My neighbor in Austin swore by using PVA glue straight from the bottle for rounding spines

She said it sets up faster and gives a cleaner shape, so I gave it a shot on a small poetry book last month. Ended up with a stiff, uneven back that cracked when I opened it, proving my old teacher right about thinning it with water. Anyone have a good ratio for a 50/50 mix that still holds a curve?

2 comments

2 Comments

victor_taylor3216d ago

Oof, that "stiff, uneven back that cracked" line really hits home. I've been there with glue that was way too thick. For a 50/50 mix, I actually go by weight, not volume, to be more exact. I use a cheap kitchen scale. I find a true half and half mix can still be a bit too runny for good control. My sweet spot is closer to 60% glue to 40% water. It flows well but still has enough body to hold the curve without soaking the paper.

mitchell.mark16d ago

Right, the straight-from-the-bottle method is a total trap. It just sits on top of the paper and dries into a plastic sheet. @victor_taylor32 has the right idea with weighing it, that's way smarter. I also found a true 50/50 mix too thin, it made a huge mess. My own disaster involved a cookbook that refused to open properly. Now I mix it thick like pancake batter, just thin enough to brush on without globs. Letting it get tacky before shaping the curve made a huge difference for me too.