First Posted from 2024-03-03 to 2024-03-26
The Binding of Zagreus
Format
I am still a little torn on which kind of binding to pick. I know I want to use the A6 format, since it’s a nice and handy size and will give me more than one or two signatures for a 4k story.
I quite like the look of Japanese stab binding, however, the margins I’ll have to use for that will make the room for the text a little too narrow. So, I shall go for double coptic binding.
The Binding
After a lot of experimenting, I’ve decided on the Secret Belgian stitch, I got grey board and did some typesetting, wrangling drop caps and getting to know text styles in Affinity Publisher.
I am now ready to start the actual binding. Wish me success.
The first signature is printed and a few things I’ve noticed:
1) I need paper that doesn’t bleed through.
2) I’ll need a printer that prints more crisp and doesn’t eat things on transparency 5%.
3) Baselines got fucked. It’s like they’re not there at all… I blame the printer because on the other signatures, it's not
as bad.
Signatures cut!
Cutting the grey board wasn’t as hard as I had feared.
Preparing for a raised motif beneath the cover paper.
Now waiting for the glue to soak through.
Please meet Mr Gurkenstein (Cucumber Stone):
I’m not sure if gluing goes well. Didn’t feel like I was doing things right. Will have to see what it’ll look like tomorrow…
The back cover is okay so far, only a little bend.
The front, however? I didn’t fold the excess over to the backside of the cover and that might’ve been a mistake. Also, I guess I should’ve tended to the raised parts before letting it dry, too.
Did some experimenting, and it turns out, the materials I have at my disposal just don’t work well with raised materials. I’ll let this simmer for a day or two for ideas.
I swear, the front cover hates me.
Attempt Nr. 2:This time the glue was not cooperating. It just was all over the place and therefore getting stuck to the protective paper I had put around the cover when pressing during the drying process. It also didn’t corporate on one side when I folded it onto the back. So, I added more glue to that spot got two little wrinkles and I guess that's also what caused the glue mess.
Attempt Nr. 3:So I was like: Fuck paper crafts glue! I’ll just use all purpose adhesive for the front!
If I was writing about tigers that would be a nifty affect.
This is not completely dry, yet, but I’m not having high hopes.
I got some actual bookbinding glue after the recent fuck ups and it went alright. So I just held the back cover and the front cover against each other… and the bloody front cover is bigger! AAARGHLRHGJGH! I know why it happened, because I've used a mishap as a jig, so the lines went further outside and then I used the second mishap as a jig, further pushing the cutting lines outside. And while I'm just debating if to say Fuck it!, I put it onto the table where something moist was and now there's a bloody stain on it.
I'm so done with this ongoing waste of materials for such a slim book. 😫 Actually considering if I should just reprint it as one single signature and do a pamphlet bind just to get this over with.
Needed a little encouragement, so I did a quick single signature bind yesternight.
Punched the holes a little too far to the side.
I only now noticed that I forgot the first chapter in the table of contents…
Aaaaand, there’s also a typo on that page.
Also, after printing the last pages, including that illustration, my printer notifies me of low ink.
Printer: You want me to continue printing nevertheless?
Me: Yes, please. There won't be any more colour-heavy pages, you can do it!
Printer: I'll just reprint the pages already done, including that colour-heavy one! 😎
Since I’ve got to at least re-print one signature of the actual project, I’m wondering if to go for A7 instead of A6. It might give me more to work with than two small signatures and one really, really slim signature…
First new cover board is done.
I didn’t bone down the covers when glueing them to the papers properly, but I’ll just accept the imperfection.
It’s all not perfect in the slightest, but there’s only so much redoing I can do with this project before canning it. And I really want to get to the sewing part.
Also, there’s no bend at all left in that board. That’s good. Let’s hope the second board straightens out again, too.
Get ready for the final stretch with lots of pics!
The other board straightened itself out as well. It was really bend before I glued the backpaper. And I glued very crooked as well…
Sleepy Leia looking at whatever I’m holding.
Book Parts Assemble!
Punchy Holey Timey!
Brief break time while I get ready to wax the threads.
Aaaand, the covers are sewn together:
Outside
Behold! The Finished Book!
Turns out, I’ve made the gaps between the parts too narrow.
The ink from the other side is bleeding through. Also 5% transparency, while still visible fine on the screen, is visible at all on the printed pages. You can see a hint if you know where to stare at.
Complete table of contents this time. :D
More printer woes: it wouldn’t just aling the pages properly. That’s why there’s no space on the bottom. Had to cut up, left and down to make the signatures even and yet some cut marks remain.
So, all in all, a project of many mishaps and lots of compromises. But good enough to stand as my first self-bound little book.
Also, keep your
work place clean before glueing. Why didn’t you learn after that first mishap?
Now… Onto
Van den vos Reynaerde! (No, not really. I might get to actually do a fanbind of a story after mustering up the courage to ask author and fan artists.)
Behold! Actually Nice Photos!
