VICTORIAN BOOKBINDERS' GUILD INC.

For All Interested in the Art, Craft and Practice of Bookbinding

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Ask the Experts

Please contact us at milton@ncable.net.au
We will respond as quickly as possible.

F A Q s

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions from our members.Questions

1. "What are the principle parts of a book?"

• Pages-Sections-End papers (blank or decorated pages between the text block and covers)-Boards (or Cover). When covered with cloth or leather called the Case-Spine (back)-Foredge (front edge)-Head (top of book)-Tail (bottom of book)-Head bands (coloured strip at head and tail of book).

2. "What is the sequence of binding operations?"

• Collate pages and sections-Sewing-Make and tip on the End Papers-Gluing the spine-Rounding and Backing-Cut Boards-Make the Case-Title the Case-Glue text block into the Case.

3. "What is 'full binding'?"

• A book covered entirely in one material.

4. "What is half binding?"

• Spine and corners covered with one material and a second material covers the rest.

5. "What is quarter binding?"

• One material covers the spine and a second material covers the rest..

6. "What is 'blind tooling'?"

• Titling and decoration of a leather covered book without the use of foil.

7. "What is the best universal glue to use in bookbinding"?

• There is no easy solution to this. However, archival PVA can be used for most purposes.

8. "When sewing my text block, I find that the pages and the text block curls and does not hold square"?

• Before sewing, check that the paper has the grain running vertically. This helps the book to lay square and folds flat.

9. "What are the letters and or numbers at the bottom of some pages in a book"?

• The letters and or numbers on some pages are the 'signatures' on the first page of each section. If a count is made between two consecutive 'signatures' it will be determined how many pages there are in a section. These 'signatures' aid the Binder to keep every thing in the right order when the book is being sewn.

10. "What is a section"?

• A printed sheet of paper where the printing is set in such a way that when the sheet is folded properly and trimmed all the pages run consecutively. Sixteen pages are common but there can be eight or twelve or even thirty two using very thin paper.

11. "What is a Doublure"?

• A decorative fill-in pasted on the inside of the front and back covers.
Often found in leather bound books.

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Last update occurred on 02/08/07