How to Bind Books
If you will look at this book carefully you will conclude that it would be next to impossible to bind one that would even faintly resemble it. But while I do not want you to believe that you can do a job that would anywhere nearly equal it, you can bind a book good enough so that you will not feel ashamed to let any one see it.
 | ||
| THE BOARDS | BOARDS GLUED TO CLOTH | WIDTH OF BOOK |
Fig. 71. how to cut boards and cloth for book binding
Making the Cover.
—First mark out with a rule and then cut out two pieces of pasteboard each of which is just as wide as the book you are going to bind and ¹⁄₄ inch longer as shown at [A in Fig. 71].
Lay these boards on a piece of muslin or calico, or you can buy regular book-binder’s cloth for the purpose[71] and cut it 2 inches wider than the length of the boards and three times as long as the width of one of them as shown at [B].
[71] For book binders’ materials of all kinds send to Thomas Garner and Co., 181 William Street, New York. For book binders’ leather materials address Du Pont Febrikoid Co., Equitable Bldg., New York.
Coat these boards on one side with a good glue laid on thin and glue them to the cloth so that they will be separated from each other by a space ¹⁄₂ an inch wider than the thickness of the book you are binding as shown at [B and C]; this done glue the edges of the cloth over on to the other sides of the boards as shown at [D in Fig. 72].
Fig. 72. sewing on the muslin flap
While the back is drying take a piece of good muslin and cut it 1¹⁄₂ inches shorter than the length of the book and within 2 inches as wide as the width of the back of the book when it is flat open. For instance suppose the book is 5 inches wide and 1 inch thick which is 11 inches in all; then you would cut the muslin 9 inches long. The muslin on the book is shown at [E].
Sewing the Book.
—The next operation is to sew this piece to the back of the book; for this work you will need a thin sharp awl, a hammer, a large darning needle and some strong linen thread—waxed thread is the best.
Before doing so, however, take a sheet of good white paper and make a couple of fly-leaves for the front and back of the book; now punch a line of holes ¹⁄₈ inch from the back, through the book as shown at [F], then put on the piece of muslin and sew it to the book good and tight, and be sure the flaps are even.
Fig. 73. the bound book complete
This done spread some glue on the pasteboard covers, place the back of the book on the cloth binding between the covers, turn it over on the front cover and rub the muslin down smooth on it; then do the same thing with the back. All that remains for you to do now is to turn back one of the blank pages which you sewed on to the book and glue it on the cover which will conceal the muslin flap.
After you have bound the book lay it between a couple of smooth boards and screw it up tight between the jaws of a pair of wood clamps. Let it stay there over night and in the morning when you take the wood clamps off you will have one more book to add to your five foot shelf.
Putting on the Title.
—If you have a printing press you can print the title of the book and the author’s name—don’t forget the author’s name—on a slip of heavy paper and gild it, or on a piece of cloth and glue it to the front of the cover as shown in [Fig. 73].