Monday, December 31, 2007

Bookbinding for Beginners - 9

by Florence O. Bean - Assistant in Manual Arts - Boston Public Schools

Mount a Calendar or Picture Part 2

The pieces of material given out should be a little larger than the finished size, although unnecessary waste should be avoided. No attempt should be made to cut these pieces carefully or regularly. Each pupil should be led to depend on his own initiative in the use of the rule and triangle. An irregular edge which is not a guide is more educational than straightedges and right angles which are of considerable assistance.

With rule, triangle, and pencil, carefully layout each part from the drawings already made, and cut the coverings with the scissors. The foundation is more successfully cut with the paper cutter, as to cut it with scissors is a very difficult task for little hands and likely to loosen the scissors at the joint. The most desirable way is for each pupil to cut his own news board, in which case the ruler fastened to the cutter may be used to insure the correct size without any preliminary measuring. If the cutter is deemed unsafe for the pupils' use, the proper size may be marked on the news board with pencil and the pieces cut by a large boy or by the teacher.

When the" pieces have all been cut, place the news board on the back side of the front piece of vellum, with the margins equal, and draw around it. Cover the surface inside the pencil lines with a thin, even coat of paste.Much of the success of the work depends on the pasting and rubbing. The paste is of the right consistency when put up by the dealer, and if it dries somewhat after being opened, a little water thoroughly stirred in will make it all right.

The brush well filled with paste should be passed over the surface of the covering material with long even strokes. No dry spots should be left, and especial pains should be taken to cover the surface close to the pencil lines. Look across the pasted surface toward the light to see if it is entirely covered; looking directly down upon it does not reveal' the dry places. Rub the brush rather heavily over the surface to make the paste sink into the cloth.

While pasting, several sheets of newspaper are invaluable to protect the desk, the model, and the fingers. With a few quick strokes of the card-cutter, cut off the folds of a newspaper, leaving loose sheets the size of half or a quarter page. Each desk should have several sheets, placed one on top of another. When the top sheet has become sticky, discard it. A perfectly clean surface beneath it is ready to be used in the same way. Press the news board on the pasted surface, turn it over,3 and rub it down very hard on the right side of the vellum. When rubbing the vellum on the right side, a small piece of cloth for each pupil prevents finger marks, and enables the pupil to rub harder as the cloth protects the hand.

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