The Prototype

This morning I removed the latest prototype from my press after it had spent the last three days alternating between drying in open air and under pressure. It hadn't been opened since the turn-ins were set and the end paper / pockets glued down. 









These images are of the version I was hoping to tweak but leave relatively the same.

 Needless to say I had a lot of expectations for the book coming out of the press this morning. The previous version (seen in the images above) had a lot of things going for it that I liked. The page size is right at 3" x 4.5", 160pp is enough and it hasn't gotten too bulky even with the 100% cotton paper, pockets are good and roomy yet unobtrusive, but most of all the action of the spine is perfect. I have been studying the springback binding structure and had just completed a very large example of which for a watercolor painter. After a handful of unsuccessful endeavors to wrangle the temperamental mistress that is parchment into what I wanted, that is a less bulky yet exceptionally hard wearing covering material, I had a realization. While I had been attempting to make the parchment bend to my will in tight back and hollow back configurations I had ignored the fact that the parchment, along with some buckram, could make an excellent spring for a book this size. The first structure I made with this new configuration was a surprising success and can be seen above.

So what went wrong this time?

Its hard to say exactly. The materials hadn't changed and I don't believe my technique did much either. Straightaway the differences seem to be; 1) The new version has sewn in endbands of twisted goat leather that are attached to the tab set in between the 'split boards' 2) The hollow extends further on to the text block on previous version vs. newest version 3) And because of that the string that helps set the head caps as well as press a joint into the parchment is closer to the spine on the newest version.

http://www.philobiblon.com/springback/
http://www.philobiblon.com/springback-eng/
http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v06/bp06-01.html

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