Book with hand gluing and perfect binding

Perfect Binding

Discover why printers and designers across North America trust us! With our cutting-edge innovations and extensive knowledge in bindery, we can conquer virtually any finishing job, no matter how challenging.

Perfect Binding

The job I’m showing this week is a “book inside a book.” This job required perfect binding two individual books. The first (on the inside front cover) was perfect bound with an extended back cover. The second book was also perfect bound and hand glued to the back cover, with the spine at the top, for a unique presentation. Lastly, the books were folded and then packed for shipping.

To find out how we can handle your next multi-operation bindery job, please give us a call.

Surprising New Hardcover Customizations Await

This week, I’m showing you a striking hardcover book customization. This unique and visually striking book with a vibrant cloth wrapped cover has a surprise inside.

Case Binding Detached Spine

A key aspect of case bound hardcover books are the endpapers, which typically secure a bound book block to the inside of both the front and back covers. What sets this featured book apart is the book block is attached only to the inside back cover with a single endpaper.

Case Binding Detached Spine

At our North American trade finishing house, we specialize in full case binding and hardcover book services. Our dedicated team handles every step of the process, from crafting the cases to adding head & tail bands, perfect binding or Smyth sewing, and casing-in. Trust us to bring your books to life with quality and expertise.

** We did not produce this specific book, but can craft books with this custom option to our standard of impeccable craftsmanship. **

Perfect Binding … with a Twist!

Perfect Binding

Think this week’s product is a basic perfect bound magazine? While we excel in perfect binding, we specialize in adding processes like die cutting and, in this case, pattern gluing.

Perfect Binding

When you look closely at the cover of this book, you can see that the cover panel has the title die cut so the underlying printed middle panel shows through.

Perfect Binding With A Twist

Normally, a double thick cover is simply full surface glued. That wasn’t an option for this job because the glue would squeeze through the die cut portion. We pattern glued the middle panel and then folded the die cut panel over, which ensures a close bond between the middle and cover panel without any glue residue showing.

In addition to regular perfect binding operations (section folding, perfect binding and 3-knife trimming), this job required die cutting, pattern gluing and hand folding of the cover.

When a perfect binding job–with a twist– comes across your desk, please give us a call!

Our Latest Innovative Breakthrough: 24pt Cover Perfect Bound Books

The product I’m featuring this week is an example of how we are continuously innovating and improving upon book binding options.

Perfect binding has long been a common form of book binding, but it has some drawbacks – namely its limitations regarding cover thickness. Perfect bound books have been limited to a maximum cover thickness of 18pt … until now!

Our advancements have now made it possible for us to produce perfect bound books with 24pt covers! This opens up a world of possibilities for designers and printers that want to create durable books, without the cost of adding a hard, case bound cover.

Perfect bound books with 24pt covers can be intricately die cut, foil stamped and high die shaped (PMC die shaped).

With the developments we’ve made in perfect binding, there’s no telling what kinds of amazing book designs you’ll be seeing from us in the future!

Clever Binding for 4pg Layouts

Clever Binding for 4pg Layouts

Clever Binding

Clever Binding

Singer Saddle Sewing is an increasingly popular binding option for simple 4pg layouts (oversewn/side sewing is a good option for 2pg layouts) for two main reasons: 1) Centre sewing creates a hand-crafted, sturdy book for a reasonable cost. Since the setup is relatively inexpensive, compared to other binding techniques, it’s ideal for small quantities. 2) Centre sewing is also much more customizable, which allows for more creativity in the final product.

Specialties Graphic Finishers Binding & FInishing

Singer sewn books are very similar to saddle stitched books, except thread is used to stitch the pages together rather than them being stapled. The books are stitched, much like fabric is, on industrial sewing machines. This is where the “Singer” comes from. The Singer Corporation has been the world leader in sewing machines since the 1800s and has sold more machines than all the other sewing machine makers put together.

Specialties Graphic Finishers Binding & FInishing

The designer can choose a specific colour (or mix 2 colours!) of thread to compliment or contrast with the cover. There is also a range of thicknesses and textures of thread. The ends of the threads can be left loose at the top and bottom of the spine or be trimmed short.

 

For more information on Clever Binding please contact Specialties Graphic Finishers here.

 

Concealed Wire-O Binding

Concealed Wire-O Binding

Concealed Wire-O Binding

Wire-O is one of the best methods for binding, because it allows for mixing and matching stocks, page sizes, page foldouts, split binding and the use of plastic sheets. Concealed Wire-O Binding (aka Canadian Binding) is simply a Wire-O bound book that is mounted inside a three panel cover or wraparound panel. We specialize in case wrapped covers, which provide a sturdy and distinguished option for Wire-O books.

Our machinery can Wire-O both standard and highly unusual books. Our 3 collators, 4 automatic punchers and 4 automatic Wire-O machines bind hundreds of thousands of books each year. We can Wire-O books as small as 2” x 2” up to 28” x 40” … up to 2.5” thick!!

Wire-O Binding

The Wire-O Book featured in this post has a case wrapped cover.

Wire-O Book

This Concealed Wire-O book has an elastic closure.

The image above shows the partially concealed Wire-O and fully concealed Wire-O options.

No Wire-O project is too big or small for us. Please give us a call to discuss project.

Special Form Cut Index

Special Form Cut Index

Special Form Cut Index

I recently did a video about how we make step indexes on perfect bound books by trimming the face edge of book pages. We recently had a customer ask for us to cut a special form cut index on a run of Smyth sewn books. This appealing and smooth type of index is a combination of a single 90 degree step cut from the outside and a rounded cut on the inside.

Special Form Cut Index

Special Form Cut Index

We can do a full range of step index cutting:

•  Form cut

•   Full step cutting

•   Corner step cutting

•   Single Bank

•   Double Bank

Special Form Cut Index

Unlike standard index cutting, custom form cutting is done on a different machine. This machine can do the rounded edges and creates a smooth and more durable index edge.

Does your customer need index cutting on their perfect bound or Smyth sewn books? Please give us a call to talk about standard step cutting, corner cutting and custom form cutting.

LAYFLAT BINDING

LAYFLAT BINDING

LayFlat Binding (also called Otabind or RepKover binding), sounds self-explanatory, but it’s a unique binding technique that is done in two stages. Cold glue is first applied to the spine and, when dried 24 hours later, the cover is attached to endpapers on either side of the spine. This creates a visible gap along the spine, giving Layflat Binding its unique appearance. LayFlat Binding takes patience but produces a superior book!

LAYFLAT BINDING

LAYFLAT BINDING

LAYFLAT BINDING

Layflat Binding has two advantages over regular perfect binding. First, unlike regular books, Layflat Books open almost flat. If your client has a graphics-heavy book design, the images are almost uninterrupted across the spine. Second, because the pages aren’t attached to the spine, continuous opening and closing the book won’t crease the spine! This means the spine remains smooth and book titles and copy are always easily readable.

Book Step Cutting

We do Step Cutting on books that are already bound, like perfect bound, saddle stitched or hard back books! Book Step Cutting is a cost-effective alternative for clients that have a book that needs a tab or fold-out tab.

The images above show books that have been Step Cut. Each “step” can be different widths and lengths.

When a book has Face Cutting, the pages get progressively shorter towards the spine of the book resulting in “steps”.

The images above show books that have a Corner Cut.

We have unique machines that do Book Step Cutting, Book Corner Cutting and Book Face Cutting on pre-bound books. The following diagrams illustrate the various types and combinations of cutting available.

• Diagrams #1, #2 & #7 have combinations of Step Cuts, Corner Cuts and Face Cuts

• Diagram #4 above shows a Step Cut, which is by far the most common type

• Diagram #5 shows a double Step Cut

• Diagram #3 shows a Corner Cut

• Diagram #6 shows a Face Cut

 

PERFECT BINDING – 4” THICK

We have just re-engineered one of our perfect binders. We can now Perfect Bind books up to 4” thick! I don’t know of any other bindery that can do this.

PERFECT BINDING

PERFECT BINDING

The book pictured above is Smyth sewn with a drawn-on cover. We can Perfect Bind 4” books that are PUR Perfect Bound as well as Layflat Perfect Bind.

If you need a special Perfect Bound book that is extra thick, give us a call!