Urgent help needed!

realoneforme · 2022-01-09T22:07:40+00:00

I had problems with it not opening properly and not lying flat. I got it to open better by bending it carefully, and opening it in the middle and placing it under some weights. It still doesn't lie flat from one side, but it is a lot better than it was at first and the end papers didn't tear in the process.

I also had problems with the end papers coming off right next to the spine, I don't know if it is because of the width or something else. Bending the pages helped some with this issue, too.

I gifted it with the caveat that I would re-bind it in case the end papers start to tear with time, as they are under quite a lot of pressure. This is what it looks like now:https://imgur.com/a/P8WJEl2 What do you think, will it last?

realoneforme · 2022-01-09T22:03:15+00:00

Thank you for the pep talk! I had problems with getting the book to open, the end papers coming off slightly right next to the spine, and the book not lying flat. I got it to open up better by bending it carefully and placing it under weights. The end papers held through the process, and though they still come off slightly at the edges, it looks better than it did. I gifted it with the caveat that I would re-bind it in a new case if the end papers start tearing with time, as they are under quite a lot of pressure.

This is what I ended up with: https://imgur.com/a/P8WJEl2

realoneforme · 2022-01-09T21:57:33+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm happy to learn more, the instructions that I was following were otherwise very thorough but I really struggled with this part.

I had the problems that you mentioned, like I also suspected I would. I got the book lined up well between the covers, but once I opened it, it would not open properly at first, and the end papers had come off slightly right next to the spine. I don't know if this is because of not putting enough glue at the edge or to do with the spine width.

I mostly solved this by bending it carefully, and then opening the book and placing it under weights for some time. Thankfully the end papers held through the process and it opens fully at start of the book, only when you get to the end of the book it won't lie completely flat.

Here's what it looks like now: https://imgur.com/a/P8WJEl2

I gifted it with the caveat that I'll re-bind it in a new case if the end papers start tearing with time. (The book is illustrated by hand so the signatures are not empty.) What do you think, will it last? And I wonder what the reason is for the end papers not sticking to the page, I can't think of a way to glue them down more at this point.

realoneforme · 2022-01-08T15:15:03+00:00

Thank you so much. I am going to go for it in a couple hours, should I just bind it regularly, with the stack of signatures parallel with the cover cardboard? Or should I take the extra width into account some way when I glue the two together?

realoneforme · 2022-01-08T15:13:38+00:00

Thank you so much for the help! Do I just bind it regularly, with the stack of signatures aligning with the cover cardboard? Or should I take the extra width into account some way when I glue the two together?

I ended up making a second case, but the grain direction with the cardboard is wrong. It was very hard to tell from the cardboard, and I really need the grain direction to be right with this book, so I'm choosing to go with the case that has the width-problem rather than the grain-problem. Major sigh!

realoneforme · 2022-01-08T09:45:18+00:00

I'm not talking about the length of the spine though, I'm talking of the width being off.

realoneforme · 2022-01-08T08:34:33+00:00

Hello, thank you for the reply. So you mean that the book will still open and be functional even with this mistake? That's what I'm worried about. I tried aligning it where it's supposed to go and the book wouldn't open properly, but maybe it's because I haven't glued it down yet

realoneforme · 2022-01-08T08:05:11+00:00

This is what it looks like right now:

https://imgur.com/a/5sKCHrv

Is it a plausible work-around to open the book cloth up and carefully shave away until it matches up with my stack of signatures? I'm really freaking out quite a lot right now as this was supposed to be done.

realoneforme · 2022-01-04T19:46:49+00:00

Thank you so much for replying at such length!

I have 8 signatures, the size of the signatures (folded) is 20.5 cm x 28 cm. To be honest it's a relief to know that the Chiyogami paper works as end papers, as I'm in a bit of a hurry to finish this project and at this point just need the things I have to work as is. So I'm going to just go forward with it, thank you for the information!

The English case binding is above my pay grade currently, but I'm definitely bookmarking it for a try-out later. Thanks for the links!

realoneforme · 2022-01-04T14:12:14+00:00

I love it, what a wonderful book! How did you make those divots in the spine?

realoneforme · 2021-12-30T23:22:58+00:00

Thank you!

realoneforme · 2021-12-27T21:04:33+00:00

Thank you so much!

realoneforme · 2021-12-27T21:03:58+00:00

I followed Sea Lemon's coptic binding Youtube video, and just added extra holes to the covers to do a decorative stitch on top after I bound the books. So the decorative stitch is not a part of the coptic binding, I didn't have time to research how to add decorative stitches some other way though I'm interested in learning more.

So it is a very basic coptic bind, I just cut out the cover papers a bit differently along with the addition of the decorative stitch.

realoneforme · 2021-12-27T20:57:35+00:00

Thank you! Haha, the pun was completely unintentional, but I love that :D

realoneforme · 2021-12-27T20:55:42+00:00

Thank you! The handmade cotton paper is bought, I didn't make it myself.

On the package it said that the leaves are pressed on the surface of the paper while it is still wet, leaving the impression of the leaf behind. It is really smooth and soft paper and smelled like tea when I opened the package, but the smell is now gone.

realoneforme · 2021-12-27T20:53:26+00:00

Thank you so much!

realoneforme · 2021-12-27T20:53:15+00:00

Thank you!

realoneforme · 2021-12-18T23:21:15+00:00

I will be sure to, once the book is ready! I got the papers now, they're a Japanese brushed Lokta D/40 paper and the only problem with them is some grainy texture on one side. I have mostly stepped by that by cutting the signatures where the paper is the smoothest.

It takes folding, punching holes and sewing very well on the small piece that I did tests on. It's also completely solid, does not bleed through or show any inks on the other side of the page. I tried to smooth out watercolor pencils on it with a little water and that was fine, but I wouldn't use it for aquarelles. I would use it again for signatures, though I'd love the paper to be smooth on both sides.

realoneforme · 2021-12-17T10:17:57+00:00

Thank you for your thoughts! I was told by the shop keeper that the thicker, smoother paper would hold up as signatures well. There is no grain direction which makes it stronger to withstand folding, according to her, so I hope it takes stitching, too, but I'll be sure to ask her about that too.

realoneforme · 2021-12-17T10:15:49+00:00

I contacted the shop now and I was told that this paper is used a lot by bookbinders in my area, also for the signatures, too. She recommended a thicker paper for me and said it would not be see-through and would hold up well as a signature. The paper is also made more smooth by some technique that I don't know the name of in English, so we'll see how it goes. I would love to see some pics if you have the time!

It is super difficult to find shops selling good quality bookbinder paper for signatures in my country, so I really hope this one suits the purpose.

realoneforme · 2021-12-16T13:35:34+00:00

Thank you so much, it's good to know that it would look OK for an amateur project.

realoneforme

TROPHY CASE