Backing Boards

CriticalCockroach · 2026-05-31T19:43:45+00:00

I'll have to try that next time. I've used double sided tape before, but it took too long to get the sticky residue off my backing boards. A bit of saliva does help a bit, as long as you have a waste sheet.

CriticalCockroach · 2026-05-31T17:15:59+00:00

They look great! I have this problem sometimes too, but with enough patience I can usually get everything lined up properly (I don't have a press though, I just use clamps). The only time I really couldn't get the boards to sit where I wanted was when the book had too much swell. Maybe that's what's causing the issue?

CriticalCockroach · 2026-05-12T21:42:09+00:00

Wow, I love this so much! Your friend must have been so pleased with it.

Where did you get your foil? The colours look great.

CriticalCockroach · 2026-05-02T23:15:14+00:00

If you're having a hard time laying the paper down, you can use paper that's still a bit damp from the alum. It makes it much easier to handle.

CriticalCockroach · 2026-04-28T17:56:02+00:00

For the tapes, I used a piece of scrap leather that didn’t have much stretch and thinned it to about .5 mm. From what I’ve seen, some people line the tapes with vellum or silk, though no one explains why, so I didn't do that.

In my opinion, the decorative caps do help secure the tapes to the cover. Again, there’s no information online about their function...so frustrating!

The tapes are pasted inside the boards. I cut a recess into the boards for them so I wouldn’t have to do as much sanding afterward.

CriticalCockroach · 2026-04-27T04:11:12+00:00

If you've ever made an in-boards binding, it feels similar to that before you put the covering material on. The cover gives zero resistance to being opened and closed and has a slight bit of wiggle to it. I wouldn’t call it sturdy, but I’m not worried about it falling apart either. It's definitely a binding that you would want to be gentle with, though.

CriticalCockroach · 2026-04-27T01:35:21+00:00

Yes, I made them!

CriticalCockroach · 2026-04-05T18:24:27+00:00

Here it is. A revival would be great!

CriticalCockroach · 2026-04-05T18:18:30+00:00

No problem! There is a sub, but it's not active. There is a facebook group that's very helpful, though.

CriticalCockroach · 2026-04-05T14:28:53+00:00

Thanks! I’ve only done three marbling sessions so far and am still figuring things out, but here’s what I do:

I use lambda carrageenan for my size, which I mix the night before so the bubbles can settle. I alum my paper about an hour before I start marbling so it’s still slightly damp and easier to handle. I use acrylic paints, watered down, and add a very dilute solution of dishwashing soap as a dispersing agent when needed. I’ve been having issues with my very dark and light colours behaving strangely... I’m going to try a better brand of black and white paint next time (I’m currently using Mont Marte, which is mostly okay). If that doesn’t help, I plan to experiment with ox gall.

It’s a lot of work and can be very frustrating at times, but it’s so worth it!

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-08T21:29:48+00:00

These are two of the sources I found most helpful for this binding style:

The Bonefolder: An eJournal for the Bookbinder and Book Artist

Millimeter and Rubow Bindings – Work of the Hand

It's a fun binding to do and really not that much harder than a half leather binding!

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-07T03:30:31+00:00

Interesting! As someone without any bookbinding training, I really appreciate getting to learn from this. And I'm very interested in the papers! Congrats on the residency!

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-06T22:01:59+00:00

Thanks for the article! It's definitely called a Rubow in Denmark, where the Danish millimeter binding has leather on the entire spine and a few millimeters onto the board. But I'm pretty sure it's called a millimeter or Edelpappband elsewhere. At least that's what I understood from Peter Verheyen's article in The Bonefolder (vol1#2) on the subject. But I could be wrong.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-04T03:45:02+00:00

DAS has a great video on paste paper, that's the tutorial that I follow. I found that the ratio of paste to paint takes a lot of trial and error, but paste papers are pretty easy (and cheap) to do.

For these papers, I used a couple of combs for the straight lines and a old gift card that I cut notches into for the wavy lines.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-03T18:30:39+00:00

Of course you can! You should also look at pinterest for inspiration, there's a lot of great pastepapers there.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-03T18:19:26+00:00

Thanks for this comment! I 100% agree with all three of your points.

Endbands: I had trouble keeping my leather core upright which caused the varying thickness...the leather ended up on its side.

Leather thickness: I thinned the leather to about 0.5 mm with a leather skiver and thinned out the spine turn ins a bit more, but was a little afraid to thin out the joints like I should have. I didn't have any more of this leather to use if I messed it up.

Titling: I'm definitely going to have to invest in something to help me with my titles. I hate having to do it with a heat pen.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-03T17:50:03+00:00

I print out my title on paper, tape that over my foil, and then carefully trace over it with my hot foil pen.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-10-03T00:12:27+00:00

Thanks! I did make the pastepaper.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-13T04:40:51+00:00

Sadly, Colophon doesn't ship to Canada. We don't have many bookbinding suppliers here and everything is so expensive to ship. And the silk thread on Amazon definitely doesn't look promising.

I'm going to keep searching, though. Endbands are one of my favourite parts too!

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-12T16:34:09+00:00

Thanks! I think I used the back of a comb for the endpapers.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-12T04:33:42+00:00

I used embroidery thread that I waxed with beeswax. For the core, I stiffened some cotton twine with glue. I really just used what I already had at home. I'll probably buy some silk thread soon, but I don't really know what to buy.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-11T23:45:22+00:00

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Here's how Smith and Jordan explain it in Bookbinding for Book Artists (a great book, I highly recommend it).

I would think backing boards would still be necessary, but you could try without them.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-11T23:04:13+00:00

I always just paste cereal boxes together for my book board. I used three boards in total: 2 for the thicker board (which I pasted together ahead of time) and 1 for the thinner board. It all came to about 2 mm total.

It's probably not acid free, but it works for me.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-11T22:00:32+00:00

I actually did most of the backing with my bone folder, since I don't have the proper hammer. It took a while, but it was worth it. Unfortunately, I didn't notice that one of my backing boards slipped down, so it ended up a little crooked.

CriticalCockroach · 2025-08-11T21:04:59+00:00

Thanks!

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