seamaidenstudios.com

During the initial consultation the client requested a closure of some kind, and I proposed a magnetic enclosure. I found a small (1cm) disc magnet at my suppliers. You get a dozen for around $5, and I thought it was reasonable - I would be able to make 6 closures (it takes two per closure). My thought was to embed the magnets in the board and so I proceeded to dig out a magnet-size hole. As you can see it worked! What I didn’t realize was that the magnets wouldn’t be strong enough to attract each other through two thicknesses of leather and some marbled paper. Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t panic, and I did the only thing that I could think of - I called the vendor. Now at this point you should know that when I’m upset or nervous I ramble, ramble, ramble, ramble. I amaze even myself with my ability to string sentences together without pausing for breath - eventually I become dizzy because of the lack of oxygen and my speech slows down. It was at this point that the unfortunate person on the other end of the phone told me he would get someone on the phone who could help me. *&^$%@#!!!!! I had to explain my plight all over again to someone new - and just when I was gaining this person’s sympathy (not!!). To his credit, the new customer service person didn’t let on that I would be a water cooler story later that day and tried to help (he recommended I test the too-many-layers theory). After I hung up with him, I went into the studio to solve the problem. I used 100% PVA to paste a third magnet over the top of the one embedded in the flap, and all was well.

Click on the photos to enlarge:

No, this is not a diatribe for prayer in public schools! Rather I’ll be showing you how I constructed the case for the prayer book I was commissioned to recase (it was a recase, not a rebind, which involves resewing the spine). Click on thumbnails to view full size, and please excuse any freaky formatting - still working out that bug!

Here is the offending case matter -

I knew I wouldn’t be able to use the boards from the original case. As you can see the leather (bonded, in this case - ha! double entendre - tag, your it!) had degraded and the binders board underneath was scuffed. Also that tape was not easily liberated from the spine and boards. I thought recasing using new boards would be best to preserve the text block and give a second life to a well used book. My client wanted a closure along the fore edge, and we decided on a fold over flap with magnetic enclosure.

I made my measurements, cut out the pieces, marked them and laid them out in sequence.

After measuring for the proper length and width to cover the case, I cut the leather (used a high quality bonded leather for speed and ease - I only had 24 hours to complete the job, and paring leather in a painstakingly meticulous job best not hurried) and glued the boards down using a rule for spacing.

Then I cut corners and other turn-ins and glued the pastedowns, and placed the case flat in a makeshift table-top press.

In about an hour, I was able to pull the case out. Here it is inside and out.

And, of course, the glamour shot. I embedded some magnets in the flap and front cover (I’ll discuss that step in a future post).

Last week the studio was commissioned to rebind a prayer book. The caveat? I couldn’t have the book for any extended length of time because the client reads it twice a day (and I think it has sentimental meaning for her beyond the religious). But if there ever was a book in need of my help, this one was it. We made arrangements for me to have it for 24 hours beginning yesterday at sundown.

Now, I do suffer from insomnia, but if I can sleep I do. I got a good night’s sleep and started at 3:30 this morning. I normally like to keep a book at least a few days (it needed a new leather case and endpapers; the client wanted a closure, bookmark ribbons, and I like to handsew the headbands - this one also needed a thorough spine cleaning and a tip-in). Well, it’s finished and in for it’s final pressing. I’ll be posting a bit of the process later, but for now enjoy the before and after show!