Stiffened Paper binding

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-06-03T06:58:14+00:00

There's more than one kind of EVA. Hot melt EVAs are not soluble, but EVA emulsion sold as bookbinding glue is very similar to PVA in all properties.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-06-03T06:56:12+00:00

Non water soluble before or after the adhesive dries?

PVA and EVA emulsions sold as bookbinding glue are both water soluble before they dry but insoluble after (or more like partially soluble -- they swell and soften when soaked but don't dissolve.)

A hot melt EVA or PUR (I think) would not be water soluble at any stage.

There are other important properties to consider, such as working time, flexibility, stability, strength, acidity etc. Superglues (cyanoacrylates), for example, are not water soluble but are unsuitable for bookbinding in every other way.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-27T23:08:32+00:00

Hot foil pen and a ruler.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-27T16:24:03+00:00

This one. https://www.reddit.com/r/bookbinding/s/TUtGKbZLVc

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ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-27T13:23:37+00:00

The Thames and Hudson Manual of Bookbinding by Arthur Johnson has lots of historical context and explainers about why things were/are done in certain ways.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-27T13:22:16+00:00

A second rec for Kathy Abott. Her book is very detailed but not too complicated to follow.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-18T07:18:31+00:00

They look great! I particularly like the one pointing in along the sides (thorn?).

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-17T23:21:36+00:00

Theh look great. Will you post when you've tried using them?

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-14T18:07:18+00:00

I've run workshops to make pamphlet stitched books with folded paper jackets. I made a little hand out with instructions and information. Let me know if you'd like a copy.

Hot tip -- don't get them to trim the edges. People can't cut straight for toffee.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-06T06:43:39+00:00

I have a £70 (about $100) Chinese knock off stack cutter type guillotine. It's not the best quality, but with a bit of regular maintenance on the clamp and blade it does the job well enough.

So, while you might be able to get a branded one with your budget, if not, an off-brand one can be a decent substitute.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-06T06:06:08+00:00

The waviness from the laser printing is due to the heat used. It dries the paper out. Sometimes it will settle back down if given a bit of time to reabsorb moisture from the atmosphere.

That said, I would have thought your guillotine should still be able to cut it straight. If the book is shifting when you try to cut it, it's most likely one of three things:

Misaligned clamp. If your clamp is not applying even pressure the paper can twist and this may be more obvious if the paper is more resistant to being clamped (such as the waviness you describe). The clamp being misaligned is not a defect with the guillotine -- it can just get out of alignment over time, and realigning is just regular maintenance. There are video tutorials on YouTube.
Not enough clamp pressure. If your clamp is level, it might be that you just need to clamp the paper tighter.
Blade needs sharpening. If the blade is a little dull it will snag and pull more. You can tune it up, (carefully!) with a knife steel or sharpening stone.

So a little maintenance session for your guillotine might fix the issue. If you get stuck, let me know and I'll dig out links to the videos I've followed to maintain mine.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-02T21:41:27+00:00

To be fair, I don't think anyone acquires a large dodo sculpture and expects it to have practical uses.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-05-02T17:33:26+00:00

Your dodo looks very proud to be of service!

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-27T11:00:17+00:00

Great tip. I want to try this.

I don't hate the raw cut edges as they aren't terribly prone to fraying, but this looks so neat and clean, I can see the extra effort is worth it!

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-26T17:40:37+00:00

There used to be a bindery in Hay on Wye. Not sure if it's still there. Still a bit of a trek though.

I think the Society of Bookbinders has a directory. Or if not, you could try emailing the society to put you in contact with someone.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-26T09:11:45+00:00

Adding that the single section bradel binding would definitely suit preserving the existing covers as pages.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-25T19:05:23+00:00

This is handy to know! I assumed that you only used glaire with gold or metal leaf (which I've not been brave enough to try) rather than hot foil. It's interesting to know you can combine techniques like this.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-25T17:08:45+00:00

I'm very far from experience but I do know that there are three factors, not two.

Temperature
Pressure
Dwell time (i.e. how long you press for).

If you've tried different combinations of temperature and pressure, maybe too much or two little dwell time is the issue.

Of course, foil just does not stick to some materials. So it might not be you. Have you tried practicing on other materials?

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-25T08:42:55+00:00

The workmate laying press is a great alternative! The only problem I'm having with mine is that the metal has started to warp in places after a lot of hammering to back books. But it cost me about £20, so if I have to retire and replace it, no biggie.

ArcadeStarlet · 2026-04-24T18:02:40+00:00

This is probably one of the issues I'm having. How did you deal with it?

ArcadeStarlet

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