or home use. However, we do not have a maximum size order – we have worked with huge multi-million dollar landmark restaurants across the country.

What size paper do the Brewer Cantelmo menu covers hold?

While most of our customers request menus to hold standard letter, legal, or tabloid sized paper (17” x 11”), we can make menus to hold any size paper. Every order is built by hand to your custom requirements so that regardless of your paper size, we can make a menu cover to properly showcase your food and beverages.

What is the typical turnaround time?

Depending on quantity, we typically fill most orders within 3 weeks. However, it is important that we know your schedule at the beginning of the process so we can bypass certain steps to meet your deadlines. If the option of partial delivery is available, we can prepare menus in batches to cater to your timing requirements.

Where can I find Brewer Cantelmo menu covers?

Hundreds of restaurants across the country use our menus. While many of our hotel and restaurant customers are located in major cities, you can find our products across the country. We can also email you stock photos of past projects or mail you samples of jobs we have completed.

How long does a menu last?

The answer is completely dependent on the materials used to make the menu, and the treatment the menu experiences. We will always recommend using the most durable materials and the easiest materials to clean. Our line of Premium SK is our favorite material for menu covers as it is very durable and very resistant to staining. It can last 2-3 years in a busy restaurant if treated properly. (we will not be held responsible if the menus do not last a prescribed time – please test the free prototype menu intensely to mimic the standard service in your restaurant)

Can I use my own leather? My own logo?

Of course. We encourage you to use any material you want – especially if it will work in the design framework you already have established. Using a material that matches the restaurant will have a lasting effect on your customers. Also – stamping your logo on the menu cover, and therefore continuing your brand into each guests' hands, is a great way to improve the dining experience. Please keep in mind however that your material must accept glue and must be thin enough to be turned. (for all of our products we prefer to turn the edges for a more professional look)

What kind of binding is done at Brewer Cantelmo?

We specialize in over sewing also known as library binding. This is different from perfect binding and different from smythe sewing. Stitches are placed into your pages 1” apart. This is an incredibly strong and long-lasting style of bookbinding utilized for maximum durability. We also hand-stitch bound books when the pages are old or fragile. However, you may request this hand-stitched service for any book.

What are the margins?

3/16” of the page will be buried in the left margin from the stitching. Please make sure your margins are sized and your page is spaced appropriately especially if you have any 2-page spreads.

What materials are available?

We typically use library buckram, an industry standard cloth for bookbinding – it is very reasonable priced, stamps beautifully, and it is incredibly durable. Any material we offer can be used for our bound books though.

What are end sheets? Can i supply my own?

In an over sewn bound book, the end sheets are glued to the front of the supplied pages and then glued into the front and back cover – this is how the pages are held in place. Our standard end leaf is 65 lb. white cover stock, but we can use any heavy text weight paper or light cover weight stock. We can also make a turned panel lining to sit on top of the end leaf. Of course you may supply your own as long as the specifications work for our bookbinding process.

What stamping is available?

We will typeset text for you on the front cover, spine, and/or back cover. We have many fonts available in many point sizes – in both upper and lower case. Gold and silver are the most popular foil colors, but we have hundreds of colors available. We can also stamp your custom logo on the book.

What does the headband do?

The headband is simply for decoration. It is a standard design applied to the top and bottom of your pages on the edge in the spine to add a little decoration to the interior of the book. Please call to discuss what color combinations are currently in stock and what sizes will work if you want to supply your own.

Is there a minimum quantity?

There is no minimum quantity although price breaks do take effect around 5 – depending on a few factors. The smallest order we accept is 1 book and the maximum order we have produced is in the thousands – each made by hand one at a time.

What size paper does it hold?

The scriptmaster is built to hold letter size pages – 11” tall x 8 1/2” wide. However, we can custom make a scriptmaster to hold any size page for an additional charge.

What is the depth? How many pieces of paper can it hold?

The maximum capacity of the scriptmaster is about 1/2”. This can comfortably accommodate nearly 50 pages of standard letter copy paper. If you need a scriptmaster to hold more than 50 pages, please contact our sales department to order a custom product.

Does the scriptmaster open completely flat?

No, there is an elevation difference between the left tray and right tray. The right tray sits about 1/2” above the left tray so that pages can easily slide to the left instead of turning the page. This method of page sliding has been proven effective and is less intrusive to an audience than a turning page.

What stamping options are available?

Standard stamping includes typeset text from our library of available fonts and sizes. Custom fonts and logos can be stamped on the scriptmaster as well in any color and with any finish

Are the corners round or square?

The corners of the scriptmaster are round. this will improve the lifespan of your scriptmaster as it will not damage as much if it is dropped.

What colors are available?

The standard stock scriptmaster is available in royal blue and chocolate brown. Other colors are available for a slight up charge and increased production time line

What kind of stamping does Brewer Cantelmo do?

Our style of stamping is known as debossing This means the impression of your name, logo, or title is pressed below the surface of the material being stamped. This is different from embossing where the stamp is pulled above the surface. Debossing provides a clean, crisp, detailed impression that is also very long lasting.

What is a die? How long does it take to make?

Our dies are typically made of magnesium. While we offer copper for a surcharge, we find the magnesium die to be highly detailed and very consistent for an evenly pressured stamp. We use copper dies for jobs with large quantities as it wears slightly better than magnesium.

Can i have my standard or custom die?

Yes. Whether your art is from a font or logo, we can include the die with your order, or we will have it available to you for approximately 5 years in our factory.

How should custom art be submitted?

The best option is to submit sized black and white art in person. Other options include email as a pdf file (black and white & sized and positioned properly). Along with the custom art attachment, let us know the final measurement so we guarantee to print at the correct size.

What is scoring?

A score in paper is a crease or fold that helps the page turn more easily. For extra large pages we may recommend a double or triple score to help the paper lay more flat.

What is punching?

Punching is the holes that are put into prints, tear sheets, sheet protectors, or anything else. It is critical that the punching pattern in the binding matches the punching pattern of the inserts.

What is trimming?

Trimming is another term for cutting down paper from a larger size to a smaller size. Also referred to as cropping, we are able to trim your paper accurately down to 1/16” inch.

What do paper size and viewing area relate?

If you are printing on paper that is 10” tall and 8” wide and want to put it directly into the binding of a Brewer Cantelmo portfolio book, please note that the binding will cover 3/4” of the print. So a portrait style portfolio book for the 10” tall x 8” print will obscure 3/4” of the width and leave the viewable area at 10” tall x 7 1/4” wide.

Where should the scoring be?

When we score for customers, we typically recommend the first score come 1” from the binding side. The binding covers the first 3/4”, then the score comes another 1/4” from the left. If you want a second score, we find that 1 1/8” is an appropriate placement. Feel free to discuss scoring placement with a salesperson.

What are rivets?

Rivets are small metal pieces that the ring mechanism attaches to. They are small pegs that come in assorted colors on the exterior of the binder. They can be exposed or a binder can be constructed to conceal them for an additional charge.

What are boosters?

Boosters are the small thumb – operated metal pieces at the top and bottom of the ring mechanism that can be popped open to open the rings between them. Many times, we can take the booster off of a ring for a more streamlined look. The decision to keep or eliminate the boosters does not have an effect on cost, but it may effect the lifetime of the ring – depending on how many times the rings are opened and closed, and the care with which this process is done

What ring types are available?

There are many ring types available. The most common is the standard round ring. More styles include D-ring, slant D-ring, and many others.

Where can the ring be placed?

The most common placement for a ring is in the spine. However, we can also place the ring in the back cover or anywhere else you require.

What is the overhang?

A clamshell can be constructed so that the walls and covers are completely flush when closed. In addition, we can build on an extra 1/8” to the covers so that when closed they slightly overhand the walls and therefore create a unique bookbinding look. This feature is available for no extra charge.