Book Press
A screw press that holds a text block flat under pressure while the glue dries.
| Platen size | 250 × 350 mm to 400 × 550 mm |
| Throat | 60–180 mm between platens |
| Screw | Single or double, with a tommy bar |
| Platens | Cast iron or hardwood, planed flat |
| Pressure | Firm hand pressure; nipping needs less than people think |
| Base | Bench-mounted or freestanding |
| Weight | 12–45 kg |
| Accessories | Pressing boards, tin or zinc sheets |
| Platen size | 250 × 350 mm minimum for an octavo |
| Throat | 60–180 mm |
| Pressure | Enough to flatten, not enough to crush the spine |
| Suitable stock | All paper, board and leather |
| Processes | Nipping, pressing after gluing, flattening, backing |
| Compatible materials | Paper, board, cloth, leather |
| Pressing time | 20 minutes for a glued spine, overnight for a text block |
| Boards | Always press between boards, never metal on paper |
There is a simulator for this. Bindery Simulator runs the same relationships in 3D, so you can change a number and watch what it does to the result.
A book press — a nipping press, strictly, when it is used for nipping the sections, and a lying press when it is used on its side — applies flat pressure between two heavy platens. It is what stops a freshly glued spine drying out of square, and what flattens a text block after rounding and backing.
Presses are rated by the size of the platen, not by force. A press that fits the book is better than a big one with boards that only touch in the middle. What matters is that the platens are flat and parallel, and that the screw applies pressure evenly.
Safety
Using it well
- Always press between boards — and between tin or zinc sheets if the spine has just been glued. Metal against wet glue leaves a stain that cannot be removed.
- Press a glued spine for twenty minutes, not overnight. Glue needs to dry under light pressure; heavy pressure overnight squeezes it out and starves the joint.
- Put the book in the press square and check it before you tighten. A press will happily hold a book crooked for as long as you leave it there.
What it works with
Papers and substrates
- All papers, board, cloth, leather
Type and fonts
- Not applicable
Processes
- Nipping
- Pressing
- Flattening
- Backing
- Case making
Tools that go with the book press
Bookbinding Glue
PVA for strength, starch paste for reversibility, and the mix that does both.
Book Board
Laminated grey board, 1.5 to 3 mm thick, cut to make the covers of a hardback.
Sewing Frame
An upright frame that holds the sewing cords under tension while the sections go on.