Hardcover Experiment

For those of you who have followed me online for a while, you know that I have been on a mission to develop a method for quickly and efficiently creating hardcover books, much the same way The Atomic Binding Machine creates paperback books. I have used the library binding as inspiration. Click here to see what a library binding is. Building the book block with a modified Atomic machine has been fairly easy and successful. It’s just the covers that slow the process down so much.

This experiment is to see if I can create a sort of hinged cover that doesn’t require three pieces (spine + front and back cover). I’m sure I’m not the first person in the world to try this, but it seems like an efficient way to create a cover and save yourself a few steps in the cutting and gluing process.

The experiment was a qualified success. I did manage to make a nice looking cover that’s a bit stiff, but I can probably fix that issue with a wider cut. The real problem is that I had to cut these channels with my table saw. No matter the bookbinding problem, I always seem to come up with a woodworking solution.

I do understand, however, that not everyone has a spare table saw lying around the house. So my challenge is to figure out an easy, economical way to cut these channels by hand. And this method must also be faster than the old three-part one. Otherwise, what’s the point? Any ideas you all have on the subject would be much appreciated. My brainstorm is quickly becoming a mere cloudy day. Below are some photos.