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PSA: I was gluing up spines with way too much PVA and wondering why my books kept cracking
Sat down with a copy of "Hand Bookbinding" by Aldren Watson after a batch of 6 journals all split at the hinge within a couple weeks. Turns out I was slathering on the PVA so thick it dried hard and stiff, and that stiffness is what popped the hinge when the book opened. A bookbinder at the Midwest show in Minneapolis told me to aim for a thin, even coat and wipe the excess, said thick glue is not stronger glue. So how do you all judge the right amount, do you go by feel or is there some trick I'm missing?
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aaronf401mo ago
Man, nobody ever talks about how the brush itself matters here. A cheap stiff brush lays down a thick uneven coat no matter how light you think your hand is, while a soft flat brush let me finally get that thin skim coat people kept telling me about. So before you blame your technique, check what you're spreading the glue with.
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oscarscott1mo ago
@aaronf40 right, and the brush size matters too, wider flat brush covers more so you can keep the coat even.
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