GENERAL STEPS IN BOOKBINDING
A Step by Step Procedure in the Rebinding of a Book

Preparation for sewing:

Some steps will vary, depending on whether the preparation (for sewing) requires either the sawing or drilling of each volume.

  • sawing is used on publications whose pages had been folded and stapled at the spine
  • drilling is used on publications whose pages had been glued at the spine
    1. If the book to be bound is one that is made up of sections and can be taken apart into sections, this should be done. Remove all advertising from the beginning and the end of the book. Also, remove all glue from the back of each section as well as possible, and mend any torn parts using an appropriate paste or tape.

    2. Put all sections of the book in their numerical sequence and subject the book to a fair amount of pressure for a period of time.

    3. (for sawed books): Place the book back into a press with the spine-edge of the book extending an inch or so above the jaws of the press. With a miter-saw, also called a hacksaw, a slight cut is made on each side of each tape position, as well as 1/2" to 1" from the top and the bottom ends of the book.

    4. The book is now ready to have the canvas-like material attached which will form the hinge for the cover. Also, at this point, attach what are often called the "fly sheets" (or "end" sheets), to the front and the back of the book.

    5. a) For sawed books:
      1. The book is now sewed, or the sections are attached to the tapes, according to the instructions given in detail later on.
      2. Paste down the tapes to the hinge material and the "fly sheets", according to the directions given. Also, paste the first two and the last two sections of the book together as directed.
      b) For drilled books:
        If the book is one that is to be bound by the method of drilling holes through the book with an electric drill, it should be done at this point in the binding process. Also, the book should be sewed as explained for this method of binding later on.

    6. Apply the elastic glue generously to the backs (spines) of the books, two or three times if needed. Here, and in the making of the cover, are the only places where the elastic glue is used in the binding of a book. The paste is used in all other places.

    7. After the backs of the books are glued and are dry, the outer edges of the book are cut/trimmed. The bottom of the book is cut first, then the top, and finally the front edges, as directed and explained later.

    8. The backs (spine edge) of the books can now be rounded. In the rounding process, the back of the book is made slightly convex and at the same time the front edges are made slightly concave. Here also, the gauze-like material for strengthening the back of the book is pasted on and the headbands are attached.