Perfect Binding Workshop

Last friday I attended a workshop to learn how to do perfect binding. Being someone who wants to make their own books, I thought it be best for me to go along to learn this new technique.

We started out grabbing a wad of paper in our chosen size. This paper will form the basis of the sketchbook. I decided to make my books A5 as A6 seemed a bit too small to work in.

The next step involved the paper clamp. We had to turn the clamp upside down, and drop the paper in, ensuring to keep the stack straight with all paper lined up to make the pages straight when the book is formed. 

When satisfied, the stack was clamped in place and then turned upside down, to present the spine of the pages.

Taking two pieces of rough paper, I unscrewed one side of the clamp and the wooden flap came down. Resting my pages on some rough paper, and using another piece of rough paper to keep the line straight, I applied PVA to the ends of my pages. I then removed the paper and screwed the flap of the clamp back in place, turning it around and doing the same on the other side.

I then left my paper in the clamp to allow the spine to dry for 10 minutes. In the meantime, I prepared my Japanese paper (measured to the size of the spine plus 1cm on each side) and my coloured end papers (coloured A4 folded in half).

Once the spine had dried, I removed it from the clamp, removing the front and back sheet depending on if they were damaged or had glue on them. I then applied PVA to the spine marking on my Japanese paper, leaving the 1cm flap free on either side.

The next step was to glue the end papers on to the front and back. I used rough paper to glue a 1cm line on the folded side of the paper, and then stuck it under the flap of the japanese paper. I then glued the japanese paper down and used a bone folder to flatten it out. I then did this on the other side.

Here is my book with both coloured endpapers attached.

Next I made the cover using the creaser. Taking my printed design, I measured my spine and took this away from the length of the paper. Measuring away from each end, I got my spine markings. My spine measured at 6mm, so I measured 14.5 cm in from each side of my paper (A4 size is 29.7 cm, so taking away 6mm plus 1mm extra, then dividing in half). I then made the cover folds by adding 1cm, so making creases at 13.5cm and 15.5cm.

This gave me creases for the spine and 1cm on each side. I had to flip the paper after creasing the spine to made the paper fold the correct way.

The final step was to glue the 1cm folds of the cover (NOT the spine) and attach it to the book! I then left it under some weight to ensure it stuck down.

I will be using the Blue sketchbook I made for the Narrative project, the 'Doggy Do's' print one will be a gift.