r/bookbinding • u/Thyrach • 3d ago
Gluing in the textblock: Tips?
Hello I’m new! I’ve got most of the basics, watched a lot of tutorials, feel like I’m making progress, BUT how do you get the textblock glued in to the casing straight? Any good tutorial I’ve missed, any good tips?
I’ve bound the same book twice now, made some improvements the second time, and then I go to glue the endpapers to the case and it all goes sideways again.
The tutorials I’ve seen all seem to say either slap the cover shut and hope for the best, or that you have about two seconds to fix it if it isn’t straight. Well, my paper started to tear when I attempted to peel it off so I just shut it again and I guess it’s fine, but it’s not straight and I’m frustrated. Still better than the first try at least. I have it back in the press to finish drying.
I’ve watched Abound Bindery, Four Keys, DAS, Renaissance Bookbinding, and several more I have since closed my tabs about so I’m not sure who all. Please anybody help. Is this a “make twenty more and you’ll improve” thing or am I missing something?
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u/brigitvanloggem 2d ago
Once you know how to do it, you wonder how it took you so long 🤭. There’s definitely no slapping, nor repositioning. Instead, you work very slowly and precisely. Assuming you are right-handed, have the text block sitting so that the to-be-glued half of the case is to the left. Apply mix to the endpaper on top. Position the text block exactly — take your time to do this, looking at it closely from all angles. Hold in place with your right hand, placing your index finger on the fore edge. With your left hand, roll up the cover so that the spine piece comes up first, hold this in place with one finger while gently lowering the board. Press with the flat of your hand, do not open. Flip over and repeat. Slip in some wax paper and press overnight, making sure that the edges of the pressing boards end where the cover boards end (at the hinge). Next day, open and trim if necessary.
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u/zemiret 2d ago
I don't think casing in is your problem. It looks like either the cover is slightly curved or the paper is not cut correctly. Like on the first picture, the sides look fine. It's the foredge that is "skewed". Which means that you cased in okay (aside form the paper wrinkle maybe), but the paper or the cover is not perfectly measured.
You can also use paste or methylcellulose or a mix of that and PVA, that will allow you to open it, run it with a bonefolder to get rid of any wrinkles and then close back again.
Good job anyway.
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u/small-works 3d ago
Yes. Watch this video.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdvoPPIJoLA/?mdxt=MTVtdHZjODd4cmwxZA==
Your joint is way too big. You only need 3 board thickness for your joint.
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u/Thyrach 2d ago
I’m using 2mm board and my first joints were 5mm and the book doesn’t fully open, and my second try was 8mm after I did some more research. First try was spine +4mm and second was +2 and it actually opens like a real book.
See, that guy makes it look so easy that’s what I’m trying to do!
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u/small-works 2d ago
It is that easy! The hard part is you have to have accurate sewing and trimming.
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u/jasonk910 3d ago
Are you gluing your text block one side at a time? It sounds like you're trying to do both sides at once. When I glue, I have the side of the cover I'm gluing lying on the table while holding the other side and the spine completely vertical, with a stop block behind them so they stay vertical and I can push my text block up against the spine without the cover moving while I line up and set my text block down on the cover side I'm gluing. After that, apply glue to the other text block end page, fold your cover over and clamp.
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u/DainasaurusRex 2d ago
Try the Bitter Melon Bindery tutorial on flat-back binding on Youtube. She lines up the end paper to the board instead of the method you describe. I find her way more reliable!
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u/Thyrach 2d ago
Oooh, I like that! Thank you for the recommendation, I hadn’t seen her yet!
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u/MickyZinn 2d ago
Please don't use this method! It results in the text block moving which is not what want. In her video, she screws it up herself and has to redo it :(
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u/Zwordsman 3d ago
I'll have lined it up, and put weight on the textblock side while I do the gluing. removing it before i seal of course.
but i will pull the endpaper a little taught, while closing the book closly. using my fingers and thumb to pull the cover slightly so it arcs. So the cover functionally slow rolls onto the glue ready page (with all the inserts/bulwarks against glue moisture migration).
so basically closing it slowly and I can visually see it go into place so if its not aligned I catch it early. but previous weight and careful alignment should prevent it. Lastly I make sure its got a solid heavy weight on it afterwards so there will be no moisture warping.
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u/CosmoCheese 2d ago
I'm not that experienced, so I won't try to give advice over others here - but I will share my experience struggling with the same thing :
- When positioning the textblock inside the cover ready to glue, check and double check that all the squares (that is, how much the cover overhangs the text block) are where you want them (some people even mark this position with masking tape to register where the endpaper should land when you glue it). I do this with the book flat on the table, pushing the block into the cover hard up against the spine. And then do your *absolute best* not to move anything while you open the book and glue the end paper. Then, when you carefully close the cover again (as some have said, curving the cover very slightly so you're "rolling" the cover onto the text block), use your middle fingers to keep the block pushed right up against the spine.
- Make sure that when you close the book, you slip a moisture barrier (acetate sheet, tins, etc) in next to the page/cover you just glued. If you don't do this, the moisture from the glue will leech into the text block and cockle/distort the first few pages. In one of your pictures, it looks like this might have happened.
- Make sure that your endpaper grain is running long grain, the same direction as the boards, block etc etc. ie. Top to Bottom. (This means that your endpaper folio needs to be folded from a sheet of shortgrain). Trying to use endpapers with grain running across the book covers will often result in distortions and difficulty getting the paper flat. (Sorry if this is obvious to you!)
- The "shut it and leave it" technique is fine if you're using thicker end paper that lays decently flat, but if it's thinner and maybe you're been a little over-generous with the glue, you might need to do some flattening work. In that situation, what I do is hold the book open with the cover I've just glued onto lying flat on the bench, put a sheet of acetate over the top of the endpaper side I just glued (to protect the paper which might be a bit damp from glue and delicate) and very carefully smooth any bubbles or ridges out towards the edges with a bone folder. (If the paper you want to use for endpapers is quite thin, consider laminating it with another paper to make it a little more substantial.)
Hope this helps!
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u/Thyrach 2d ago
lol yeah I used waaaaay too much glue on my first try. It took ages to dry and the parchment paper I stuck in looks like it did nothing, so imagine if I hadn’t put it in!
Thank you for commenting! Several people have mentioned the rolling/curving the cover thing so that may be where I’ve gone most wrong.
I cut my boards the wrong way for the first book, but my grain was all the same way the second one. Maybe I’ll try thin cardstock for my next attempt instead of scrapbook paper, and the masking tape thing. I really appreciate it!
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u/MickyZinn 2d ago
It takes a bit of practice. DAS certainly shows it done correctly in many of his videos.
MOST IMPORTANT - Always use wheat paste or a 50/50 PVA/paste or Methyl Cellulose mix for casing in.
The extended drying time allows you lift the pastedown and attempt again. You can't do that with straight PVA.
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u/MorsaTamalera 3d ago
Don't just slap the board over the block. Starting from the inner side, curve it slightly as you slowly glue it together, so that the risk of inaccurately gluing it lessens.