Features
Archival standards for handmade books at the bench
Archival standards for handmade books, turned into bench choices: alkaline paper, linen thread, reversible paste, lignin-free board and a materials sheet.
Desk
Materials Desk
Grain, weight, adhesives and bookcloth.
Features
What a conservation lab inspection checks on a handmade book, in order
A fixed order for inspecting a handmade book: text block, sewing, boards, adhesive and pH, then housing, plus what a condition report should list.
Guides
Independent paper makers setup: drying is the constraint
An independent paper makers setup depends on drying capacity. Compare rack, restraint, and stack drying, their equipment needs, and humidity monitoring.
Guides
What Library and Archives Canada and the CCI expect from a handmade book
Archival standards Canada: what Library and Archives Canada, CGSB paper rules and CCI notes ask of handmade books, from adhesives to documentation.
Guides
Calgary and Saskatoon pressing in dry prairie air, a working checklist
Prairie binders fight 20 to 30 per cent indoor humidity. Condition board, cook paste thick, and dry every glued book under weight in still air.
Reviews
Sourcing bookboard and paper in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver compared
Canadian paper suppliers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver compared on bookboard stock, minimums, shipping and pickup, so you can choose local or mail order.
Maintenance
How coastal humidity in Halifax and Victoria changes your drying schedule
Humidity and bookbinding in Canada: Halifax and Victoria need different targets, drying times and storage rules, with guild contacts for each coast.
Maintenance
3 ways Ontario winters dry paper, and what to change at the press
Winter paper drying Canada has three causes: cold outdoor air, indoor heating and forced-air circulation. Adjust paste, board handling and pressing time.
Guides
Bookbinding Supply Stores in New York City: A Local Buyer's Guide
Bookbinding supply stores in New York City split two ways: a Brooklyn specialist stocked for structure, and Manhattan art shops with partial ranges.
Reviews
Davey Board vs Chipboard: Which Book Cover Board Holds Up?
Davey board vs chipboard comes down to density, acidity and price: buy Davey for case bindings and chipboard for mock-ups and practice covers.
Guides
What Is GST/HST on Bookbinding Supplies in Canada?
GST/HST on bookbinding supplies in Canada: the 5% GST and HST rates by province, how the rate is chosen, the tax a supplier charges when you buy, and how a registered studio claims it back.
Costs
Linen Thread vs Cotton Thread for Bookbinding: Which Should You Buy?
Linen thread vs cotton thread bookbinding comes down to stretch, price and how long the spine must last. Here are US prices, sizes and the case for each.
Reviews
Bookbinding mistakes: what a beginner's notebook should record
A beginner's bookbinding notebook, one page per book: the five lines that catch grain, tension, adhesive, pressing and swell mistakes before they repeat.
Guides
Paper marbling learning plan: a weekend schedule
A paper marbling learning plan for one weekend: prepare alum and size Friday, practice Saturday, then rinse, dry and flatten sheets Sunday.
Features
4 points on handmade journal ideas that matter
Eleven journal formats from an evening to a weekend, plus how folding decides the format and why paste paper is the easiest cover to make yourself.
Guides
A small bookbinding room still fits four zones: cutting, wet work, pressing and storage
Small-space setup for working with bookbinding projects: four zones in one small room, how to lay out cutting, wet work, pressing and paper storage when the binding.
Reviews
Good bookbinding work needs two separate benches: one for cutting, one for pressing
Best work surfaces for bookbinding projects: cutting and pressing want opposite things from a bench. A comparison of surface types for bookbinding.