Beltstrike Cover Problems

[Buceph]

Does anyone else have a problem with the cover of the Beltstrike adventure curling back over itself? I've had it since the end of January/start of February, and at the start it was just that the cover didn't lie flat. After about a few weeks sitting on my desk (next to other softbacks) it started curling back more and more. I then sandwiched it between a load of heavy books in a bookshelf and only took it out when there was a need for it, but it's just got worse. By now the front and back covers are almost forming a tube.

The only other Traveller softback I have is Psion, and it doesn't have this problem at all. And I'm about to get Merchant Prince and I haven't heard of it happening to that either.

So Mongoose peeps, just to let you know, there might have been a problem with the covers of that book, and it might be worth watching out for the future if you tried anything different with that cover.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Email Matt directly. I am sure he will replace it for you.

 

[Buceph]

There's no need for that. It's not a book I use often, and I wouldn't even have bought it for myself. I won it at a convention. It was the first Traveller book I got, and it has inspired me to go on and buy more. I just want to see that it doesn't happen with any of the other soft-cover books released, because if it happened with a book I use regularly I'd be disappointed.

 

[DeadMike]

Shortly after receiving my Mercenary book, the plastic coating started to come off. Not all the way, just about a half inch. It's like it didn't get hot enough on the edge of the book when they sealed the plastic on. My other books, including Beltstrike has not had that issue though. Yet anyway. I've had them longer then the time I had Mercenary before it started pealing back, so I don't think they are going to do that. I hope not anyway.

 

[Treebore]

I have every book, including Beltstrike, I even ran Beltstrike, no problems, not even this curling problem your having, on any of my books.

 

[Nuclear Fridge Magnet]

My Beltstrike has the curling problem... it needs continuous weight on it to stop it curling. Pull it out, leave it fifteen minutes, it curls. :evil:

 

[IanBruntlett]

My copy of Beltstrike also curls up.

Do you know about the plastic covers that UK libraries use to protect their books? If I'm going to use a soft-backed book for any length of time, I tend to use one of them. It solves the curling problem. I've had a small collection of plastic covers for a couple of years now and wouldn't mind finding a new supplier.

 

[Treebore]

All you guys having the curling problem in Europe? If so that may be a clue as to the source of the problem.

 

[Buceph]

Yeah, I'm in Europe. Ireland, to be precise. In case that's any help in identifying the problem.

 

[Treebore]

Yeah, I'm in Europe. Ireland, to be precise. In case that's any help in identifying the problem.

It might, if European books are printed in a place different from from the US books.

 

[Stainless]

It could be the humidity.

 

[BP]

If the grain of the paper is wrong (not parallel to spline in this case) - it will be more likely to curl. This will further depend on type of film laminate and humidity.

Digital presses especially, may cut costs by optimizing cutting the end product size out in a bad grain direction (in relation to the final binding) from the original sheets (or rolls). This is less common with 6x9 inch in the U.S. - not so sure about metric (A5) as this depends on the common sheet (roll) sizes...

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Didn't some of the early prints of Beltstrike, and several other books, have binding problems? I seem to remember that Mongoose switched printers over the issue (???). Maybe these are some of those old, poorly bound books from days of yore.???

 

[MongooseMatt]

They aren't, and this affects only the first print runs of certain early Traveller. All of our books are now printed using a different method, and are not subject to curling (well, unless they are continuously read with the spine bent backwards!).

As always, we will replace any books you have a problem with. Just send them in to us with a note, and we'll get a replacement out within 24 hours!

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Sorry Matt, didn't mean to imply that you still had problems!

I was thinking that maybe the copies that these people have were some of the old ones and might be part of that bad batch.

Personnally, I have never had a problem with any Mongoose book cover and I have hardcopies of every Traveller book you have published.