Hello Friends! Welcome to From the Bench!
Right now the bench is hopping, but none of the really “wow” stuff is going to be ready for a bit. So I wanted to take a second to show some appreciation to all the smaller projects that help keep the bills paid. For every big project that takes up weeks of my time, there are always a handful of smaller projects running at the same time.
I want to tell you all that I fix every kind of book for every kind of reason.
Most of the smaller projects fall into three categories: Basic recover – called recasing; usually, but not exclusively, well used and loved personal Bibles. Modifications – the reworking of new books to create or repair something else. Maintenance – cleaning, stabilizing, and minor repairs; basic maintenance on most books can give them a new lease on life!
So until next time enjoy this modest offering From the Bench! Check out the rest of the series!
Maintenance
Basic maintenance and repair usually entails simple spine, hinge, and page repair; as well as simple cosmetic touch ups. A good once over works wonders for books that are meant to see continuous use for years to come!
Recovering and Recasing
Any type of book can be a good candidate for an entirely new cover for a variety of reasons. I just happen to get a lot of Bibles because they tend to be used heavily and wear out quickly. They also tend to have a lot of scholarly and sentimental value.
Recasing can be a lot of fun. If your going to start over make it look however you want! Below are a variety of examples as well as some of the recover options we offer!
Modifications
Modifications are usually either a custom cover created for a new book, two or more books that are spliced together to create a new book, or the same version of a book in good condition is used to repair another book. Here are some examples.
This book was a modification of a modification. The client took the book to a leatherworker. While being a great leatherworker, they knew nothing about the mechanics of books. So it had to be torn apart and remodified. The first photo is before repair with the closure flap missing.
