Book Field Trip 4/365

We went to a book binding field trip. The tour was broken up into 2 groups and each group got to make a book from scratch. It was really fascinating. I will quote my sister,
 "It definitely gives you a better appreciation for books."
Here are the basic steps.

This machine cuts the edges of a book if they are going to rebind it.
This machine will sew the pages together.

The sewn book

You put the book in that opening where the red button is and the book loops around and comes out that slot at the bottom left. Here is a shout out to my hubby. He programs screens like the one you see on this machine.

When the book comes out, it has this rubber on the binding.

Then they glue this cloth like material over the binding. They said that when they get old books in for repair, many times the only thing holding a book together is this cloth.

Skids are used for moving paper and books around.

Next they pick out the cover material and will print the title on the spine. They do this even if they cover it up with a final cover like the one above, so they can easily identify the book.

Then they add the card board to the cover material.

Folding down the edges and then stamping it with that machine. Also, do you see that thing that looks like a white popsicle stick. It is actual a whale bone. They use it to help make the creases and it is the only thing that will not scar the book.

Then they send it through a machine that rolls it flat.

Adding glue to the pages and then adding the cover.

This machine will press the book with 9 tons, taking all the air bubbles out of the pages that were glued and adding the crease on the spine.

The finished product

Afterwards we went to a near by park and had lunch.

Doesn't every park have a rock climb!?

I like this picture. It is Bumble's friend helping her up the wall.
 How true is it that our friends will help us on the steep road to heaven.

My little sand man