Bookbinding: What I've Learned.

A little music to listen to while you wile away your time reading what I have to say about making books.

What I've Learned

What I've learned in the last 67 books I've bound can be summed up in two words: Listen to a teacher. (Okay, four.)

• I've learned that 2 mm book board is better than a grocery sack.
• I've learned that the space between the spine and the cover is about 3.5 times the thickness of the book board (If using a 2 mm book board that would be about 7 mm)
• I've learned that you need to press the book under considerable weight shortly after making the book and not let it sit on your tabletop overnight while you gloat about your great achievement because the covers will curl up like a butterfly about to take flight.
• I've finally learned that you need to cut the corners of the book cloth BEFORE you paste it up or try to press it to the book board.
• I've learned that glue in a glass container can still get dry and grungy and if you let it sit overnight while you gloat about your great bookbinding achievements then you might as well buy a new glass container and glue.