A low-cost finisher that creates stapled books includes a tray that is tilted at an acute angle backward and away from the direction of incoming copy sheets. Copy sheets are fed into and slide down the copy sheet support surface of the tray and against a rear registration wall of the tray under the influence of tampers. Another tamper forces the copy sheets against a side registration guide of the tray to align them in the head of a stapler. Stapled books are transported out of the tray to a catch tray.