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Exposed-spine notebook instructions
Disclaimer:
These instructions are being offered free of charge. Youhave my permission to distribute them for free to anyonewho wishes to have them. Please do not distribute themcommercially. More instructions and information aboutbookbinding can be found athttp://bibliopegy.blogspot.com.
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Supplies:
For the book:
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Paper for the pages. The choices are many – for notebooks I generally use whiteoffice paper (80 g/m
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), but for a sketchbook I would use sketching paper. Choosewhatever colour you want, but white is cheapest and so is best suited toexperimentation. I cut the A4 office paper down to A5 size and folded the sheetsdown the middle, smoothing the folds with a bone folder. It is best to use paperthat has grain that lies between what will be the top and bottom edges of the book;otherwise the paper may cockle at the seams if it gets damp and destroy thebinding.
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Paper for the endpapers: pastedowns and flyleaves. I used triple endpapers, withthe innermost sheet on each side in white and the outer flyleaf and pastedown,which are parts of the same sheet of paper, can be white or coloured. Heavierpaper than the kind used for the pages is recommended, for example 120 g/m
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.The grain direction should be the same as in the pages.
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Book board, 2-3 millimetres thick. Framing board can also be used. The grainmust be the same as in the endpapers and pages. Cut it 6 millimetres higher and 3millimetres wider than the signatures.
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Stuff to cover the boards. This can be leather, Rexine (fake leather), book paper(marbled, paste paper, printed), book cloth, specialist paper (for example elephantskin, which has a nice marble-like pattern and is available in various colours). Inthe example I used an advertising page from a glossy magazine, but that paper canbe difficult to work with and I recommend using thicker paper if you don‘t haveexperience using magazine pages.
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Mull (also called
crash
). This is gauze, similar to that in bandages, only stiffenedwith starch. For a durable book you should use tightly woven mull, but for thisexample I have used coarse mull. If you don't have any, don't use it and skip thestep where it is added to the flyleaf signature, or use construction paper instead.The book will be slightly weaker, but should hold well together if it isn‘t abused.
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Thread. Waxed bookbinding thread is ideal, but heavy hand-quilting thread maybe used or even crochet or sewing thread. If you use thread that is not pre-waxed,use quilter‘s beeswax or a candle stub for waxing. Not only will it glide moresmoothly, the wax will also strengthen and protect the thread.
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Glue. I use Planatol bookbinding glue, thinned to a creamy consistency. This is atype of PVA (white) glue. Don't use Elmer's or other craft glue, as it will dry hardand become brittle before long. Rather use bookbinder’s paste if you can‘t getbookbinder‘s glue.
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Ribbon. Many kinds can be used. In the example I used satin ribbon that widerthan is really necessary, but will be decorative. If the book is to be carried aroundin a bag or pocket, it is best to trim the ribbon and not have bows.
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Tools and other supplies:
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A bone folder. A ruler or a spoon may be used instead, but if you plan to do morebookbinding or paper crafting, invest in a bone folder. It is useful to get sharpfolds in paper and to smooth down paper on to book board (among other things).
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A utility knife or crafter's scalpel. A rotary cutter is also good to have, but notabsolutely necessary. For cutting paper and board.
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A safe cutting surface. I use a quilter's cutting mat.
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A good ruler made of metal or thick Plexiglas. I use a Plexiglas quilter's ruler anda smaller aluminium ruler. For precision cutting and measuring.
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A brush for the glue. I use a small paintbrush
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A pencil for marking.
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An awl or a large, sharp needle. For making sewing holes in the signatures.
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A sewing needle. For sewing the book together. It's best to use a blunt needle, forexample a tapestry needle, to avoid accidental damage to paper and fingers.
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A saw or a file for cutting serfs (explained in the instructions) in the signatures.
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A book-press, or if you don't have one, some binder clips and several heavybooks. A cheap alternative to a book-press is wooden boards, cut larger than thebook, and a couple of clamps.
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Some medium grain sandpaper. Optional. For smoothing the edges and corners of book board.
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Spare paper to protect the table when glueing.
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Pieces of thick plastic or wax paper or some other easily loosened material to usewhen pressing books with wet glue. You can use newspaper or magazines pages,but I recommend plastic or wax paper, since regular paper can accidentally getglued to the book.This project requires some experience in craft techniques, but as book-making projectsgo, I would say it‘s at the intermediate level.
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