I want to use my A5 Finsbury or Original filofax instead of Personal size. But it is too heavy for me to walk around with it. I don't want it in my desk (it is not a solution, organizer must be mobile). How to deal with this problem?
That's the age-old sizes issue: Personal size pages are too small, A5 size binder is too big.
I've found happiness with an A5 Boston binder: the rings are smaller and the cover is closer to the size of the pages, so the overall book is slimmer and lighter. However the A5 Boston is discontinued and hard to find.
Otherwise there are other binders, like the Domino, that have big rings but the binder itself is a lighter material so it's easier to carry around.
If you want to stick to A5, the lightest A5 combination I found: A5 filofax as the stay at home organiser in combination with a A5 filofax clippbook as light version on the go. With that you would be able to only carry the current week and/or month with you plus maybe a yearly overview and many more pages for lists, projects and notes. Sure you would need to monthly or weekly transfer the past calender section to your main binder & put the mext week etc in your clippbook. But pls note the clippbook has no pockets and is too small for the common page devider, so that you would need to use stick on page deviders that will stick out a bit (which doesn't bother me) & maybe use post-its on the go for future time appointments and easy transfer to the main binder. However, if you do prefer to have only one binder for all, I can only see a necessary switch to a personal size organiser. Hope that helps.
This has come up so many times over the years and still Filofax has never responded by introducing a genuine compact A5. I wrote a Philofaxy guest post about this very topic on 11th and 12th July 2012. You can find it easily enough using the side bar by date or search "ultimate A5". Basically I fitted a 13mm mechanism to a First Edition Flex by Filofax binder.
There is currently (I predict it won't be for much longer) a great range of A5 Flex covers in leather and plastic. You can also now buy proper A5 ring mechanisms through eBay. A 16mm (it's actually 13mm - but oval) mech can be fitted to a Flex cover with just two holes drilled through to fit the bolts (supplied). It's what I currently use. The opening tabs do stick out slightly but not in an obtrusive way. Another option is to fit one of these mechanisms to a Clipbook cover if, like me, you find the 25mm mechanism supplied a bit bulky.
Ah yes, the perennial issue of personal vs. A5! I had a brief trial of using an A5 Malden as my sole binder & found it too bulky to carry around. I have decided to sell my A5s & stick to personal. Yes, I lose out on the page size, but I use my binder much more effectively as it's a more practical size to have with me.
I know this issue haunts all of us! I've recently had an extended trial of A5, but have returned to Personal for exactly this reason - lightness of carry weight and portability.
Seeking advice~ I generally use 80gsm paper for my printing and generally speaking it's a good paper weight. However, since my purchase of diamine ink. I have found my paper not being as fountain friendly as I thought. I appreciate not all 80gsm are equal. So can anyone recommend a brand of printer paper so I can use in future ... many thanks in advance. I live in the UK and would prefer to buy from a UK based company
When I want to print my own fountain pen friendly paper for use in my planner, I just use sheets of A4 Claire Fontaine. I'm in California so that paper is harder to find here and more expensive. But I just love it. There is a A4 setting on my printer; so I saved it as a standard setting "Claire Fontaine." Then I print and cut to size.
I'm considering going back to ring bound for 2016. I've got a lightweight DayTimer "classic" sized binder (for American half-sheet paper) with 1" rings (25.4mm) and a Franklin Covey 7th wonder of the world classic behemoth with 2" rings (50.8mm). These enormous heavy rings snap like alligator jaws. Am debating keeping my schedule in the lighter binder plus all my sections in the big boy, and then adding whatever section I need to the small one when I go out (meetings, shopping, reading, etc.). Still don't know if that will work.
I am glad that I fixed my Franklin hole punch that I broke. For a long time it was a chore punching one hole at a time for my insert. I still need a visual mark on the Franklin punch because I use pages that are taller than the Franklin pocket paper. For the past month I like the large daily space on my new week insert. I will draw the format for January. I would like to use a smaller pocket binder at some point but it is efficient to have one binder in the pocket size. Furthermore if I buy a different one with an incompatible alignment then I cannot use my Franklin hole punch for it.
Van der Spek do A5's with 35mm rings, if you scan back through the previous posts on Van der Spek on here you will find my reviews of the A5 Custom. But also look at the A5 Touch Me Manager which is very affordable and comes with Krause 35mm rings:
Heylo Philofaxy, I've got a quick question for you - does anyone have a personal-sized vertical layout they can recommend? Or a horizontal layout similar to Dodopad/Organised Mum? As near as I can do, Organised Mum aren't doing Filofax inserts anymore, and Dodo Pad personal inserts look like they have no space. I'm tempted by vertical layouts, but... They're hard to find in personal size.
Hi Steve, I have been on the look-out for a Filofax Deco organiser (pocket or personal size, either way) in Ivory or Ruby for many, many years. I have a Deco pocket organiser in Ebony, which I bidded on, but did not take a particular liking to.
If you or anyone who may: 1) have a Deco organiser in Ruby or Ivory for sell; or 2) wish to trade with my Ebony organiser, I am more than happy to do so.
I want to use my A5 Finsbury or Original filofax instead of Personal size. But it is too heavy for me to walk around with it. I don't want it in my desk (it is not a solution, organizer must be mobile). How to deal with this problem?
ReplyDeleteThat's the age-old sizes issue: Personal size pages are too small, A5 size binder is too big.
DeleteI've found happiness with an A5 Boston binder: the rings are smaller and the cover is closer to the size of the pages, so the overall book is slimmer and lighter. However the A5 Boston is discontinued and hard to find.
Otherwise there are other binders, like the Domino, that have big rings but the binder itself is a lighter material so it's easier to carry around.
If you want to stick to A5, the lightest A5 combination I found: A5 filofax as the stay at home organiser in combination with a A5 filofax clippbook as light version on the go. With that you would be able to only carry the current week and/or month with you plus maybe a yearly overview and many more pages for lists, projects and notes. Sure you would need to monthly or weekly transfer the past calender section to your main binder & put the mext week etc in your clippbook. But pls note the clippbook has no pockets and is too small for the common page devider, so that you would need to use stick on page deviders that will stick out a bit (which doesn't bother me) & maybe use post-its on the go for future time appointments and easy transfer to the main binder. However, if you do prefer to have only one binder for all, I can only see a necessary switch to a personal size organiser. Hope that helps.
DeleteThis has come up so many times over the years and still Filofax has never responded by introducing a genuine compact A5. I wrote a Philofaxy guest post about this very topic on 11th and 12th July 2012. You can find it easily enough using the side bar by date or search "ultimate A5". Basically I fitted a 13mm mechanism to a First Edition Flex by Filofax binder.
DeleteThere is currently (I predict it won't be for much longer) a great range of A5 Flex covers in leather and plastic. You can also now buy proper A5 ring mechanisms through eBay. A 16mm (it's actually 13mm - but oval) mech can be fitted to a Flex cover with just two holes drilled through to fit the bolts (supplied). It's what I currently use. The opening tabs do stick out slightly but not in an obtrusive way. Another option is to fit one of these mechanisms to a Clipbook cover if, like me, you find the 25mm mechanism supplied a bit bulky.
If you dont need too many pages and can loose a bit of ring space to card pockets I would highly recommend a clipbook!
DeleteAh yes, the perennial issue of personal vs. A5!
DeleteI had a brief trial of using an A5 Malden as my sole binder & found it too bulky to carry around. I have decided to sell my A5s & stick to personal. Yes, I lose out on the page size, but I use my binder much more effectively as it's a more practical size to have with me.
I know this issue haunts all of us! I've recently had an extended trial of A5, but have returned to Personal for exactly this reason - lightness of carry weight and portability.
DeleteSeeking advice~ I generally use 80gsm paper for my printing and generally speaking it's a good paper weight. However, since my purchase of diamine ink. I have found my paper not being as fountain friendly as I thought. I appreciate not all 80gsm are equal. So can anyone recommend a brand of printer paper so I can use in future ... many thanks in advance. I live in the UK and would prefer to buy from a UK based company
ReplyDeleteI've always found Conqueror to be a good choice, but its 100g. I don't know of any good 80g choices, I'm afraid. A good quality copy paper maybe?
DeleteWhen I want to print my own fountain pen friendly paper for use in my planner, I just use sheets of A4 Claire Fontaine. I'm in California so that paper is harder to find here and more expensive. But I just love it. There is a A4 setting on my printer; so I saved it as a standard setting "Claire Fontaine." Then I print and cut to size.
DeleteI use an A5 Arc. It is light and thin. The holes do not fit any ring bound binder, but it is convienent
ReplyDeleteI use an A5 Arc. It is light and thin. The holes do not fit any ring bound binder, but it is convienent
ReplyDeleteI'm considering going back to ring bound for 2016. I've got a lightweight DayTimer "classic" sized binder (for American half-sheet paper) with 1" rings (25.4mm) and a Franklin Covey 7th wonder of the world classic behemoth with 2" rings (50.8mm). These enormous heavy rings snap like alligator jaws. Am debating keeping my schedule in the lighter binder plus all my sections in the big boy, and then adding whatever section I need to the small one when I go out (meetings, shopping, reading, etc.). Still don't know if that will work.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that I fixed my Franklin hole punch that I broke. For a long time it was a chore punching one hole at a time for my insert. I still need a visual mark on the Franklin punch because I use pages that are taller than the Franklin pocket paper. For the past month I like the large daily space on my new week insert. I will draw the format for January. I would like to use a smaller pocket binder at some point but it is efficient to have one binder in the pocket size. Furthermore if I buy a different one with an incompatible alignment then I cannot use my Franklin hole punch for it.
ReplyDeleteMy question tends somewhat toward the opposite direction. I would prefer a higher capacity A5 system. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteVan der Spek do A5's with 35mm rings, if you scan back through the previous posts on Van der Spek on here you will find my reviews of the A5 Custom. But also look at the A5 Touch Me Manager which is very affordable and comes with Krause 35mm rings:
Deletehttp://philofaxy.blogspot.com/search/label/Van%20der%20Spek
Thank you! I will do just that!:)
DeleteThank you! I will do just that!:)
DeleteHeylo Philofaxy, I've got a quick question for you - does anyone have a personal-sized vertical layout they can recommend? Or a horizontal layout similar to Dodopad/Organised Mum? As near as I can do, Organised Mum aren't doing Filofax inserts anymore, and Dodo Pad personal inserts look like they have no space. I'm tempted by vertical layouts, but... They're hard to find in personal size.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have any recommendations?
Hi Steve,
ReplyDeleteI have been on the look-out for a Filofax Deco organiser (pocket or personal size, either way) in Ivory or Ruby for many, many years. I have a Deco pocket organiser in Ebony, which I bidded on, but did not take a particular liking to.
If you or anyone who may:
1) have a Deco organiser in Ruby or Ivory for sell; or
2) wish to trade with my Ebony organiser, I am more than happy to do so.
Thank you.
SC
Hi
DeletePlease contact me by email and we will put your Wanted request on the Adspot page see above.
Steve