Skip to content

Big River Bindery

Practicing the Book Arts in the Greater Toronto Area

Home
Conservation and Restoration
Custom Bookbinding
Boxes and Enclosures
Letterpress Printing
Workshops
Movie Props
The Equipment
What’s Happening in the Shop
Press
Book Arts in Canada
About
Contact

What’s Happening in the Shop

We’re working hard and having fun in the shop. See some of what we’ve been doing here.

bigriverbindery

Last step is getting the original spine back on th

Last step is getting the original spine back on the book. We try to reuse and retain as much original material as we can in a treatment. #bookconservation #bookrepair #reback #torontobookarts

These endbands were split and broken, so we’re tak

These endbands were split and broken, so we’re taking them apart to rebuild them. Endbands like this were made of striped cloth over board. After lining the cloth, a new set will be ready to go back on the book. #bookconservation #bookrepair #endbands

A new bible on the shop that needs the old adhesiv

A new bible on the shop that needs the old adhesive and paper removed from the spine. Got most of it off, but will let a few spots soak for a bit to clean of off. #bookconservation #bookrepair #cleaningthespine #methylcellulose

It’s a paper repair day in the shop today. Fixing

It’s a paper repair day in the shop today. Fixing tears and guarding folios. Again and again. #bookconservation #bookrepair #paperconservation #bookarts #torontobookarts

Sometimes you have to take a book apart to get it

Sometimes you have to take a book apart to get it back together. This book had a detached cover and broken sewing, so it’s coming apart for paper repair and rebinding. We’ll keep the original covers and pages, and just add new material when necessary. #bookconservation #bookrepair #disbinding #bookbinding #torontobookarts

Back at work lining the spine of these books. The

Back at work lining the spine of these books. The paper lining supports the opening of the book and covers the cloth used to support the endpapers. #bookconservation #bookrepair #liningthespine #torontobookarts

Using my new handmade book cloth to add a replacem

Using my new handmade book cloth to add a replacement spine to this book. #bookconservation #bookrepair #japanesepaper #reback

Here I’m strengthening the toned Japanese paper we

Here I’m strengthening the toned Japanese paper we use for new spines with cloth. Laminating the two makes a book cloth that matches the cover exactly and will hold up to repeated use. Wheat starch paste and some pounding begins the two together. #bookcloth #laminatingpaper #japanesepaper #bookconservation

A little weekend tape removal in the shop today. C

A little weekend tape removal in the shop today. Catching up on projects and this masking tape needed to get off this endpaper. A little heat removed the carrier, then the leftover adhesive can come off. #bookconservation #paperconservation #taperemoval #tapeisevil

Make a trek to Oakville, Ontario to visit @pomelet

Make a trek to Oakville, Ontario to visit @pomeletterpress and see their sweet shop. Both the print shop and bindery were fun to explore, and we had a lovely conversation about letterpress bookbinding. Thanks for the great visit. #letterpress #bookbinding #canadianletterpress

Time for a new bible in the shop. I’m cleaning off

Time for a new bible in the shop. I’m cleaning off the old paper and cloth lining from the text block today. Removing the old hide glue and avoid paper will help this book in the long term. #bookconservation #bookrepair #cleaningthespine #bookbinding #torontobookarts

I had a lovely studio visit and chat with @somepri

I had a lovely studio visit and chat with @someprintstudio about an upcoming project. It’s great to see the experimental printing and artists’ books they produce. I can’t wait to come back to see more. #riso #artistsbooks #torontobookarts

Finishing the bottom turn ins on this tray today.

Finishing the bottom turn ins on this tray today. Cloth gets wrapped around all the edges of the box for strength and to look good. #clamshellbox #boxmaking #bookbinding

It’s assembly day for some clamshell boxes in the

It’s assembly day for some clamshell boxes in the shop. The parts get glued together with PVA and will be covered in book cloth. #bookconservation #bookrepair #clamshellbox #bookbinding

After rebinding this soft bound book, we needed to

After rebinding this soft bound book, we needed to reattach the original covers. A hinge on the book gives us secure place to add the cover, and the book is almost done. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #bookarts #torontobookarts

Today we’re adding a double fan adhesive binding t

Today we’re adding a double fan adhesive binding to these loose pages. The original perfect binding failed so we’re adding a better and stronger option. It will go right back in the original cover and almost no one will know. #bookconservation #bookrepair #doublefanadhesivebinding #bookbinding

Laying down the hinges on these children’s books.

Laying down the hinges on these children’s books. The endpapers had split but we still wanted to keep them in the book. These toned Japanese paper hinges connect the boards to the text block. #bookconservation #bookrepair #japanesepaper #newhinges

Last week I had a delightful chat and studio tour

Last week I had a delightful chat and studio tour with @jenn_rose_law. I got see their amazing prints and art projects, and we talked about printmaking and letterpress projects they have in process. Thanks Jenn for the great time, and I hope to come visit again soon. #printmaking #letterpress #bookarts #studiotour

It’s great having the guillotine in the shop. Toda

It’s great having the guillotine in the shop. Today we’re trimming off the old adhesive from a paperback so we can make a new adhesive binding for the pages. Saves so much time. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #torontobookarts

I love when the turn ins get finished on a reback.

I love when the turn ins get finished on a reback. It means most of the work is done and just a few steps left to get it back to the client. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #torontobookarts

Follow on Instagram

Follow Us!

Sign up for email notices of events and classes.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you're human:

Proudly powered by WordPress