University of Aden

Faculty of Engineering
Mechanical engineering Department

SEMINAR

Glue Book Binding

Prepared by:

Thabet Askandar Thabet Reg. No : 151071

B5MP Academic year 2019/2020

Supervisor :
Associate Prof. Dr. Shawqi Aljaroo
 CONTENTS

Page
No.
Contents…………………………………………………………

1. Introduction ……………………………………………………… 1

2. Book binding process …………………………………………

3. Book binding glue and adhesives …………………………….

3.1 Types of adhesives ……………………………………………..

3.2 Ingredients of adhesives ……………………………………….

3.3 Application of different adhesives …………………………….

4. Book binding quality ……………………………………………

4.1. The effect of quality of adhesives on binding quality ……….

4.2. The effect of quality of adhesives on binding quality ……….

4.3. Proper binding machine for better binding quality ………….

Conclusion ……………………………………………………….

References ………………………………………………………

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 1. Introduction

Try as it might, the digital age has yet to render physical books redundant.
And it probably never will. Swiping across a glass surface doesn’t elicit the
same tactile pleasure of running one’s fingers over grainy pages and wrinkled
spines. While technology has made bookbinding a much more economical
process, the romance of caressing pages that were painstakingly bound by
hand cannot be replicated.

The art of bookbinding doesn’t just coexist with the electronic era; it defies it.
“Everything relies on computers that run on electricity, these days. Even
mass-produced books are made by machines,” says professional bookbinder
Adelene Koh. “But, if you take away electricity, I can still bind a book.” Koh
was trained in Japan and London, and runs Dddots, a speciality binding shop
with a second outlet in London. On top of making prints and binding various
volumes, a bookbinder is also responsible for restoring old books. “I’ve
restored an autograph book from 1914 and the fact that it’s been around for
100 years and survived a world war reminds us that books can outlive us .”

Mechanised production has enabled everyone to own a book, which, in itself,

is a marvellous thing. But it has also turned books into just another workaday
item in our everyday lives, when historically they were luxury items or
reserved for religious writings.

On the flip side, having them so readily available has helped raise their
making into an art form. “Design binding is a form of bookbinding where the
binder draws inspiration from the theme and characters of a book’s story and
creates a ‘theatre’ for its scenes through the covers, endpapers and
decoration. This is when you should judge a book by its cover,” quips Koh,
who received a prize at The Bookbinding Competition 2014 for her binding of
Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Bookbinding refers to the physical assembly of a book from a stack of in-order

papers comprising the book's pages. The stack is bound together along one
edge by either sewing through them or by applying a layer of flexible
adhesive. It's an age-old process that began in the first century A.D. Before
that time, "documents" were clay tablets or long rolls of papyrus or cloth .

 New Paper and a Special Bookbinding Machine

The first industrial revolution in the early 1800s, saw the advent of paper
made from wood pulp. As you can imagine, this greatly reduced the cost of
paper, making books (and bookbinding) even more available to the public. By
the second half of the 1800s, bookbinding automation really began to
progress, and in 1856, David McConnell Smyth invented the first sewing

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machines designed specifically for bookbinding. He patented his invention in
1868, and his company, the Smyth Manufacturing Company, began
manufacturing them in 1880. In the following three decades, Smyth expanded
his business to include machines made for gluing, trimming and case -making
(case = hardcover). Some of his machines are still being used to this day!

 Perfect Binding

The art of perfect binding (paperback or paper-covered books) was invented

in 1895, but didn't really "catch on" until 1931, when German publisher
Albatross Books, introduced the first paperbacks as an experimental
endeavor. A few years later -- in 1935 -- Penguin Books adopted the format
for their popular line of classics. Then in 1939, American publisher Pocket
Books began producing popular hardcover titles in paperback or perfect
bound format. They were quickly accepted by the American public and soon
everybody was reading paperback books.

Early perfect bound bookbinding used cold glues, which became brittle over
time, causing books to fall apart. In 1940, Dupont introduced a hot-melt
adhesive perfect binding process, resulting in more durable, longer-lasting
paperback books.

The Post War Era of the 'Fifties Brings New Methods of

Bookbinding

Plastic comb binding and Velobinding became popular

office document binding methods in the 1950s and '60s.
They involved punching the sheets and then loading
them into a binding element. Powis, a company started
by Kevin Parker in 1983, created an upgrade on the
punch and bind process of previous decades with its
introduction of the Fastback Binding System, which
uses special strips, coated with thermoplastic
adhesives to create the binds.

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 2. Book binding process

Book Ice The process of combining book pages between two covers of
leather or others. Binding protects books from tearing and damage, and
makes them attractive and easy to use. Types of binding vary from fine
handmade leather binding to paper binding. Machines now bind most books,
although some are still manually bound. Binding books are of two types:
luxurious and ordinary. Luxury binding is done using paper, cloth, plastic, or
leather-wrapped cardboard. Most of the plain-bound books called popular
editions are wrapped only in paper.

Book binding is done by machines through three main processes:

1. Order of pages

2. Configuration

3- Packaging.

Page Rank

In the first steps of binding, the pages of the book are placed sequentially, and
the steps are:

1- Folding

2 - Add paste

3. Assembly

4. Sewing.

It also binds periodicals in the House of Books.

Importance of Binding:

The binding of library collections brings the following benefits to the library:

1 - protection of some office materials such as books and periodicals from

frequent use and makes them not vulnerable to damage quickly.

2 - makes office materials easy to carry and movement and makes it less
thick.

3 - makes the possibility of writing on the heel of the book easier.

4. The process of organizing the bound office materials becomes easy and
possible.

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 3. Book binding glue and adhesives

One of the types of adhesives used to help tie and fix two surfaces
together, and depends on the mechanism of work on the flow to the pores
of the surfaces and penetration inside, and when it becomes dry solid
object connecting the two opposite surfaces, and this is the reason for the
stability and adhesion of surfaces together. Glue is widespread in the
modern era and has many applications that cannot be counted, including
bookbinding, wood fixing, metal and glass gluing, sandpaper making,
painting on walls, and more

3.1. Types of adhesives

It is used to structure the spine of a book. Not every type of glue is suitable for
every variety of paper. Basically there are two types of glue:
hot melt and cold glue. Cold glue is the oldest variety and is like water. It
can only be used with a limited variety of papers and paper weights.
Hot melt can only be applied on a machine.

As more durable adhesives have been developed, bookbinding companies

have started using what is called the perfect binding process. This process
uses only adhesive to attach both the pages together and the book’s cover.
Additionally, in this process, the book’s spine is roughened to allow for the
adhesive to penetrate the surface. The adhesive is then coated, permanently
binding the leaves with the cover.

In bookbinding, glue can sometimes mean paste but paste is never glue.
Generally, glues are animal or PVA/EVA adhesives and pastes are
cellulose/starch adhesives. Adhesives should be chosen for their flexibility,
strength, non-shrinkage, good aging characteristics and reversibility.
Making your own adhesive can be beneficial in the long term, as, among other
factors, most proprietary brands do not list all of their ingredients. However,
with any of the following animal, cellulose or starch recipes, it is highly

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recommended that you use only distilled water. Tap water varies from town to
town, or suburb to suburb and can yield a great variation in pH levels. Please
bear in mind that the more acidity you add (whether it is in the paper, the
boards, the covering materials, or the adhesive) the shorter the lifespan of
your book.
1-Animal Glues
All animal glues are essentially collagen reduced to gelatine. Gelatine has
been used as an external paper sizing for centuries and it still maintains the
wrinkles in crêpe paper. Animal and fish-based adhesives are available dry in
granulated, sheet, or cake form, as cold liquid glues, or in jelly form. They are
graded by viscosity in millipoises and jelly value in Bloom grams. The lower
the Bloom number, the weaker the gel. As a general rule, the paler the
powdered animal glue, the higher is the quality (which usually equates to cost)
and the less odour it emits when heated.
Nearly all animal glue recipes are best made in a container placed in a double
boiler or water-bath so that the mixture is not in direct contact with the heat
source. Because of the relatively low temperatures needed for animal glues,
other heating suggestions are; placing the glue mix container in an electric
frying pan with an adequate amount of water; using an electric baby bottle
warmer; or, a leg wax warmer. Genuine gluepots are available from overseas
and cost around $200.00.
Do not heat animal glues to boiling point (100°C) as protein strands will
breakdown and greatly weaken the glue or even destroy its adhesive abilities.
Repeated heating causes yellowing and decreased viscosity and strength.
2-Isinglass
Isinglass is made from dried fish bits and can be cooked into glue. Today,
Isinglass finings are commonly used as a processing aid in the brewing and
winemaking industries to accelerate the clarification of beer and wine. As
such, genuine Isinglass is sometimes available from good home brewing
suppliers, but be aware of artificial/substitute isinglass.
As parchment is so sensitive to moisture, isinglass is also used in that
particular area of restoration and conservation. Isinglass also has a greater
adhesive strength than many other glues used for parchment repair. Pieces of
dried isinglass are soaked to soften and swell and it is then cooked slowly in a
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double boiler, or water-bath, at 45°C while being stirred. A small amount of
gum tragacanth, dissolved in water, is added to the strained isinglass solution
to act as an emulsifier. Isinglass can be reactivated with an ethanol-water
mixture.
It can also be used to coat tissue or goldbeater's skin. For this use the
isinglass is heated with a few drops of glycerine or honey.
3-Parchment size
Parchment size is made by cooking parchment scraps in water and straining.
Upon cooling it forms a gel which can be sliced and dried for later use.
Heating prior to the addition of alcohol seems to allow more alcohol to be
added. However, excess alcohol alters parchment size.
4-Rabbit Skin
Rabbit skin glue is available in dried and powdered form from some art
supplies stores and hardware stores. In a coarser form, it may be found under
the label of Joiner’s Pearl Glue or Hide Pearl Glue at specialist woodwork
stores. Its advantages are; very fast bonding, very low ‘creep’ (which is the
tendency of some glues to move when under stress), and, it may be readily
removed a poultice of paste.
5-Vinyl Acetate Emulsions
Vinyl acetate is synthesised from acetylene and acetic acid. These water-
based emulsion adhesives are most often polyvinyl acetate (PVA)
homopolymers or vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) copolymers. Homopolymers
require the addition of an external plasticizer to remain flexible. The most
common external plasticizer used is dibutyl phthalate. PVA can be internally
plasticized by copolymerization with ethylene or poly vinyl alcohol to create
EVA/VAE adhesives.
Vinyl Acetate adhesives cure to a semi-soft state, which allows the spine to be
more flexible. While bookbinding emulsion adhesives do not crack, they do
have relatively weak ‘page-pull strength’ - that is, pages can be pulled out of a
‘perfect-bound’ book fairly easily.
Although it may be from weeks to centuries, all vinyl acetate products
eventually degrade and produce acetic acid and other noxious products. The
key is finding the adhesive that remains flexible, strong, stable and reversible
over the greatest length of time.
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Most commercially available adhesives contain: 30–50% polymer solids, 1–
3% surface active agent, 0–3% protective colloid, 1–3% initiator, 0–1%
modifier, 0–5% plasticizer, 0–1% buffer, and 50–70% water. Solvents (usually
toluene), natural gums and starches, as well as various cellulose ethers are
used as thickeners. Buffers, if included, might be calcium carbonate or
calcium acetate. Fungicides are added to many formulations to reduce the
chance of mould growth. These additives can affect aging characteristics
radically and may change from batch to batch.

6-Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA)

PVAs have been commonly used in Europe for the past seventy years and in
the US for the last forty years. These periods may assist in deciding what
treatments to use when restoring books.
PVA emulsions with little or no plasticiser, such as woodworking white glue,
will become hard and brittle after a relatively short time. Adding a plasticiser
will soften the PVA polymer and significantly reduce brittleness.
Adding a plasticiser to PVA (that is, externally plasticising) will generally
provide a considerably stronger bond than an internally plasticised copolymer
(VAE). This is because the externally plasticised emulsion will harden as
plasticiser ‘off-gases’ into the environment or paper stock during aging. In
addition, this increase in strength stabilises in time and the loss of plasticiser
can be detrimental to other properties, such as flexibility and cold-temperature
resistance. Frozen PVA emulsion will lose all adhesive abilities.
In general, the shelf life for most PVA adhesives is nine to twelve months at 5-
49°C. PVA suitable for bookbinding is cheaper than EVA.
7-Vinyl Acetate Ethylene (EVA)
Common usage has caused Vinyl Acetate Ethylene (VAE) dispersion to be
misnamed EVA. Strictly speaking, EVA is a solid and VAE is a dispersion. No
matter. The binding industry and some conservators, due to its inherent
flexibility without external plasticisers, generally prefer ‘EVA emulsions’. Most
‘emulsions’ are technically dispersions.
EVA is considered more stable than formulations containing plasticizers
added to the adhesive, that is PVA. EVA is also reversible in water for a
longer time.
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8-Cellulose Pastes
The first industrial production of methylcellulose began in Germany during the
1920s. Cellulose ethers are made from wood pulp or cotton linters that have
been recrystallised with sodium hydroxide. The “alkali” cellulose then
undergoes methylation or etherification. The product is neutralised with acids
and the cellulose ether is isolated and purified by extraction of salts and by-
products. The product is then dried, milled, and sifted. Viscosity of the final
product is determined by the pre-treatment of the cellulose raw material and
by subsequent oxidation of the finished product to the desired molecular
weight.
All the cellulose derivatives listed are very common in the food and cosmetics
industries. Look for the additive numbers 461, 463 and 464.
Cellulose ethers are available as fine to granular powders which range in
colour from white to yellow. Each cellulose ether is available in several grades
of purity and in a range of viscosities.
In bookbinding and paper conservation, cellulose ethers have been used
alone or with starch pastes. Their moisture holding, surfactant, and anti-
redeposition properties are used as poultices for removing stains, old
adhesives, and other accretions. Dilute solutions are used for sizing or
resizing paper. Cellulose ethers have also been used for consolidating flaking
media in art and manuscript restoration.
Anti-oxidants or plasticizers (such as glycerine) are possible additives. Like
cellulose, all cellulose ethers will suffer from chain breaking through oxidation.
This oxidation is accelerated by light exposure. The extent to which
degradation occurs varies widely among the many types of cellulose ethers.
Sodium carboxymethylcellulose and methylcellulose are the most stable.
Hydroxypropylcellulose has been found to have intermediate stability.
Granular grades of cellulose ethers dissolve more easily in water than the
finer powders. Granular or coarse types should be added to vigorously stirred
water.
9-Methylcellulose
One of the most common forms of methylcellulose is wallpaper paste. The
benefit of using wallpaper paste is that it is readily available as an adhesive,

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rather than as a food or cosmetic additive. However, besides the additional
cost, fungicides and other unknown chemicals are added.
Methylcellulose is a relatively weak adhesive that may not be strong enough
in some applications. Methylcellulose has been used to line degraded wood
pulp papers where it acts as an easily reversible adhesive which also resizes
weak paper surfaces. Methylcellulose has been used to swell scratches and
abrasions on leather and for changing the saturation of blanched colours. A
2.5–3% solution of methylcellulose can be used as a poultice to draw up
water stains, water-soluble adhesives, etc., where controlling the degree of
wetness is important. Methylcellulose is pH-neutral and can be mixed with
starch pastes or PVA adhesives. Look for a higher viscosity as an adhesive
and a lower one for sizing.
10-Hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC)
Hydroxypropyl cellulose is a non-ionic cellulose ether adhesive soluble in
water, alcohol, acetone, and many other solvents. A 2% solution in ethanol or
isopropanol has been used as a consolidant for red rot leathers. It is also
soluble in many other solvents, including water. Its higher molecular weight
increases tensile strength and elasticity. The viscosity is unchanged over a pH
range of 2–11, with the most stable viscosity at pH 6–8.
Once dried, the film is soluble in water, ethanol, and acetone. The propyl
groups cause it to be more hydrophobic than methylcellulose, therefore giving
it good solubility in polar organics.
HPC is insoluble in water below 40–45°C, therefore prepare a slurry in hot
water (above 50°C) and allow to sit for several minutes, maintaining
temperature to prevent lumping. Add main volume of cold water and stir until
dissolved, approximately ten minutes. Alternatively, add HPC powder to a
blender, run approximately ten minutes, or until a lump free solution is
obtained. Allow to stand for several minutes before use.
11-Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
Sodium carboxymethylcellulose is an anionic water-soluble polymer derived
from cellulose. It is an adhesive in concentrations of 2.5%-4% and is available
in a range of viscosities. When mixed with distilled water it does not need
refrigeration, nor does it spoil. Its pH is between 5-8. Sodium CMC may be
used on its own for linings or it may be mixed with a starch paste. Sodium
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CMC is more easily made in a blender. Viscosity increases over a period of
one hour.
12-Starch Pastes
Starches are naturally occurring polymers of glucose. Starch adhesives have
been used for thousands of years and are still used throughout the world in
numerous industrial applications such as papermaking and textile
manufacture. Starch adhesives are derived from the roots and seeds of plants
such as corn, potatoes, rice, and wheat.
Starch has a more intricate structure than cellulose because its molecules
have two distinct areas: amylopectin and amylose. The exact percentages of
amylose and amylopectin for each starch is largely responsible for its working
properties. Wheat starch contains 18–27% amylose, while rice starch contains
approximately 17–19% amylose. During paste making the amylose and
amylopectin areas of the molecule behave very differently. The amylose
fraction is responsible for the internal strength of a starch, many of its working
properties, and for its degree of stiffening upon cooling.
Cooked starch paste is a mixture of greatly swollen granules, fragments of
granules that have burst open, and dissolved starch. Pastes for use in
conservation are generally prepared by first soaking the starch in water and
then cooking it in additional water. Longer cooking time, higher temperatures,
and agitation promote the necessary bursting of the granules. And, the
cooking technique, as well as origin of the starch, affect the characteristics of
the resulting adhesive.

13-Clag Paste
Clag paste has been around forever. This is a ready-made wheat paste of
consistent quality but with a pH value of 3-4 (acidity somewhere between
oranges and tomatoes). Be aware that there is also an unknown preservative
and fragrance added, so it is not suitable for high-end books or restoration.
Furthermore, while a pot of Clag seems useable for ages, it does grow lumps
which (just like other lumpy pastes) are the very devil to remove wet from
covering materials and very noticeable on your finished work if you ignore
them.
14-Flour
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Plain wheat flour creates one of the world’s oldest adhesives after it is mixed
with water and cooked.
15-Modified Starches/Dextrines
Dextrines are modified starches whose molecular structure has been changed
through the use of heat, acid, alkali, or other catalytic conversions. Dextrines
have been widely used for stamps, labels, and paper tapes, where the
adhesive is moistened for application.
Dextrines have been used as adhesives since the early nineteenth century.
Starch was spread on iron pans and moistened with a dilute hydrochloric-nitric
acid solution. After heating it was dried and used as a gum. Dextrines are
often mixed with animal glue, gum Arabic, or gum tragacanth. Frequently,
blends of different dextrines are used and borax is a common additive to
increase tack. There are three major types of dextrines: white, yellow, and
British gums.
1. White dextrines are prepared by roasting at 107.2°C in the presence of
acid. These dextrines are then neutralised with some alkaline material such
as ammonia. They are used in 50% concentrations. The colour is white.
2. Yellow (or canary) dextrines are prepared by roasting starch with acidic
catalysts at high temperature. Colours vary from light yellow to dark brown.
Suitable concentrations are between 50–60%.
3. British gums are prepared by roasting starch up to 148.8°C without using
acid. These dextrines are usually dark coloured and exhibit high solubility in
warm water. They are used in concentrations of 10–35%.
Generally, dextrines are much more soluble in water than the source starch
because processing has lowered the molecular weight. Dextrines also have a
lower viscosity for an equal concentration as compared to starch. Dextrin
properties are based on their method of preparation and the parent starch.

16-Precipitated Wheat Starch Paste

This is the primary adhesive for paper conservators and the standard against
which they judge other adhesives. Wheat starch paste can be very strong, yet
at the same time it can be modified and manipulated for very delicate
applications. A well made paste can be diluted indefinitely and retain its
proportionate strength. High water content of starch pastes may require
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methods to minimize over wetting and resulting cockling and staining. Such
methods include dry linings or blotting the adhesive prior to use. Wheat starch
paste does not adhere well to fatty grounds and is not recommended for use
with oil media.
Precipitated wheat starch is created when extracting gluten from wheat flour
to create “gluten-free flour”. Carefully read the label if you find “gluten-free
flour” at a supermarket – it will likely be a blend of rice flour, corn flour,
methylcellulose and other chemicals.
Wheat starches are separated from flour in a wet partitioning step when the
wheat flour is kneaded with water producing a stiff mass in which the starch is
trapped. After slight aging to allow the gluten and starch to separate from
each other, the starch granules are washed out with water. The starch is
concentrated from the slurry by centrifuge and dried.
A disadvantage of wheat starch paste is that it sometimes causes a faint,
greyish haze in paper, for example around mended tears. This situation can
often be remedied by using rice starch paste or an appropriate cellulose ether.
Most recipes call for wetting the dry starch thoroughly before cooking. Using
cold water can help avoid premature thickening and inadequate dispersion.
Too high a temperature and/or too long a cooking time can adversely affect
viscosity, adhesive strength, and colour of many starches.
17-Precipitated Rice Starch Paste
Rice starch paste is preferred when very flexible, smooth, and clean adhesion
is essential. It is also very successful for adhering fills or inserts.
This is generally considered to be a weaker adhesive than wheat starch
paste. Differing growing conditions that result in differing amylose
percentages and the individual working habits of conservators may contribute
to contradictory statements regarding properties of rice versus wheat
starches. Possible uses are in situations where wheat starch paste would be
too strong. Some conservators believe that rice starch paste is not as likely to
cause a greyish haze or stain when it dries.
Generally prepared by soaking the dry powder in water, followed by cooking
in additional water. The gelatinization temperature is usually somewhat higher
than that of other starches, about 68–78°C.

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Some conservators feel rice starch adhesives swell and release sooner than
wheat starch. This property can be utilised in mending with wheat starch
paste followed by lining with rice starch. This could allow the lining to be
applied and possibly removed without disturbing the tear repairs.
Rice starch has less stiffening than wheat starch paste.

3.2. Ingredients of adhesives

3.3. Application of different adhesives

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4. Book binding quality

As the 1800s came to an end, machine methods dominated the bookbinding

industry. Books were being produced in large numbers at reasonable prices,
but obviously the past quality was just not there. It was in this time that a
group stepped up and made attempts to preserve the fine bindings of the past
at least to a certain extent. Led by William Morris, the group comprised of very
skilled craftsmen that included the likes of T. J. Cobden-Sanderson. Together
they made efforts and accomplished bookbinding in private presses. The
processes used were similar to the traditional methods and utilized hand
typesetting, hand presses and quality handmade paper to produce supreme
book. In the olden days, the entire bookbinding industry used quality methods
and produced fine books. The trends were set apart in the 1800s when
mechanized methodologies degraded the binding quality to reduce processing
time, making the books more available and affordable. From then onwards,
fine binding became just a specialty, and was then practiced in isolation from
the main industry. The market was also very small and comprised or private
collectors and special libraries, who had a taste for not only the content but
binding creativity as well.

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 4.1. The effect of the quantity and quality of
adhesives on binding quality

The adhesive used for any binding process shall be capable of forming a
permanent bond between the surfaces to be joined, without the formation of
air bubbles. The cohesion shall be such that the bonded materials will be
damaged if separated. Any adhesive used shall have a low pH value and
long-term aging characteristics. The adhesive used for casing-in shall be
compatible with the adhesive used to make the case, so that the case
adheres tightly and securely to the book block. Adhesion of the covering
material to the inlay and the endpapers in the joint is critical. Glued surfaces
must meet the test requirements as outlined in Section V herein

4.2. Proper book binding machine for better

binding quality
One of the best bookbinding methods that’s available today with a thermal
binding machine. This document finishing method allows you to create
extremely professional-looking reports, anthologies, proposals, and photo
albums that resemble the books you can buy in a real bookstore. With a
thermal binding machine you can create books with both soft and hard covers
easily and quickly.

A good brand name. There are many manufacturers of binding machines, so

knowing which ones are the best can be a bit tricky. However, a few of the
best are Unibind, Fellowes, and Pro-Bind. All three of these companies make
great devices that are worth your consideration and they have products that
will fit almost every budget. Some machines to check out are the Unibind
XU138, the Pro-Bind 1000, and the Fellowes Helios series.

A timer. It’s true that thermal binding is one of the fastest ways to produce a
high-quality document that will impress everyone who sees it. In fact, a
binding cycle can take as little as 30 seconds and some machines allow you
to bind more than one book at once so you can produce a lot of documents
very quickly. The machine you choose should definitely have a timer so you’ll
know when your documents are ready. Make sure it has both a visual and
audio indicator otherwise it can be difficult to know when the machine has
worked its magic.

Binding length and document thickness. Just about all thermal devices are
capable of finishing off letter-sized documents (8.5″ x 11″). However, if you
plan on using larger paper and covers, such as legal-sized ones, you’ll need a
machine with a longer binding length. You’ll also need to think about how thick
your documents are going to be and choose a device that can handle them.

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For example, if you anticipate creating books that are 2 inches thick, a
machine that can only bind 1-inch books just isn’t going to cut it, so shop
accordingly

A cooling rack. After your books have been bound, they’re going to need to
cool off a bit so the adhesive in the spine can set. Make sure the device you
choose comes with a cooling rack that can hold several documents. Also, the
best cooling racks are metal. They last longer than their plastic counterparts,
obviously.

Settings for both hard and soft covers. The device you choose should be
able to bind both softcover and hardback documents. Many thermal devices
lack an adjustable temperature setting, so make sure the one you select has
setting for both types of covers.

A good warranty. Finally, make sure your new binder comes with a decent
warranty so you can get the machine repaired or replaced if necessary.

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5. Conclusion
The practice of bookbinding has been implemented for centuries. It is
incredible that different ways of bookbinding are still invented to this
day.Books are important because the longer they last, the better they helps
preserve history. For example, the Chinese history and Egyptian history are
the two oldest documented histories in the world. People have learned about
their historical events through preserved books.

This is why books are essential to document mankind’s knowledge and

history. Books not only contain valuable content, but the materials used and
the way they are bound speaks a lot to the history of the book. In a way, the
book tells a better story than if the content was just presented in a digital file.
Hopefully, people like Cathy Travis and Sher Zabaszkiewiez can continue to
make lasting books and encourage others to bind books as well.

References

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