Showerthought: I keep seeing people mess up their spine glue on thicker books

Honestly, I watched three different tutorials from big channels that all said to use PVA straight from the bottle for a 500 page text block. Tried it on a commission last month and the spine cracked open after one read. You need to mix in about 20% methyl cellulose to keep it flexible, or it's just too rigid. Has anyone else found a better glue mix for chunky novels?

3 comments

3 Comments

alex_wilson7920d ago

Yeah, the "PVA straight from the bottle" advice is a total trap for thicker books. I read a forum post from a bookbinder who said they do a 50/50 mix of PVA and methyl cellulose for anything over 300 pages. Straight PVA just dries into a brittle plastic layer, it has no give at all. I started adding a bit of water to my mix too, just to thin it out a little for better penetration without making it weak.

anthony12919d ago

That brittle plastic layer is exactly what ruined my first thick journal. The 50/50 mix was a total game changer for me too.

the_max20d ago

My old workshop teacher swore by straight PVA, but that 50/50 mix Alex mentioned saved my last big project.