BOOK BINDING + LEATHER COVER

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Nowadays, book lovers do not have to visit the library, sit in it for hours, take notes of the necessary material. It is enough to make one click - and the desired book is already before your eyes. Fast and cheap. However, there are many reasons for transferring an electronic version of a book to paper. To whom the text is small, who on the screen does not perceive it at all. And then it begins: the sheets change places, get lost, wrinkle ... What is the pleasure of reading, if there is sheer inconvenience. Do not rush to throw out your printouts - do a binding in ten minutes. And your favorite work can also be decorated with a chic leather cover.
Materials for work:
• text printout - A4 format, 2 pages per back;
• photo paper - 1 sheet;
• PVA glue - 1 pencil;
• old meat grinder - can be replaced with a special device;
• kapron threads - 20 cm;
• jigsaw blade - 1 pc.;
• leather or its substitute - 35 x 40 cm;
• a sewing machine, a wide stationery tape, a piece of medical bandage, gold paint, scissors, a brush.
Stages of the work:
The first stage: binding.
We take the necessary tools and materials.

We print out a “book” on A4 paper in a text editor. On each sheet on both sides, 2 sheets of the future book are obtained. We bend the sheets in half, align. On both sides we put short boards on the places of sheet folds, compress the future binding with a meat grinder.

Using a jigsaw blade we make transverse shallow cuts at a distance of several centimeters from each other.

We cut the threads according to the number of cuts. The length of each thread should be twice the height of the binding.

Carefully coat the cuts with PVA glue, clogging voids with them.

We insert the threads into the cuts, leaving their ends free on both sides of the binding. Threads "drown" in the cuts. Let the glue dry, remove the meat grinder.

The second stage: we fix the binding.
We cut off a piece of medical bandage so that its length is enough for the length of the binding and for the bends on both sides. We cut out a strip of paper that completely matches the length and width of the binding of the book.

We apply a thick layer of glue to the entire binding, on top of it is a bandage (with the edges previously bent inward).

Apply glue to a strip of paper and smooth it to binding over the bandage. Carefully smooth the entire surface of the strip.

Apply glue to the top of the book.

We invite the ends of the threads and the edges of the bandage, while simultaneously stretching it to both sides of the binding. We dry the book in a standing position (binding).

The third stage: blank for the cover.
We print pictures on the photo paper (or paste prepared clippings onto it) for the title and back sides of the book. The size of the blanks should be 0.5 cm narrower than the width of the book. From the photo paper, cut out a strip that exactly matches the size of the binding (both in length and in width).

In order to make cuts in the skin to the size of the pictures, we make stencils from ordinary paper. If you need perfect accuracy in the coincidence of lines, you can use tracing paper or make a translation by attaching a picture and a top leaf to the window glass.

The fourth stage: we work with a skin substitute.
For the cover, you can use genuine leather or its substitute. In this case, a substitute purchased at the fabric store is used.

We apply cover blanks and bindings to the back of the skin. Do not forget to make a distance between them, a little larger in size than the reduced cover width (about 0.7 cm). Circle the contours with a pencil.

Inverted places put inverted blank stencils. The main thing at this stage of the work is not to confuse left and right. We outline the places of future cutouts.

Cut outlined contours.

Fifth stage: preparing the cover.
We paste the pictures on photo paper with stationery tape so that in the future they do not get dirty. Adhesive tape only on the front side of the sheet, not wrapping on the back.

Apply glue to the places of photo paper that are free from the picture.

Combine the cutout of the skin and the picture.

Gently, without stretching, we press the skin to the glue.

At the edges of the slices we make a machine line, fixing the skin.

Cut the corners of the cover.

We bend the edges of the skin inward, after applying a thick layer of glue.

Sixth stage: combine the cover and the book.
Apply a layer of PVA glue to the side of the book.

We apply the cover to the book with the wrong side down. Press, gently, without stretching, smooth the skin.

Turn the book over, apply glue to the back side.

Pulling slightly, bend the cover. Press, smooth.

We put paper under the cover on both sides of the book, make bends from it onto the cover surface. On the side of the pages we apply vertical strokes of gilding.

We put the book under the press (from heavy books of a larger format) and dry it for 24 hours. After drying, a unique masterpiece of your creativity is ready for endless page turning of your favorite pages.