Bookbinding
A Complete Bench Reference for Case Binding, Book Repair, and Restoration
★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviewsby Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Master case binding and book repair with exact measurements, step-by-step procedures, and troubleshooting tables. Your bench-side manual for professional results.
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About this book
Stop fumbling through YouTube tutorials and forum threads. This is the bench manual you've been looking for.
Bookbinding: Case Binding and Book Repair Manual is a no-nonsense, hands-on reference for the serious hobbyist who wants to produce library-quality case bindings and repair treasured books with confidence. It skips the history and the fluff, and goes straight to the procedures, with exact measurements, material specifications, and tolerances for every step. Whether you're building a new case-bound book from scratch or rebacking a damaged spine, you'll find the precise instructions you need to get it right the first time.
This book lives on your workbench, not on your shelf. It's organized for quick lookup, with tables for adhesive setting times, board thicknesses by book size, and thread specifications. Each technique is broken into numbered steps with exact values—no 'as needed' or 'to taste.' You'll also find troubleshooting chapters that diagnose common problems like warped boards, weak hinges, and text block pullouts, with clear causes and fixes. If you're serious about bookbinding, this is the manual that will take you from fumbling to professional.
Reader Reviews
Kenneth Lopez
★★★★★I've been bookbinding for a few years, mostly from YouTube videos, and always struggled with getting the case to fit perfectly. This book's tables for board overhang and joint gaps are worth the price alone. The step-by-step procedures are exact—no more guessing. My last case-bound book came out looking like it was done by a professional. Highly recommend.
Melissa Young
★★★★★Good book, very thorough on the technical side. I docked a star because I wish it had more on leather repair, but the cloth and paper sections are excellent. The troubleshooting tables saved me on a rebacking job that was going wrong. It's a solid reference, but not a casual read. Keep it on your bench, not your nightstand.
Amy Davis
★★★★★As someone who repairs old books as a side hobby, this manual is a godsend. The damage assessment form and the decision table for repair vs. rebind are exactly what I needed. I've already used the rebacking procedure on a 100-year-old novel, and it worked perfectly. The measurements are precise, and the diagrams help a lot. This is the book I wish I had years ago.
Robert Lopez
★★★★★It's a solid reference, but I found some of the sections a bit dense. The project chapter on a 6x9 hardcover was really helpful, and I got a great result. I would have liked more photos, but the tables and diagrams are clear. Overall, a good investment for anyone serious about bookbinding.