When all the end papers are pasted on and dry, the next step is the "gluing up." There are different ways of accomplishing this. Some binders, place one or more volumes between a pair of pressing boards of proper size, and, holding them between the palms of the hands, as at Fig. 35, beat the backs and heads on the cheeks of the laying press until they are quite square; then draw the boards about l in. down from the back, lower the books and boards into the laying press, and screw them up by the hands. Lastly, having the pot of glue hot, the brush is dipped in, and the whole of the back well glued over, working the glue in between the sections, but taking care that none smears over the end papers nor on the bands. Thin glue is employed.

Other binders knock each volume up at back and head while it is held in the right hand, and then pile them upon each other on the right hand cheek of the laying press, with the backs projecting over on the right hand, the largest size book being laid down first. When a tolerable number have been thus piled up, a board is placed on the top, and the pile is held down and kept steady by placing the left hand on this board. The brush, well replenished with glue, is now worked over the backs, beginning with the top one. This operation should be performed expeditiously but carefully.

The first plan is the safer, but the second is the quicker. It must be understood that it is indispensable that the sections be well up at the back, and that the head be quite square. If this last requirement be not attentively observed, the head of the book may present a "nose" on one side, as at Fig. 60, and, of course, when the edge is cut more will be removed from this portion than from the other.

The books are now left for the glue to set, and meanwhile the millboards are cut out on the same principles as the endpapers were.

The millboards are made to regular sizes, like sheets of paper. They are divided as desired by the aid of a large pair of Lancashire compasses, and then marked off with a bodkin, drawn along the side of a straight edge, held from one compass mark to another. Thus, Fig. 61 represents millboard marked off to octavo size.

The boards are generally cut up with the millboard shears. These are screwed up in the end of the laying-press nearest to the operator, and, the millboard being placed between the jaws, the edge of the upper jaw coinciding with the mark upon the board, the upper handle is worked by the right hand, and the board is readily and quickly cut. The millboard is held in the left hand during the operation.

In most regular establishments of any pretensions, the shears are now almost superseded by the board-cutting machine. This consists essentially of a long, slightly curved made working against an iron edge while on the right hand is a gauge (Fig. 62). With this, in the first place, a pattern piece or size pattern is prepared, having the exact size and

form of the boards to be cut. The machine is then adjusted by setting a movable grooved and raised edge at a certain distance from the place where the knife works (Fig. 62). The arrangement of this machine enables the pieces to be cut with perfect accuracy, both as to size and rectangular form.

< Affixing End Papers, Rounding and Backing Part 4