11 July 2007
Out of Order
Posted by Lady Artisan under: KSProject .
Sidetracked again. I do have my text block ready for the double pamphlet although I haven’t filled it yet (can’t decide if I’m going to write/collage/draw/paint before or after I bind it).
But, that’s on hold for now. I’ve skipped ahead to Book V, actually. Quick Leather Bindings. (I never said I was going to do this in order.) I’m going to try a 5″ x 3.5″ book with a full polymer clay cover, including spine. The binding I’m doing is a version of what Smith called Braided Handle Book III. He did three different versions of this binding of three sections. In this binding, the text block is sewn to the spine in the center and then a second sewing adds three threads from the head that are braided together down the spine and secured at the tail. Not sure if that’s a clear description…
I’m planning on doing a much thicker book with nine sections, so I’m having to play around with ideas on the braiding and handle to make it cohesive. I think it will work. Doing a polymer clay spine means I’ll have to attach the front and back covers with hinges. I’m going to try using polymer clay tubes, cut into even sections, attach half on the spine and half on the covers, alternating, and then put a copper rod through them for the hinge pin. Haven’t yet figured out how I’m going to finish the ends of the rod (since cutting it will make them rather sharp and ugly) but I’ll figure that out when I get to the end of the project.
The process, as I see it now (in my mind):
- Prepare the text block (except for punching holes). Done
- Make a template for the spine from the text block. Done
- Make a punching template for the signatures and the spine. Done
- Make the spine with pilot holes for punching and cure it.
- Make the hinges with pilot cuts, slide onto copper rod and cure. Cut to separate and figure out how to a. attach to spine and covers strongly enough to withstand regular (or excessive) use and b. attach to spine and covers so that they match smoothly. Hmmm, I may have to move #4 and #5 around a little to get this
one to work. - Sew the text block to the spine.
- Make the covers, decorate, and cure. Attaching the hinge pieces at some point in here.
- Put everything together, slide the rods in place and finish the ends of the copper.
- Take lots of pictures, pat myself on the back for succeeding, and show it off to everyone I can think of.
You can see that at his point I haven’t done anything picture worthy, so no photos yet. But I’ll add them as I get the interesting parts done. I suspect I may end up making parts at least twice before I really figure out how to make this work.
