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Appreciation post: The old book press at the library in my town
I volunteer at our local library and we still use this massive old book press from the 1950s for simple repairs. I see a lot of new binders online using way too much pressure on their presses, especially with modern ones, and it flattens the swell of the spine too much. The old library press has a simple hand crank and you can really feel the right amount of give, maybe just enough to close the book without squeezing it. After using it for a year, my own bindings open so much better because the spine isn't crushed. Has anyone else learned the right pressure feel from an older tool or setup?
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rileyl671mo ago
Reminds me of a friend who ruined a good novel with a new press.
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bell.emma1mo ago
That sounds like a specific kind of heartbreak. What did the new press do to ruin it, @rileyl67? Was it the paper quality, the weird cover art, or something else entirely? I'm always curious about what makes a reprint feel wrong.
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