Welcome to the wonderful world of perfect binding! I have been spending a lot of time using the new binder at the Independent Publishing Resource Center lately, so I thought I’d do an in-depth process post on what I’ve been up to.
It’s really incredibly simple to use. Once set up, those two red buttons do all the work. Read on if you’re interested.
This slider sets the amount of glue applied to the paper block.
This carriage clamps the paper in place and transports the paper across the glue and sets it on the cover.
Speaking of glue, here it is, an open well of glue, all melty and hot. The interior pages of your book slide over that roller to get coated with quick-drying hot glue.
This side of the binder is where your cover is applied. That dial gets adjusted depending on the thickness of your book. The lever is what presses your cover onto your glue-coated interior pages.
The cover-crimper table can be easily removed to reveal these fans. This comes in handy if you want to make notepads, or anything without a cover, as the fans will dry the glue as it gets carried over them.
OK, on to the actual binding process.
First, take your block of interior pages, in this case, a copy of FADGE.
Clamp your paper block into the carriage, aligned with that metal bar.
If it’s important that your cover is centered on the spine, as it is with FADGE, it’s easiest to mark the center of your spine on the inside of your cover. There’s a light pencil mark there in the center.
Align your pencil marks with the center of the black space on the cover crimper.
OK, now press the red button to send the carriage, and your paper, over the glue and onto your cover.
Hey, there it is!
Pull the lever firmly to set your cover in place; hold for about 10 seconds.
Unclamp the interior pages and open the carriage.
Pull your book out carefully.
You’re almost there!
Hey, it’s a book!
Now it just needs to be trimmed, that’s where the “perfect” comes in.
Beautiful, isn’t it. Paper chopping has never been easier.
Trim down the excess edges.
And that’s all there is too it! Perfection from the perfect binder.
Hope you had as much fun as I did. If you happen to live in the area of Portland, Oregon, and are even moderately interested in self-publishing, I would highly recommend becoming a member of the IPRC. The small membership fee is worth it for the community alone, not to mention the access to free paper, art and craft supplies, computers, cheap photocopiers, and their huge zine library.
