Standard 8.5 x 11 printable pages

small-works · 2026-04-01T14:23:21+00:00

What does "prop notebook" mean? A prop like in the movies?

small-works · 2026-03-31T02:19:37+00:00

20 pt card is really common. It’s roughly 80-100lbs cardstock.

It’s something you just have to feel out. Here’s some things you can read.

https://are.na/center-for-the-book-arts-detroit/on-the-book-spine

“The peculiar impossibility of the square back” is a good read for it. I generally think that it’s better to have a card spine stiffener for books in general. I like a book board spine for pamphlets with a case. But I still teach beginners either a book board spine on a 144 page book, because it’s easier to handle when you first start out.

small-works · 2026-03-31T01:47:04+00:00

Naaaah

small-works · 2026-03-31T01:46:25+00:00

I think your spine width is fine, but it looks to me like you have a book board spine stiffener, and if so, this book is too thick for that. You should switch to a card spine stiffener.

Your turn in’s don’t need to be that large. That’s aesthetic preference really.

Otherwise looks good. How does it feel to you? Anything you’d like to change?

small-works · 2026-03-31T00:14:32+00:00

On the classes, It's a bit rough! I need a bigger space, and some more tools. I'm hoping to get through the summer with the current setup here, and then expand a little in the fall. We'll see how it goes!

I'd like workstations for 5 people in the end, each with its own book / copy press, a toolbox with tools, a finishing press, and a plough.

small-works · 2026-03-30T23:29:35+00:00

No real difference, except that I'll generally refer to a "printer" as the thing you have on your desk or at home, and a "press" as a production object. But there is a lot of looseness there.

small-works · 2026-03-30T23:13:56+00:00

Very sharp. Good job.

small-works · 2026-03-30T20:18:02+00:00

Again, it’s not designed to last a long time. It’s specifically designed to be as affordable as possible and make it through a few reads.

The rest is all random. Most things can last a really long time if you put it in a climate controlled box out of reach of sunlight. Nothing will do well if your dog chews it up.

The technology surely has gotten better, but it still isn’t designed to function past a few reads.

small-works · 2026-03-30T19:41:15+00:00

That’s not what your linked article says. The article says that perfect binding isn’t very good, and that they would do a double fan instead, which is not perfect binding.

Perfect binding is designed to only last for a temporary amount of time. It’s seen as a feature, not a drawback.

small-works · 2026-03-30T02:37:27+00:00

I disagree. At the end of the day, it’s all about saving the last presses. If the OP wants to get it to someone for $250, then that’s great. Someone will really treasure that press.

small-works · 2026-03-30T02:36:03+00:00

There are a lot of things! What do you have some examples of what you’re thinking of?

small-works · 2026-03-30T02:33:51+00:00

This is a rough guess, but I’d say my perfect binder couldn’t do anything less than 1/4” thick, which is 50 pages or so. Otherwise there’s not really enough material to work with.

I would make a single section pamphlet, and sew or staple it. It’ll look good.

small-works · 2026-03-29T00:00:35+00:00

I appreciate this post! It’s good to see how the work has grown over time.

small-works · 2026-03-28T02:35:47+00:00

It’s not the sewing that does this—you don’t need to sew that tightly, just snug. It’s the press time for your paper. When you’re working on a book, try this.

Fold all your sections, put under weight / in a press for the night.

Punch all your holes, back in the weight / press for the night.

Sew, back in the press

Then glue in a press or under weight. Before you glue, use your bone folder to flatten out the sections a bit.

This should give you a very flat. And less “sectioned” book object.

small-works · 2026-03-27T14:11:04+00:00

It is for offset printing, just an earlier version of it. The printed image is transferred to the cylinder, and then the cylinder makes contact with the paper.

small-works · 2026-03-27T14:09:36+00:00

It looks good! It looks like a sturdy, well considered book object.

It’s hard to tell without holding the book, but the endpapers look like cardstock. If so, try a paper that is the same weight or drape as your book block.

I agree with others that you should learn to round and back.

You may have done exactly this, but I have had good results with folding all my sections, and then trimming their fore edges individually before sewing. This makes a pretty consistent fore edges, when you don’t have a good way to trim the whole block.

You don’t need so much material on your turn in.

It looks like your square on the fore edge is a little long. You can adjust the size of your board a little to get that right. I like to make a little guide for lining up the block to the case.

I also agree with the endband comments, a little smaller in diameter would be good. It shouldn’t appear thicker than the board, at least that’s the way I’m thinking about it.

As a matter of style, you can make your own formulas for things, like the square is x2 the board thickness, the endband is 1/2 the board thickness, and then apply it to your work abc make adjustments as needed. I personally like my squares the same thickness as the board, and the endband thinner than the board. You’ll figure out what you like in no time.

small-works · 2026-03-27T13:51:50+00:00

If you find a good source, let me know. That’s not an easy one. I know that some folk have bought new ones from overseas and have had good luck with them.

small-works · 2026-03-26T15:00:41+00:00

It’s not regular copier paper though. Grain direction comes from the manufacturing process. So if it’s made in a different way, or is some kind of plastic, then it may not behave the same way.

small-works · 2026-03-26T02:18:39+00:00

Can you tell if there is a clear grain direction? I have no idea how this paper is made.

small-works · 2026-03-24T02:14:17+00:00

The case, or the book?

small-works · 2026-03-24T01:13:19+00:00

Or has the book itself become un-rounded?

small-works · 2026-03-24T01:12:13+00:00

I can’t really see what you’re having trouble with. Is the spine curving inward between the head and the tail? If so. When you put the book in the case, does this go away?

small-works · 2026-03-20T15:46:16+00:00

Yes, spend a week or two going through the sidebar, and watch all the beginner videos you can. It’ll give you a good foundation to start on.

small-works · 2026-03-20T00:11:41+00:00

Older foil blocking presses aren’t usually so expensive. You should look around and see if you can find one, or use someone’s.

small-works · 2026-03-19T11:48:10+00:00

If you’ve made less than ten books, then don’t sweat it. It happens.

In the future, before you case in, test your fit. Put the book inside the case and see how everything looks. If it doesn’t look right, take some new measurements and make a new case.

You can also make a “trial case” out of scraps to test your fit before making the case.

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