Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

A hollow book can be an ingenious way to hide something, be it a spare key, a secret note, or even money. Most people don't even think about searching your bookcase for private or personal things. It is also an excellent way to give something to someone without being noticed. An unsuspecting passerby will think you are borrowing the other person a good book.

To step

1. Make sure all parts of the book are completely dry. Touch the book with your fingers. When you are sure the book is dry, put your valuables in it, close the book, and put it on your bookshelf or in your bookcase. Only you know that the book has a secret compartment.

Tips

• Use a metal ruler or a wooden ruler with a metal edge to cut the paper straight with your knife. The picture shows a plastic ruler, but the knife can easily cut through the plastic or wood. That way you ruin both the ruler and the book.
• If the hole you cut out of the book is a bit too small, you can sand the edges. However, the edges will feel a little rough depending on the paper the pages are made of.
• Drill a hole in the bottom of the book so you can run a cord through it and make it a secret place to charge your cell phone. Put a little glue in the hole to stick the pages.
• With a piece of power tool with a grinding wheel, such as a Dremel, you can easily cut 30 to 40 pages at a time. Sometimes the inside edge of the hole will burn a little from the heat of the grinding wheel, leaving smooth brown edges on the inside (see warnings).
• Glue the last page to the cover of the book so that everything is secure.
• Before you start, consider how big you want to make the hole so that it isn't too small for the items you want to store.
• Make sure to use a hardcover. If you are using a soft cover book you will cut through the back of the book. If you are careful you could use a soft cover book or even a paperback.
• You may wonder why you keep a separate page aside to cut through it later as you did with the other pages. You do this to hide the lines you drew to cut out the hole in the book. You can also close the book completely when the inside dries and the pages are pressed together. This is important because it will allow you to close the book properly when it is ready.
• You may be able to pick up old books for free at a library that is disposing of part of the collection. However, do not use books from your parents. These can be valuable antique books, and someone can look for them when he or she finds out that they are missing.
• If you're using a paperback, put a hard surface between the back and the last page so you can't cut all the way through the book.

Warnings

• Try to put a clasp like a magnet, a buckle on a belt, or a button so that the book stays closed. Otherwise, the item you put in the hollow part will just fall out.
• Don't choose a book that means a lot to you and that someone will want to read again. Also, make sure you don't choose a book that someone else might want to see. It can be difficult to come up with an excuse why you don't want the other person to read your book.
• Are hollow books not suitable for hiding something from the police.
• Burning paper often releases dioxins, which are strong carcinogens. Make sure you ventilate the room where you are. For example, you can have a fan blow over the book while you work to keep the harmful fumes away from your face.
• Using a power tool with a grinding wheel, such as a Dremel, you can quickly cut through the book, but you may accidentally cut through the back of the book. Also know that such a device can burn the pages and the smoke that comes off it can stink, depending on the paper type the book is made of. How deep you can cut the pages depends on the diameter of the grinding wheel. You will have to remove pages to cut deeper.
• An old book can contain many old, strange and potentially harmful substances that are released as dust particles when you cut the book. The dust particles can remain for years and contain bacteria and chemicals. How much dust is released into the air depends on the way of cutting. It is recommended to cut the book in a well-ventilated area and use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. Also wear a dust mask that can filter the dust particles. You can wear safety goggles to avoid getting dust and other particles in your eyes (such as small stones, tiny metal particles from a rusty old pipe) that can shoot out from under the wheel. This is an especially good idea if you are using power tools. The air will fill with dust, so close all doors to keep the dust from spreading throughout your home.

Necessities

• Book with a hard cover
• White glue
• Tap water
• Tray for the glue mixture
• Cling film
• Creasing knife
• Brush to apply the glue mixture
• Cloths to wipe up spilled glue
• Pencil or pen
• Ruler
• A heavy object to put on the book
• Flat surface to work on
• Drill with a small bit