End Papers and end bands.

Once the end papers have been tipped on the cords were frayed out, trimmed to about 1 1/2 cm and glued down on to the end papers.



Next is the first spine lining of Fray Not is applied with PVA and lots of elbow grease.



The end bands are made from a flat leather core with paper wrapped around and moulded over the leather core. The paper corresponds to the end papers of each individual book.



Kraft paper is the final spine lining, again applied with PVA and elbow grease.



Neatly trimmed to fit the spine perfectly.

Sawing and stuff.

With the spine cleaned the book is split into the 3 volumes.
Narrow grooves are sawn in to the spine. The first cut is vertical, being careful not to cut too deep.



Once the depth has been cut (just deeper than the binders cord - 3 ply) I saw at an angle, first one way.....



.... then the other. Creating an inverted V which will lock the binders cord in place.



PVA (or Fevicol for my Indian Chums) is then applied to the spine, ensuring that the adhesive has gone in to the grooves. It is important not to over do the glue.



It is then a question of waiting for the glue to dry.

This is just one method of securing the spine of an adhesive binding, as with everything, practice is the key.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

So work starts on a new book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.
We start with the text block, this has to be split into 3 separate volumes, this should be no problem. The problem is the original construction, it is one of those books that the publishers grandly say is a hard back, we, the customer pay more for what is essentially a paper back (perfect binding) with a couple of boards bound in paper. This particular book has some 786 pages held together with glue. A lot of pages one may say, the answer the original makers came up with was to apply lots of adhesive ...

First the adhesive has to be removed. I use a soldering iron with a trowel like foot to melt and scrape away the adhesive. messy and not my favourite job in the studio. Next I will make the end papers, common made with a decorative Japanese paper and while those are doing their stuff in the nipping press I will be securing the individual volumes.

micrometers.