Bookbinding and The Care of Books
Douglas Cockerell with Drawings by Noel Rooke and other
Illustrations New York 1902
Bookbinding Chapter V Part 3
PRESSING
pressing-board is taken which is a little larger than the book, and a tin, covered with common
paper, placed on that, then a few sections of the book, then another tin covered with paper, and
then more sections, and so on, taking care that the sections are exactly over one another (see
fig. 20). A second pressing-board having been placed on the last tin, the pile of sections, tins,
and pressing-boards can be put into the standing-press and left under pressure till next day.
Newly printed plates should be pressed. Any folded plates or maps, &c., or inserted letters,
must either not be pressed, or have tins placed on each side of them to prevent them from
indenting the adjoining leaves.
pressure, or the “impression” of the print and the surface of the paper may be injured. Books
newly printed on vellum or heavily colored illustrations should not be pressed at all, or the print
may “set off.”
The protecting tissues on the plates of a book that has been printed for more than a year can
generally be left out, unless the titles of the plates are printed on them, as they are a nuisance to
readers and often get crumpled up and mark the book.
In order to make books solid, that is, to make the leaves lie evenly and closely to one another, it
was formerly the custom to beat book on a “stone” with a heavy hammer. This process has been
superseded by the rolling-press; but with the admirable presses that are now to be had, simple
pressing will be found to be sufficient for the “extra” binder.
finally with a long bar. This form of press is effective and simple, but needs a good deal of
room for the long bar, and must have very firm supports, or it may be pulled over.
At fig. 22 is shown a French standing-press, in which the pressure is applied by a weighted
wheel, which will, in the first place, by being spun round, turn the screw until it is tight, and
give additional pressure by a hammering action. This press I have found to answer for all
ordinary purposes, and to give as great pressure as can be got by the iron standing-press,
without any undue strain on supports or workmen.
There are many other forms of press by which great pressure can be applied, some working by
various arrangements of cog-wheels, screws, and levers, others by hydraulic pressure.
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