Skip to main content

Book Press

New Delhi. 30 June: I grew up in a household with a home-library. Our library is three generations old, and maybe the first book was added to it in the mid 1950’s. As per my knowledge, the oldest book that we own is a “Moby Dick” published from London in 1923.

(c)Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, 
Wikimedia Commons

So I inculcated the habit of “Book Preservation” since early childhood. Many techniques were learnt and matured over time. But at that age also, I realised that the traditional binder shop at the corner of the street was not up to the job. The traditional binders used to put three holes in the book, put a single knot stitching through it and put some cardboard, colourful paper and red coloured buckram (as a spine liner) over it, and the work was done. A great book was spoiled forever.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I mastered  traditional book binding, then I moved on to professional book binding, so that I could restore the books to their original form.


With the passage of time this hobby was almost put to the shelves, and I became so busy with life that until recently I never looked at it again. But thanks to a YouTube Channel “Sea Lemon”, I am again obsessed with my old passion. 


I built it.
(c) Pallav.

So the foremost thing that a book binder needs is a device called “Book Press”. It is actually a machine that holds a book for longer durations of time, while you are working on it. It helps you while working upon the spine of the book, or when you are pasting the end papers and boards to the book.

(c) Pallav.

Professional Binderies, have big cast iron book presses. Japanese Book Makers have very beautiful wooden Book Presses. But these machines are costly, and it seems are not available in our country India.


(c) Darbin Orvar, 
Instructables

So, working on the guidance provided by “Sea Lemon”, I decided to make my own book press. The wooden boards came from the kitchen. I cleaned and used two large bamboo-chopping boards for the project. Had to purchase six screws / bolts (4 inches long), and  Wing Nuts from the local hardware shop.


Then I drilled six holes in the boards, and voila, the Book Press is now ready to use. I believe that I can mend almost 80-90 percent of books available in my home library with this book press. Sea lemon had built a small book press, so She only used two screws, but I put additional screws just in case if I am working on some large format book. If I can get longer screws, like 8 or perhaps 10 inches, then I can mend  even very thicker books also with it. I am happy with this device.


Here is a link to Sea Lemon’s YouTube post on Book Press:- https://youtu.be/nTeg8MH0PtI


There is another video on Antique Book Binding, Please also watch it:- https://youtu.be/DtJK_fcrLlY 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Favourite Movies

New Delhi. 28 June: Friends, Here I am sharing some of my favourite movies and serials / series of all time. I will keep editing this list and add new movies to it, as and when I remember. So please keep watching this post. Note- Many movies below, carry the name of the lead actor instead of ‘Director’.  I apologise for that. Kindly note that there are many many Hindi and Foreign Movies that are not part of this list, but these are very close to my heart. I will try to incorporate them too in this list as and when I remember. 1). The Da Vinci Code. 2). Angels and Demons. 3). Inferno (But was not that great than previous two). 4). Overcoat (Il Cappotto, 1952 Italian movie) . 5). The Bicycle Thief. 6). The Bridge of Spies. 7). Young Sherlock Holmes (1985). 8 ). The Goonies. 9). Hocus Pocus (1993). 10). Red Heat (1988). 11). Taken 1, 2 and 3 (Liam Neeson). 12). Unknown (Liam Neeson). 13). Non Stop (Liam Neeson). 14). Back to the Future, Trilogy. 15). Kate and Leopold. 16). The Lives of Ot
Post a Comment
Read more

East India Company (EICo).

New Delhi. 29 June: Two great shows by BBC. "BEECHAM HOUSE" and "TABOO"(2017). Both were centred around East India Company.  Under the Auspices of the Sovereign and Senate of England. Image Courtesy: Commons. The Honourable East India Company (EICo) as it was officially called was a trading company started by Merchants of London in 1600 AD. Though it was initially started solely as a company to deal in the exotic goods of the orient; It soon evolved into a Parallel Government holding vast swathes of Geography and controlling own Armies on a near global scale. We can also see the EICo as an extension or Predecessor to the British Empire. Dara Shikoh Library. Image Courtesy : Dr. William Dalrymple. Beecham House, directed by our very own Gurinder Chaddha is the story of an 18th century EICo officer named John Beecham. Mr. Beecham got disillusioned with the life of Company rule and moved to Mughal Delhi to start a business. Full of French Mercenaries, Decline of Mughal
Post a Comment
Read more

On Moon

  Pragyaan on Moon New Delhi. 07 September: After playing in the open sun for long hours, little “Pragyan” is exhausted now, and is now going to sleep at his maternal home, the home - the courtyard of his “Moon” Uncle. As if scripted in the Jules Verne’s story and it’s film adaptation, the first Indian Traveller on Moon - “Rover Pragyan” is going to sleep comfortably under a warm blanket for the long lunar night.  Though I was in no mood to pen a piece, but it is such a historic moment that, I was compelled to author this brief write up. There is a popular lullaby in India “Chanda-Mama door ke” meaning “Uncle Moon sitting far away”. Every kid who is raised during past half century or so in India, knows this song by heart, and it goes like this “Uncle Moon who lives far away, is cooking doughnuts for the little baby. Uncle moon eats in the plate and the little baby eats in the small bowl”… So Moon is so much personal, like a relative in the Indian psyche. There is also a story about moo
Post a Comment
Read more