9
votes
Can I use Upholstery Vinyl as the fabric for a hardcover book opposed to using Leather?
Yes, using upholstery vinyl for bookbinding is certainly a possibility. I got a large reem of it from my grandfathers and was curious if it would work.
I found my result to be satisfactory (see ...
- 11k
8
votes
Accepted
Repairing a detached cover on an old leather-bound, sewn book with marbled end papers
Definitely don't attempt to repair it yourself - I can't tell for sure from the photo, but I think this is a hollow back binding. In this style of binding the covers and the spine were build directly ...
- 369
8
votes
Accepted
What material can I use for hardcover book panels when binding?
I would strongly consider what is usually used for covers in these types of books. Hardboard or millboard. They are both similar materials that I would suggest for this. Unfortunately their names are ...
- 11k
8
votes
What happened to this book?
This is a bit of a guess, but I reckon the printer had 2 different batches of paper on the go, of different qualities. Look carefully next to the spine and you'll see it's bound in 9 signatures, 2B, ...
- 6,544
6
votes
Accepted
Crafting a block note with draft papers
You can take a stack of paper and press them together between 2 wooden boards, making sure that one of the short sides sticks out a few mm.
You then cover the side of the paper that sticks out with ...
- 326
6
votes
How can I improve my binding process to get a better result?
You could punch holes through the leaves, and sew, using an asian-style bind, or use overcast sewing before binding. You will need an awl, or drill/drill press to punch holes through the paper before ...
- 2,615
5
votes
Accepted
How many two-page spreads (160gsm A4 paper) should be bound together in one signature?
"Normal" signatures are often 4 pages, but with 160grams paper, I prefer signatures of 2 since it makes the book lay more flat. It also helps to make a very sharp fold.
- 401
5
votes
Accepted
Drying properties of corn starch paste
Corn starch paste will dry transparently, with a slightly warm tint.
You can use it for about a week.
As with all starch pastes, make sure to let it dry completely so it won't attract mold.
You can ...
- 10.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to print directly into a bound journal?
Short answer: such a printer does not exist (at least not as far as I'm aware).
The reasons are the precision required for the common printing technologies and the price dumping in the consumer market....
Elmy♦
- 12.6k
4
votes
How can I improve my binding process to get a better result?
After stage 3 saw shallow slots across the spine, then glue strings (cords) into the slots. I would use PVA glue myself, but maybe contact cement works better for you?
I would also glue a backing ...
- 539
4
votes
How can I improve my binding process to get a better result?
I think that your most important step is the sanding of the binding edge. You want to "ruffle up the fibres," adding surface area for the glue to stick to, but most importantly, you want to sand the ...
- 141
4
votes
What is a good technique for binding a saddle stitch booklet with a hard-ish cover?
When using 120 grams paper, it's best to use several signatures/booklets of 4 pages each. Then you can sew these together using a bookbinding technique (I like coptic binding - YouTube has great ...
- 401
4
votes
Accepted
Acidity of hands when binding books
I used to do bookbinding for several years and never had any problems with using bare hands. I only used latex gloves when repairing fragile books and/or paper.
If you are using new, clean and ...
- 954
4
votes
Accepted
What material to use for the spine in the binding of a paperback book?
I have used both of these when I bound my hardcover books. I am unsure if either of these are what you have pictured though
Bookbinding cloth
Also known as book cloth or Japanese book cloth. These ...
- 11k
4
votes
What home printer is capable of printing on board book pages
After about a week of scouring the web I found a forum that mentions using an HP Photosmart Pro B9180. This is a semi-pro printer. It has an option for a straight paper path and can print on items up ...
- 413
4
votes
What home printer is capable of printing on board book pages
You've not provided much in the way of your available equipment and skills, and the task you've set for yourself has substantial supporting requirements.
A book press is top of the list. You can ...
- 7,201
4
votes
Accepted
What thicknesses of leather are suitable for book binding?
Traditionally leather should be about 1.00 mm thick for bookbinding. I have used leathers that are much thicker as well as leathers that are thinner. The thinner leather poses its' own problems. It ...
- 954
4
votes
What's a good non-adhesive plastic sheet to protect soft-back books?
I suggest using sheets of clear PVC:
It's non-adhesive, a lot more durable than the more common polypropylene sheets (like the perforated 'punched pockets'), but still supple. They mostly come in ...
- 10.4k
4
votes
How do I repair the binding of the book where the spine of the cover is too wide?
It looks like a low-budget operation using a one-size-fits-none cover stock, or they got the wrong size covers. The cover spine is too wide. As long as it's stiff, it will continue to pull on the ...
- 11.5k
4
votes
Accepted
Book binding with hot glue
Book binding with hot glue?
It is true that professionals do use hot glue on paperbacks, but they do not offer better results than other methods.
EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) Hot Glue
I have ...
- 954
4
votes
Accepted
How can I best repair or protect this torn cover?
There are several ways to repair, one of the easiest would be to use book repair tape. There are several different ones available through Dick Blick.
Two that I have used in the past and have worked ...
- 297
4
votes
Accepted
Are case-bound books sized to the number of pages they contain?
Yes, they are, with a bit of slack. If you stick too much in, the book will become misshapen and eventually the spine will be damaged.
I just happen to have a stack of lab books on my desk. These ...
- 6,544
3
votes
Converting a new, large perfect bound paperback to a durable hardback
This sounds like a much better candidate for honing your book-repair/book-binding skills. If your goal is solely to increase the book's durability, then you have several options available...
If the ...
- 3,235
3
votes
Accepted
How to sew in a single page into a book
If you are looking to add signatures to a completed sewn binding, you would have to unpick the binding, add the signatures, then re-sew the binding.
Individual pages (leaves) cannot be sewn into the ...
- 644
3
votes
Paper for Custom Book Jackets?
You might consider Kraft-Tex® Paper. Many people are using it for bookbinding. It is also used for making wallets, purses, even luggage. It is ultra-durable (virtually rip-proof), can be sewn like ...
- 1,025
3
votes
What would be a good way to bind a A8 notebook?
I ended up using the coptic binding and it went surprisingly well. The only thing about it is that (unlike the Japanese binding) it needs something to hold the notebook close (but it has 8 x A4 ...
- 31
3
votes
Accepted
How many pages does a book leaf have?
A quick Google search revealed that
Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages."
A leaf is a single sheet bound in a book, and a leaf ...
- 644
3
votes
Accepted
Is there an easy way to get my computer/printer to do booklet imposition?
I looked into this years ago when I was printing out some books to test my leather binding skills. Back then you likely would have used dedicated software to perform this function.
Software has ...
- 11k
3
votes
Accepted
How do I attach the back of sheets of paper when layflat binding a book?
I don't know if there's a "standard" glue for this, but I would try rubber cement (regular solvent-based type, not water-based). It doesn't warp the paper like water-based glues, and doesn't leave ...
- 11.5k
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