Episodes
Friday Oct 01, 2010
Episode 54: Workflow
Friday Oct 01, 2010
Friday Oct 01, 2010
I was daydreaming during an important work-related meeting and got to thinking about the workflow of making books. Then I started organizing my workflow. Since I don't bind books full-time, I need to separate the different stages of binding in order to make maximum efficient use of my time. Here is what I've got working for me now.
First, I cut and fold the signatures, then I sew them. In the past four days I've sewn four blank notebooks that I plan to casebound. Next, I measure and cut the book boards, although I'm thinking of buying a supply of pre-cut boards just to save some time. The two things I don't have are time and space. Third, I glue the mull on the books and the book cloth to the book boards, thus I have an entire stage of production dedicated to using glue. My fourth step is to glue the book boards to the signatures without screwing up the endpapers. This is a challenge. The main challenge.
This is a relaxing way to make books, I think. In the evenings, instead of vegging out in front of the boob tube, I click on 'classical' on iTunes radio and sew signatures together with Mozart. Well, he's not actually sewing signatures with me. After a frustrating day at work, this is a nice way to relax. Plus, by sewing just one book a day, in five days I have five books. Better, I think, than cramming it all into one marathon sewing day. In the picture above right, you can see six books ready for their covers: four blank B6-size notebooks (on top) and two A5-size novels: The Priests of Hiroshima - A Modern Love Story From 1453 to 2007 by me and This is Life - A Jack Palms Novel by Seth Harwood. This Is Life has its mull already attached - it has been in the production process for quite some time and I hope to finish it this month. (Wishful thinking, eh?) On your right is another view with the novels open and the four blank notebooks providing moral and physical support. You probably can't see any of the words of these two great novels, but mine is on the left and Harwood's is on the right. I think. This Is Life is a crime/mystery novel. It's the second part of the Jack Palms series with Jack Wakes Up being part one. You can see more of his work, and download free audio, from his website: http://sethharwood.com/ The Priests of Hiroshima is a time-traveling love story between a priest in 1453 and a book shop clerk and a parallel love story between a medical student who has been suspended for practicing medicine and a Japanese tourist. They all meet in an ancient book shop in Istanbul - meaning both the books are old and the shop is old, too. This is part two of the medical student's story with Calvado: A Deadly Love Story being the first (a murder/what's going on novel). Both are available in one handy volume on this very site. For a pittance- considering it's a one of a kind book.Thanks for dropping by. See you next week.
New Audio is Now Up. Enjoy, especially if you like steampunk sounds.
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