Bookbinding for beginners

by Florence O. Bean; John C. Brodhead

Make dimensioned sketches of all pieces (See Plate XXXV) and lay out and cut all parts. Along the folding lines of both newsboard foundations, score and fold as explained in connection with the box.

Plate XXXV. Dimensioned sketches of
the parts of the postcard holder.

When pasting the vellum onto the outside case, it will be found of great advantage to have blocks of wood to work around. If there is a woodworking room in connection with the school, these blocks may well be made there. They should be at least the full length of the case and may project beyond the ends. Their thickness should be the width of the narrow faces, and their width may be the same as that of the broad faces, or narrower. If narrower, the blocks may be slipped along as the vellum is being rubbed down.

The strip of vellum for covering the outside is so large that it is difficult for a child to cover it with paste, before a part of it has dried. It is better, therefore, to paste a little more than enough for one face at a time, rub this down, apply paste again, and so on to the end. By putting the paste a little beyond were it is needed there is a certainty of leaving no dry areas at the corners.

Plate XXXVI. An illustration of the method of covering the outside of the case when a block of wood is used.

If blocks are to be used, paste together the two end divisions of the newsboard, put the block inside, and paste on the strip of vellum. Place one end of the vellum flush with one edge of the case, and cover one broad face first. (See Plate XXXVI.) Before rubbing down the vellum on the next face, be sure that it is pulled as closely as possible over the edge, leaving no wrinkles or loose places. When all the faces have been covered, there should remain a margin of vellum to lap onto the face first covered. If this is pasted down very closely, it will be almost invisible.

If no blocks are available, three faces should be covered before joining the two end pieces of newsboard, which should then be covered as one piece. Lay each face as it is being pasted so that one edge is at the edge of the desk or table, and allow the rest of the case to hang over the side. (See Plate XXXVII.) In this way the faces may be easily covered. Next make a longitudinal cut on the projecting vellum as far as the newsboard at each corner of the case. The resulting laps may then be easily pasted down onto the inside of the case.