Just some things to note here: the stitching is called a kettle stitch. Do not glue between the boards on the spine pieces like he did, that adds unwanted moisture and prevents the book from opening efficiently. Use acid free paper and a text weight paper (preferably over 60lb paper) his paper will never sit correctly because it wasn’t the right paper to use so it’ll just be cockled forever. Always glue your paper to your board, do not glue the board to the paper like he did with the book cloth. All cloth/paper expands while wet so you have to account for swell. Gluing the cloth then placing the boards on top of the cloth is better for the survival of the book. Do not immediately open the book after gluing the way he did. That effects the longevity of the book and can cause movement in the way the boards are glued then making your book crooked. Always immediately place under weight after gluing.
Bookbinders in the past used a more efficient method: After the book pages were clamped between the wood, instead of marking the pages for the holes and taking them apart to poke holes in each section with an icepick, a small saw was used to cut across the areas where he marked creating the holes in far less steps. Instead of drawing with a pen, the book binder cuts a trench with a saw at the very same place the pen draws. The trench cut by the saw creates holes in all of the pages in a row at once. While still in the wood form, a hammer is used to flatten out the back. This increases the surface area on the pages for the glue at a later stage. Then, the book in the wood form is laid in a structure that has heavy hemp pieces of string that fit into the trenches cut by the saw. When the pages are opened, each hemp string pokes a bit into each folded page. The binder then runs a cotton string perpendicular to, and behind each hemp string. The pages at the fold are now trapped behind a cotton string which at every place there is a hemp string the cotton string runs under the hemp string and then back over the paper. This avoids a far less knots. The hemp strings are then cut from the hemp string stand, the book is removed from the hemp string stand, turned up again and glue is applied to the back. While gluing the pages, the hemp string is also glued and immobilized stuck to the cloth backing. The cotton holds down the paper. The cotton is held down by the hemp. The hemp is glued and attached to the cloth gauze by the glue. The gauze and glue attach everything else together. Then the rest of the steps are the same. While they seem out of place, saws and hammers play key roles in traditional bookbinding.
I have never done it, but I have seen it done. Let me try to see if I can find a video. I remember seeing a video of bookbinders repairing books. When they take them apart and put them back together, it is the same process.
DiResta is a renaissance man. Not sure there isn't anything he cant do. That has helped countless people step up and TRY new things, with no experience. That is why he inspires me to give it a shot, learn, and do it again if it didn't come out right. The fun is the learning new things and Jimmy has inspired me to do just that. Much love and support. Respect.
pikachu1324 He talks in his tips videos and will sometimes talk in these videos. I think it might have been his q&a video where he explains more about why he does that
This brings back some memories. I knew an old artisan who not only hand bound his own books he was an awesome drafting teacher. I thank him every day for the design skills I learned from him and his great eye for detail he put into everything he did.
ThereIsNoMatch Well, it may have been harder, but less rapid. Remember, before the printing press you had to transcribe books by hand. ;) Oh, and they didn't have nice sheets of paper in giant bundles either. They also were likely writing on animal skins, around that time we're talking about.
Ty for sharing. I liked the speed changes throughout your video. And no music was a really nice touch, too. But the best part of your video was learning how to make a real book. Thanks.
time and time again I watch this video. it's so awesome the way the book comes together. I love all your videos but this one is so chilled, i think because there's no power tools.
Jimmy DiResta jimmydiresta Hey Jimmy! Awesome video, thanks for sharing. Any chance you could cover this method and what kind of materials you used a little more in-depth in another video sometime? With such a professional-looking result, I think a lot of people would really love to see it!
jimmydiresta although, I couldnt quite make out exactly what you were doing with the stitches, at least when you were adding a new page for the first stitch
Found you; very good vid; watched a few to self teach book binding a while back and you're the first to show corners like this - very kewl and I will be using it. Also, the front/back pages you're the first to dbl up the pages adhering to f/b covers & inside pages, very kewl and will try that. Thanks - most enjoyable!
Hi! I'm in the process of learning this beautiful art and this video is very very helpful. Amazing! Jimmy i love all your videos. You are so talented. Please continue sharing your skills with us! Thank you.
I've been binding books like this for gifts for the last year or so, and one time-saving tip is to pre-punch (or drill out) the holes in the paper while they are stacked. I tend to make my pages out of cardstock as we use them as a replacement for hallmark-esque cards. I will measure and pre-drill the holes while the wrap is still on the block of cardstock. This tip saves me TONS of time punching holes in each signature, especially when making a bunch of books.
Hey Jimmy, Great work - as usual ! For my sake : try giving the covers a heavy hand rub with Beeswax - it will deeply darken the color maybe from red to brown. But believe me you will love the final finish, and will protect it. Use a "pear" of cotton ball wrapped with gauze. A buff with microfiber after that will double your pleasure. Your book is already alive - with all that life your hands put in it. The above will make further make it so.
Nice video. I always like watching how other people make their books... little details like how you use two awls to punch your sewing stations. One to hold the paper in place and the other to finish it. I have never seen mitered corners like the way you did. Very interesting. Fun video!
Thanks for this video. Inspired me to find some more details about the stitching, and made my own book a week or so ago. Working on my second now, which I did try a different stitching method for, that will be a Christmas gift for a family member.
I used to do book binding but I had forgot how to do the actual bind. I just somehow stumbled here and remembered those times and got a nice glimpse of how its done. I might just get some paper and other stuff and bind a book. Ah, I remember this small book which has a fake leather and cloth covers, hmm... where have I put it.
Drunkenwood How-to Videos Hey David, how about taking your recycled paper and binding it into a book? Or would the time required to make that much recycled paper be too cumbersome?
While finding a lot is standard techniques or methods generally not used because they are more labor intensive than necessary I do like the tab cut chosen for the cornering. It is one I've not seen presented on other bookmaking videos and gives a far more satisfying edge.
Damn Jimmy, that's one fine book! Now just waiting for a video on how to do embossed gold leaf lettering on the front, or at least a lock keeping with the diary theme!
My favorite part about bookbinding is being able to get exactly the book you want. I built myself an engineering notebook filled with isometric grid paper, with titanium boards, and covered in super durable 600 denier ballistic nylon. Also, I've read that you should fold all of the sheets of a signature together at one time so that you get more of a rounded fold and don't break the fibers with a crease.
Jimmy,, As a guy who sells books for a living, and have done my share of repairs, I am super impressed. Not nearly as easy as you make it look. I come to your channel often expecting a guitar, or a skyscraper. This was the last thing I thought I would see. Big respect for you.
To trim the edges of a book (or a stack of cards or play money or whatever) you clamp it up between 2 boards, one higher in the back to give you something to cut against and the other in the front clamped at the line you wish to cut. You then take a wood chisel and while laying it flat against the top of the front board slice away a few pages at a time until you get through to the back board.
Thanks for this video! It was a bit too fast and somehow I managed to bind the page bundles in some weird way, but my friend book looks awesome now that it's all done!
When I was Service Manager at Southern Microfilm many many moons ago we would bring in Book Binders to Bind the Public Record Books kept by the Clerks of Court. I used to watch these people work. Binding Books by hand was something of a lost art even in the mid 1980's. Jimmy did it just like I saw the Book Binders do it. I was wondering where Jimmy learned how to do it.
done quite right, a couple of comments - instead of PVA, for gluing book block to the cover and gluing cardboard cover material to correctly use glue Dextrin, it is not as wet as the PVA not impregnate paper and cardboard, after gluing everything smooth, without wrinkles and waves. And the book block to be cut off after the assembly on three sides by the guillotine (maybe try instead tablesaw it, haha?) Everything is very very well done!
Very cool video!! Having never done anything like this though, it would've been great to see a list of materials, detail on the threading part, and a little more coverage on how the cover was made, cut, etc. I would love to make my own too, and will definitely be using this video as a reference (if I can find out the "rest of the story").
Awesome work. Gave me lost of ideas to personalize a handmade book. Maybe embossing a design in the material used for the book cover. Printing something from the computer on each piece of paper to appear at the top of each page. Using the same material to make a matching bookmark. Using a map of the region as the paper lining on the inside cover. Heck, maybe even using sheet aluminum as the cover material instead. I'm inspired!
Wonderful video of a a craft I have wanted to learn. Too fast though! Wow! Can't even focus on what you are doing because of the speed it is played at. Would love to see this slowed down so that I can see how you doing the tricky bits. Thank you for sharing.
What did you do! What did you just do?!!! Oh that's right. Created a burning desire to make lots of books right in the center of my heart. I will achieve this one day! But not today. I have to spend today with my Nan. She awesome.
Video brought back some memories! I spent many hours folding the corners of book covers at H.V. Chapman and Sons (google hvcbooks). Never did the sewing... but maybe I need to give it a try now. Great work (as always) sir!
I've never had a desire to make a book. I don't even know why I watched this. I guess because Jimmy did it. But now.. OMG... I want to make a book. lol
Just some things to note here: the stitching is called a kettle stitch.
Do not glue between the boards on the spine pieces like he did, that adds unwanted moisture and prevents the book from opening efficiently.
Use acid free paper and a text weight paper (preferably over 60lb paper) his paper will never sit correctly because it wasn’t the right paper to use so it’ll just be cockled forever.
Always glue your paper to your board, do not glue the board to the paper like he did with the book cloth. All cloth/paper expands while wet so you have to account for swell. Gluing the cloth then placing the boards on top of the cloth is better for the survival of the book.
Do not immediately open the book after gluing the way he did. That effects the longevity of the book and can cause movement in the way the boards are glued then making your book crooked. Always immediately place under weight after gluing.
Very sound help
Why don't u also made a one video on this it really sounds helpful😊
Bookbinders in the past used a more efficient method:
After the book pages were clamped between the wood, instead of marking the pages for the holes and taking them apart to poke holes in each section with an icepick, a small saw was used to cut across the areas where he marked creating the holes in far less steps. Instead of drawing with a pen, the book binder cuts a trench with a saw at the very same place the pen draws. The trench cut by the saw creates holes in all of the pages in a row at once.
While still in the wood form, a hammer is used to flatten out the back. This increases the surface area on the pages for the glue at a later stage.
Then, the book in the wood form is laid in a structure that has heavy hemp pieces of string that fit into the trenches cut by the saw. When the pages are opened, each hemp string pokes a bit into each folded page. The binder then runs a cotton string perpendicular to, and behind each hemp string. The pages at the fold are now trapped behind a cotton string which at every place there is a hemp string the cotton string runs under the hemp string and then back over the paper. This avoids a far less knots.
The hemp strings are then cut from the hemp string stand, the book is removed from the hemp string stand, turned up again and glue is applied to the back. While gluing the pages, the hemp string is also glued and immobilized stuck to the cloth backing.
The cotton holds down the paper. The cotton is held down by the hemp. The hemp is glued and attached to the cloth gauze by the glue. The gauze and glue attach everything else together.
Then the rest of the steps are the same.
While they seem out of place, saws and hammers play key roles in traditional bookbinding.
Interesting, thanks!
***** Cool! I saw something very close to that on the TV show, How It's Made. Any chance you have a video of such a project?
***** thanks whilst it took me a minute to read the comment, it thought something I might use in the future
I have never done it, but I have seen it done. Let me try to see if I can find a video. I remember seeing a video of bookbinders repairing books. When they take them apart and put them back together, it is the same process.
+Lewis Doherty Holy damn dude, that was probably the most useful and informative RUclips comment ever.
DiResta is a renaissance man. Not sure there isn't anything he cant do. That has helped countless people step up and TRY new things, with no experience. That is why he inspires me to give it a shot, learn, and do it again if it didn't come out right. The fun is the learning new things and Jimmy has inspired me to do just that. Much love and support. Respect.
The precision and attention to detail for that tiny paper flap in the corner of the hardcover... that really gets me going.
Even though I know he doesn't talk in his videos, I still keep the sound on. I guess I like the sound of the sped up tools.
pikachu1324 He talks in his tips videos and will sometimes talk in these videos. I think it might have been his q&a video where he explains more about why he does that
pikachu1324 Same here. :)
Always loved that about diresta vids
pikachu1324 He also talks on a podcast "Making It" with Bob Clagett (I Like To Make Stuff) and David Picciuto (Drunkenwood)
+Greg MacKenzie Thank you for that, I didn't know it excited till you mentioned it. :)
This brings back some memories. I knew an old artisan who not only hand bound his own books he was an awesome drafting teacher. I thank him every day for the design skills I learned from him and his great eye for detail he put into everything he did.
I love the way you do the corners for the cover fabric, much smoother than what I've been doing.
Sorta makes you respect all the people who bound thousands of books a couple hundred/thousand years ago, doesn't it?
ThereIsNoMatch Well write them too for that matter [edited]
ThereIsNoMatch nah
nunya biznez Bullshit. Do you have to literally so an ebook together at the seams?
ThereIsNoMatch It's even harder to imagine how bookbinding was hundreds of years ago considering paper was invented in 1947
ThereIsNoMatch Well, it may have been harder, but less rapid.
Remember, before the printing press you had to transcribe books by hand. ;)
Oh, and they didn't have nice sheets of paper in giant bundles either. They also were likely writing on animal skins, around that time we're talking about.
As a book lover this was an absolute treat to watch. Always wondered how they cut the corners in. Great job Jimmy.
BEAUTIFUL!!! I haven't made a book in 12 years. Looks like I might have remedy that. Awesome as usual Jimmy DiResta thanks for always inspiring.
Ty for sharing. I liked the speed changes throughout your video. And no music was a really nice touch, too. But the best part of your video was learning how to make a real book. Thanks.
This is why hard back books are more expensive than paper backs. I have learned a lot of book binding from your fantastic video. Thanks.
This video is 1000 times better than those Maker Camp videos that have been on the feed this week.
time and time again I watch this video. it's so awesome the way the book comes together. I love all your videos but this one is so chilled, i think because there's no power tools.
Jimmy DiResta jimmydiresta Hey Jimmy! Awesome video, thanks for sharing. Any chance you could cover this method and what kind of materials you used a little more in-depth in another video sometime? With such a professional-looking result, I think a lot of people would really love to see it!
I like the way he's making the book and not using glue excessively.
I love how everything is just visual instructions and nothing verbal :) For some reason it's much easier to understand what he's doing!
Haha thank you nice to hear it works !! Xo
jimmydiresta although, I couldnt quite make out exactly what you were doing with the stitches, at least when you were adding a new page for the first stitch
howycwap I was a little confused, but then he slowed it down part-way through and I understood.
+Courtney Ortiz-Cseh It's also universal, no oral language involved.
its easier to get an overview before you start your project, since all the info is just right there, bam, not getting caught up into details
Found you; very good vid; watched a few to self teach book binding a while back and you're the first to show corners like this - very kewl and I will be using it. Also, the front/back pages you're the first to dbl up the pages adhering to f/b covers & inside pages, very kewl and will try that. Thanks - most enjoyable!
Hi! I'm in the process of learning this beautiful art and this video is very very helpful. Amazing! Jimmy i love all your videos. You are so talented. Please continue sharing your skills with us! Thank you.
I've been binding books like this for gifts for the last year or so, and one time-saving tip is to pre-punch (or drill out) the holes in the paper while they are stacked.
I tend to make my pages out of cardstock as we use them as a replacement for hallmark-esque cards. I will measure and pre-drill the holes while the wrap is still on the block of cardstock.
This tip saves me TONS of time punching holes in each signature, especially when making a bunch of books.
Jimmy D is the best. Always entertaining to watch him work.
Excellent. This is so much better than having important papers sent off for binding (and much cheaper too!)
I had no idea soo much went into making books! Fantastic!
Hey Jimmy,
Great work - as usual !
For my sake : try giving the covers a heavy hand rub with Beeswax - it will deeply darken the color maybe from red to brown. But believe me you will love the final finish,
and will protect it. Use a "pear" of cotton ball wrapped with gauze. A buff with microfiber after that will double your pleasure.
Your book is already alive - with all that life your hands put in it. The above will make
further make it so.
Very talented. Always like to watch his videos.
I am in awe of this lost art. I never knew how much time and effort this took.
Great Video!!!
The best of everything is your hope that we can do this, without even can't see and understand what are you doing
Diresta you have some mad skills. Hard to come by for most.
Nice video. I always like watching how other people make their books... little details like how you use two awls to punch your sewing stations. One to hold the paper in place and the other to finish it. I have never seen mitered corners like the way you did. Very interesting. Fun video!
Thanks for this video. Inspired me to find some more details about the stitching, and made my own book a week or so ago. Working on my second now, which I did try a different stitching method for, that will be a Christmas gift for a family member.
This is one of those videos that you want to watch in real time, amazing.
Make: You can keep your arduino and raspberry pi; give me more Jimmy.
CDeanhartman he has his own channel
Very good! I work with bookbinding myself and was amazed with the details in your binding. Mainly the cover.
Hey, I was waiting for Spike to jump into the mix...awesome video as always.
I used to do book binding but I had forgot how to do the actual bind.
I just somehow stumbled here and remembered those times and got a nice glimpse of how its done.
I might just get some paper and other stuff and bind a book.
Ah, I remember this small book which has a fake leather and cloth covers, hmm... where have I put it.
Jimmy's videos are so awesome and relaxing !!!!
This is so good! So good!
Drunkenwood How-to Videos Hey David, how about taking your recycled paper and binding it into a book? Or would the time required to make that much recycled paper be too cumbersome?
I would definitely take some time but would make for a cool book!
While finding a lot is standard techniques or methods generally not used because they are more labor intensive than necessary I do like the tab cut chosen for the cornering. It is one I've not seen presented on other bookmaking videos and gives a far more satisfying edge.
You Sir! Are a true Artisan! One of an ever diminishing number! Brilliant! I love hard cover books and refuse e-readers!
Damn Jimmy, that's one fine book! Now just waiting for a video on how to do embossed gold leaf lettering on the front, or at least a lock keeping with the diary theme!
Cou can't imagine how happy i am i finalllllyyy found vid on how to glue kettle stitch paper block on linnen cloth
Are you kidding me !? THATS AWESOME! Good work Diresta
Jimmy you impress me more and more truly amazing that you have so many talented skill sets
very satisfying in the eyes, but i am also here for the sounds. it would be relaxing
Amazing to watch him as always.
My story is 230k words. I can just imagine how thick the book would be if I made one.
I really love this. It's a beautiful book.
He's alive!!!! Missed you Jimmy
jimmydiresta Though I do enjoy the wood and metal working videos from you, it's this kind of video that fascinates me. Absolutely first class.
Awesome Jimmy! I'm totally making this for christmas presents!
This is seriously really nice! Well done Jimmy!
I love this video! Thank you, so much, for taking the time to teach us!
The one and only Diresta.Speechless !!!
Very cool. This is one I wish you had voice over. Thanks for the video.
Wow ,Nice video ..thanks so much for sharing .The glue together book seems so much more simple ..I think I will try the glue together idea first .
Cool watching this process. I'm think I'm just about inspired enough to give it a try. Thanks Jimmy!
My favorite part about bookbinding is being able to get exactly the book you want. I built myself an engineering notebook filled with isometric grid paper, with titanium boards, and covered in super durable 600 denier ballistic nylon.
Also, I've read that you should fold all of the sheets of a signature together at one time so that you get more of a rounded fold and don't break the fibers with a crease.
Beautiful video and build! Loved your vintage press!
Jimmy, you dont know how long I have waited for this video. For some reason I have been drawn to making a book lately. Weirdest thing....
Jimmy,, As a guy who sells books for a living, and have done my share of repairs, I am super impressed. Not nearly as easy as you make it look. I come to your channel often expecting a guitar, or a skyscraper. This was the last thing I thought I would see. Big respect for you.
Thank you for that very comprehensive tutorial on binding a book of Greek debt repayments
Dude! That was insane! That makes me want to make one! Thanks Jimmy!
To trim the edges of a book (or a stack of cards or play money or whatever) you clamp it up between 2 boards, one higher in the back to give you something to cut against and the other in the front clamped at the line you wish to cut. You then take a wood chisel and while laying it flat against the top of the front board slice away a few pages at a time until you get through to the back board.
apart from the amazing skills, the inscription at the end shows a lot about the man and his dad, absolutely love it
You are just so good at it!!!! I love your videos!
Thanks for this video! It was a bit too fast and somehow I managed to bind the page bundles in some weird way, but my friend book looks awesome now that it's all done!
9/10! Great job, as usual. I would have loved to seen some headbanding, but everything else was spot on!
Why is this so satisfying to watch?
When I was Service Manager at Southern Microfilm many many moons ago we would bring in Book Binders to Bind the Public Record Books kept by the Clerks of Court. I used to watch these people work. Binding Books by hand was something of a lost art even in the mid 1980's. Jimmy did it just like I saw the Book Binders do it. I was wondering where Jimmy learned how to do it.
done quite right, a couple of comments - instead of PVA, for gluing book block to the cover and gluing cardboard cover material to correctly use glue Dextrin, it is not as wet as the PVA not impregnate paper and cardboard, after gluing everything smooth, without wrinkles and waves. And the book block to be cut off after the assembly on three sides by the guillotine (maybe try instead tablesaw it, haha?) Everything is very very well done!
Very cool video!!
Having never done anything like this though, it would've been great to see a list of materials, detail on the threading part, and a little more coverage on how the cover was made, cut, etc.
I would love to make my own too, and will definitely be using this video as a reference (if I can find out the "rest of the story").
Very cool. I love it. It gives me an idea to keep my university notes.
1:38 - The 1" marking for the binding thread can be followed by sawing on the marks to make the needed holes.
I always love Jimmy. And writing in the diary made me laugh!
Jimmy never fails to amaze!
Way too talented. Makes up for the rest of us!
thought it would be a really boring video , but it turned out quite interesting. Thumb up as always.
Awesome work. Gave me lost of ideas to personalize a handmade book. Maybe embossing a design in the material used for the book cover. Printing something from the computer on each piece of paper to appear at the top of each page. Using the same material to make a matching bookmark. Using a map of the region as the paper lining on the inside cover. Heck, maybe even using sheet aluminum as the cover material instead. I'm inspired!
Excellent work! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful video of a a craft I have wanted to learn. Too fast though! Wow! Can't even focus on what you are doing because of the speed it is played at. Would love to see this slowed down so that I can see how you doing the tricky bits. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful work
Man I bet your real good at wrapping Christmas presents
Very interesting video
Makes me want to try binding myself
Thank you
What did you do! What did you just do?!!! Oh that's right. Created a burning desire to make lots of books right in the center of my heart.
I will achieve this one day!
But not today. I have to spend today with my Nan. She awesome.
Video brought back some memories! I spent many hours folding the corners of book covers at H.V. Chapman and Sons (google hvcbooks). Never did the sewing... but maybe I need to give it a try now. Great work (as always) sir!
Wonderful video! Thanks a lot. I wonder who the people are who disliked this video!
beautiful work really nice book.
Want to make a D&D spell book. I found my source video, thank you!
What a don. Incredible.
Wow! You move really fast. All that work in under 10 minutes!
Jimmy, you've got unfathomable patience, buddy!
The best book ever. It should be a bestseller :-)
You must be the fastest book maker in history!
You made a book! Dude, what can you not make?
6:39 my favorite sound
hi from brazil! Perfect work.
Man! I enjoyed this! Thanks Jimmy
Quanto capricho!!!!! ficou muito bom....
He is a wizard
Damn this dude is too good in everything!
I've never had a desire to make a book. I don't even know why I watched this. I guess because Jimmy did it. But now.. OMG... I want to make a book. lol
Thank you so much for this video! It was very informative