BACKING.
The boards required for backing, called backing boards, should always
be the same length as the book. They are made somewhat thicker than
cutting boards, and have their tops planed at an angle, so that the
sheets may fall well over.
[Illustration: Backing Hammer.]
[Illustration: Before Backing. After Backing.]
Hold the book in the left hand, lay a board on one side, a little
away from the back, taking the edge of the top sheet as a guide, the
distance to be a trifle more than the thickness of the boards intended
to be used. Then |49| turn over the book, with the backing board,
holding the board to the book by the thumb, so that it does not shift,
and lay the other board at exactly the same distance on the other side.
The whole is now to be held tightly by the left hand and lowered into
the press. The boards may possibly have shifted a little during the
process, and any correction may now be made whilst the press holds the
book before screwing up tight, such as a slight tap with the hammer to
one end of a board that may not be quite straight. Should the boards
however be not quite true, it will be better to take the whole out
and readjust them, rather than lose time in trying to rectify the
irregularity by any other method. If the rounding is not quite true it
will be seen at once, and the learner must not be disheartened if he
has to take his book out of the press two or three times to correct any
slight imperfection.
The book and boards having been lowered flush with the cheeks of the
press, screw it up as tightly as possible with the iron hand-pin.
The back of the book must now be gently struck with the back of the
hammer, holding it slanting and beating the sheets well over towards
the backing boards. Commence from the centre of the back and do |50|
not hit too hard, or the dent made by the hammer will show after the
book has been covered. The back is to be finished with the face of
the hammer, the sheets being brought well over on the boards so that
a good and solid groove may be made. Each side must be treated in the
same way, and have the same amount of weight and beating. The back must
have a gradual hammering, and the sheets, when knocked one way, _must
not be knocked back again_. The hammer should be swung with a circular
motion, always away from the centre of the back. The book, when opened
after backing, should be entirely without wrinkles; _their presence
being a sign that the workman did not know his business_, or that it
was carelessly done. Backing and cutting constitute the chief work in
forwarding, and if these two are not done properly the book cannot be
square and solid—two great essentials in bookbinding.
Backing flexible work will be found a little more difficult, as the
slips are tighter; but otherwise the process is exactly the same, only
care must be taken not to hammer the cord too much, and to bring over
the sections very gently, in order not to break the sewing thread.
The backing boards may be replaned from time to time, as they become
used, but boards may be had having a double face of steel to them;
these may be used from either side. The edges of the steel must not be
sharp, or they will cut the paper when backing. The ordinary boards
may also have a face of steel screwed to them, but I prefer to use the
wood—one can get a firmer back without fear of cutting the sheets.
[Illustration: Two-edged Backing Boards.]
There are several backing machines by different makers but they are
all of similar plan. The book being first rounded is put between the
cheeks, and the roller at the |51| top presses the sheets over. I am
sorry to say that a great number of sheets get cut by this process,
especially when a careless man has charge of the machine.