Finally got my first rounded spine right after 4 tries

I've been working on making a proper rounded spine for a rebind of a beat-up copy of Dune. It took me 4 attempts but I finally got a smooth dome shape on the spine of this 400 page text block. Used a 12 ounce hammer and a curved backing board from Talas. Anyone else have trouble getting the shoulders even without cracking the spine?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.elizabeth11d ago

YESSS that is SO satisfying when it finally clicks!

the_jason8d ago

Noticed this happens with a bunch of stuff once you get past the frustrating part. It's like learning to cook a tricky dish or getting the hang of a new game, it all just falls into place after that one breakthrough moment. Makes you wonder how many things we give up on right before they would have clicked.

paulw8711d ago

man the shoulders are the absolute worst part of the whole process for me. i think i cracked my first three text blocks before i figured out i was hitting too hard with the hammer and not letting the glue soften up enough. the trick for me was using a little steam to warm the spine glue before i even start shaping. what weight paper are you using? i found that lighter paper moves easier but also splits if you breathe on it wrong. 400 pages of decent stock is a solid win though.