I have watched these videos over and over, and I still find hilarious things! Your comment about how trying to get the textblock lined up correctly for backing being like trying to stuff a cat into a bag is exactly what it feels like haha!!! I genuinely laughed out loud!
My youngest nephew has gotten into Dungeons and Dragons. A friend has kindly lent me his books to scan for him. I may bind all thanks to this series. I love your channel, so happy I found it!
Wow. I was so enthralled watching you work that I didn't even notice the hanging wire until you subtitled apologies for it! This is such a fascinating subject. I've always admired the quality of a good book but that admiration greatly increased watching your videos of the build process, showing what actually goes into making a good book. Attention to detail, patience, skill, accuracy and the personal touches. I've always wondered about what it takes to create a well-bound book and thanks to your videos I now know - and - appreciate the quality work that goes into it. Thank you. I'm really looking forward to the next chapter in this series.
So pleased to get a notification. Another great tutorial.. I shall be attempting to make one and it is so good to be able to check out the videos as and when I need to. I would have loved to have been a maker of books as a profession. Thank you and look forward to seeing more.
So excited for this series! I’m building the courage to try my first rounded and backed book and this is such great timing. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and wisdom with us
No courage required. I've never suffered any major injuries due to bookbinding. Well, actually my pride has taken a beating occasionally. Okay, never mind. Stay courageous!
What a lovely and easy breakdown of this process! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this in detail - I'm excited to bind my first book with your help!
Great video! I'm definitely interested in learning the sewn on end papers method. I tried to make a case bound book only once so far and it was so/so. Been having fun with coptic stitch and criss cross bindings since then, but definitely want to give it another try.
I'm curious what sewn endpapers you would use for a case binding. I often use German style hooked endsheets if I want something a bit fancier for a case binding.
Hooked is good. But I think made endpapers would be my number one choice, which allows for the use of marbled paper and thinner papers. After this book is done I'll do a variation video showing a flexi made endpaper being added. Ciao, Darryn
Hello! Love all your videos - you have been instrumental in helping me become a hobbyist bookbinder. I have a question: Why is the Schmedt press possibly too light for backing? I have just begun rounding books and would like to back them, but I am not sure what press is best to pair with backing boards.
This is there Schmedt press that is best suited to backing www.schmedt.com/bookbinder-s-wooden-double-screw-press-with-wooden-screws-screw-length-approx.-55-cm/60000000.B It's normally used with the leg so it hangs off a bench. The heavier finishing press would be strong enough, but not deep enough. Maybe if it were propped up on bricks? They don't seem to have backing boards. I'll write tham and check.
Should the height of the shoulders be added to the original pages size? For example, a B5 page is 176mm on the short side, but if I'm planning to do a rounded and backed spine, should I add the 3mm of the shoulders to the 176mm of the original page size? So a 358mm wide sheet (179+179, to make the signatures). Thank you!
I learned so much from watching your videos. So I started binding my own children's picture book, but I ran into 1 issue: the endpages are peeling of the inside cover where the laminate cover was folded over. Do you have any glue recommendations to keep it from peeling? I used the neutral acid free book binding glue. I think it's PVA. TIA.
Does a rounded and backed textblock have to be sewn with supported sewing onto tapes like you've done, or can it be also done with an unsupported sewing method like the french link stitch? I've finally mustered the courage to try rounding and backing a cased book, but this has me a bit uncertain and I'm not sure where in the literature to look for this info. Any help would be much appreciated!
Sort of a complex question for comments. Modern books don't go into technical details of book mechanics, and mostly disregard traditional best practice anyway. This might be a bit complex for the more common older books. It might not be answered directly, but Arthur Johnson (Thames and Hudson Manual) and Eric Burdett (Craft Bookbinding) would be the books to help you answer these types of questions. But the answer is, yes you can round and back a book sewn using catch-up sewing (aka French-link), but be careful not to sew tightly. In rounding and backing the distance around the arc of the spine expands. If there is not enough give in the sewing it becomes very difficult to back where the catch-up stitches (and kettle stitches) are because the book is being held together too tightly at these points. This is why you don't glue over the tapes before rounding and backing, so the tapes can slide under the sewing as the spine expands. Generally I only use this type of sewing on thin books without supports, and very large books with supports. Thin books are hard to back, and don't need as much backing. And you shouldn't have to "muster the courage" to do anything in bookbinding. It's just bookbinding - lives don't depend on it. When doing something new and technically more complex you should practice. And practice is done on scrap, not something of any value. Just get some scrap paper and go for it knowing you will throw it in the bin at the end - even if it is perfect. Then there is zero pressure to get it right. And you should not expect to get technically difficult things right the first few goes. That's like picking up a musical instrument and expecting to play perfectly right away and being too scared to start because you might not. Just go for it!! Good luck. DAS
@@DASBookbinding Thank-you so much for taking the time to help me out, I really appreciate it! I will check out those two sources you mentioned for sure. You confirmed my suspicions that the sewing need not be too tight or rounding with be difficult. Thankyou also for the vote of confidence! I'll disregard my perfectionist mentality and go for it, it will be fun as it's bookbinding anyway! I will try rounding and backing with the sewing onto tapes you've shown here, it also looks fun! I love your videos, they are so professional, academic, insightful, clear and fun! I hope you keep doing them for a long time!
Unfortunately my answer will be very specific to Australia. Used Ideal (German company) guillotines have been very popular in small print shops for many years in Australia. Thus they come up on the used market fairly regularly for about 10% or less of new price. I always recommend only buying good condition ones with a blade without nicks (it won't be sharp and will need professional sharpening) and that have all the safety guards (I'm bad, the main one is not on for the video). I'm fond of this old one from the early 80s. It was the first Ideal I bought and I've kept it because of this, and because it is small. It went under water last year when I was flooded and I haven't completely pulled it down and cleaned it, which I need to do as some rollers are seized. They have a modern version of this which has a much easier to replace blade and cutter stick. If your can afford one I would recommend buying a new one. All the best, DAS
@@DASBookbinding Thank you for responding quickly to my question. I will take your advice and try to buy a new one. Note: I use Google Translate because my English is poor, so please excuse me☺️
I guess the question is what is the type of book for first timers. I would recommend starting with pamphlets and stiff boards bindings. But if you want something a bit more challenging I'd suggest sewn-board binding. No rounding and backing required.
Do you know what benefits the second kraft paper lining provides? I don't have any and was hoping to have the spine lined with just fraynot/scrim. Would any type of thicker paper work as a second lining? Thank you, your videos are a great resource.
The long fired kraft paper is great for adding strength. Any good paper, especially high cotton content water colour paper. A thicker paper can hide lumps and bumps, especially if you sand it a bit after it dries.
Hi Mr Bookman!, I hust finished sewing my first text blokc and well... You said be careful of the tension so I was but now its a little floppy. Is it supposed to a be a little floppy or should I cut it apart and try again?
It is hard to know what a little floppy is, but it should be fine. In later steps you will glue and line the spine and it won't be floppy any more. It is your very first text block, so this is the experience where you learn the limits of what works. Good luck! DAS
Another great video Darryn. I was wondering if there are hard-and-fast rules about how to put down the pastedown i.e. when to do it 'book closed' vs. when to do it 'book open'? Does that make sense?
There is a “rule” often quoted but a bit hard to understand (and I don’t remember the wording right now). I think this is the same but easier to understand. Cased books the paste down is put down closed and board attached bindings (covered after boards are attached) are put down open. I think it makes sense. It would be hard to put the pastedown down open for cased binding and in the boards attached you need to work the pastedown into the inner joint which needs to be done open. Hope it makes sense. Darryn
The finishing press I use in the video. It's the 350mm between screws version. I think general purpose press would be a better description than edge gilding press. www.schmedt.com/tools-devices/wooden-tools/edge-gilding-presses/
The common answer is that is stops the tapes fraying. But doesn't make sense to me since once laminated between the boards and pastedown they wouldn't fray. If there is a reason I haven't found it yet, and may be lost to time.
