How to make a text block for a book

It's pretty easy to create a text block for a book, all you need is:

- Paper

- Thread

- PVA glue

- Paint brush

- Clamps (or a press)

- Scrim or a mesh type material (optional)

First off I start by folding and sewing the paper together to make signatures (to see how this done click here to read a blog post on how to stitch a signature). Once you have your signatures you need to line them up and place them either in a press or as I have done below clamp them between 2 pieces of card. After you have clamped the signatures together apply PVA Glue down the spine to stick them together.

You will probably need to apply a few layers of glue to make sure the signatures won't move. For the second layer I normally add a mesh material (I don't have any actual scrim but this is the nearest I could find). It's not a necessity but I find it helps to keep everything in place and add some extra support for the spine.

Up close of the material I use.

Place the material on top of the spine and simply glue. Leave to dry over night in the press, under some heavy books or in my case in clamps and then you are left with a text block.