Bookbinders Press

Bookbinders Press – This is the most useful piece of equipment to the young bookbinder and the press can be made very cheaply and quite easily. Its uses are many; pressing, gumming, backing; to mention a few. The diagram gives a very good idea as to how this press can be built and this is the procedure.

Make the frame from two pieces of ¾ in. plywood so that it will not warp and is very strong. Cut each piece to I5 in. long by I2 in. deep and shape the tops at a slight angle as illustrated . Drill four ¾ in. holes, placed I in. from the bottom and I in. from the bottom and I in. from the top and about I ½ in. from each side. These holes are to take four ¼ in. bolts, about 6 in. long with nuts and washers and a couple of wing nuts, as pictured.

You will need four strips of steel about I in. wide, for the top and bottom of the press. These must be cut into I5 in. lenghts. Lay the two top strips in position on the wood and mark drill holes, four in all, equidistant along each strip. Drill holes and countersink these to take wood screws of a suitable size. The two top plates can then be fastened into position. The plates for the bottom are similar and are screwed into position as for the top. See that one of the bottom plate protudes1/8 in. beyond the wood, as shown in the diagram. This is to be used as a bottom rest.

When you have screwed in the carriage bolts and tightened these, the press is complete and all ready for use. The clamping process is effected by tightening up the wing nuts and you will be able to exert very considerable rigid pressure on the paper or binding placed in the press. The press can have a coating of varnish to give it a professional appearance.