Putting together a signature block.

First what is a signature block? A signature block contains the insides of a book, to include -signatures composed of pages and end pages that help hold this all together with the cover-that is what I am going to chat about today.

Ok, first of all, one has to understand how to lay out the page order in a given number page signature, but lets start out really easy and do a folded page signature or a 4 page signature.

My laser printer takes a legal size sheet of paper so I start with a layout of 8.5 x 14 to include margins, gutters and a cutting edge. (If saving in some word document you can save so each page is how you want it to print out in your book.) Next, I print the book using a two sided printer that is set in preferences for printing on front and back. This is a life saver; how I hated turning papers and getting them mixed up- oh I know that drill!

The picture above is of folded signatures. There are 2 pages printed on each side-1 and 4 and 2 and 3. I fold the pages in half and stack so the first page lays flat on the table and so on to keep the correct order. I then wrap each one with waxed paper and then off to the press while I cut the end pages.

End pages can be almost any kind of paper, in this particular book, I use a flat black linen paper as the story is about a crow. There are many ways to attach an end page, but I find using another sheet of 8.5 x 14 works very well. After thes pages are folded, they are incorporated as 2 additional signatures to the text block. If one were to use this idea when making an end page, remember that both sides of the paper will be seen so remember that when choosing.

All folded up and waiting for glue and something known as "super." Super is a loose woven linen that is glued to the back of the sewn or tightly held signatures to hold it all together. This backing is glued partially to the end page then around the folds of each signature and then back to the back side of the other end page. (A very proper super would be frayed prior to the gluing of end page to cover.) In these next pictures, look closely how I perform the gluing of a single sheet signature block. I first glue the super to the back of an end page and then across the back. I place enough glue to penetrate the pages but not so much that it will interfere with the turning of the pages. The super is pulled across the glue, stamped a bit to make sure I have a flat back and flipped over and using my thumbs it is pulled tight. So tight that the glue comes through the back of my super and the piece is nice and square. I place this on a sheet of waxed paper and make a nice wrap to keep it all in place. Then under my last press- resting while the covers are put together. It can be noticed that these blocks are not put into the large press, but left under some heavy books. The big press is a bit too heavy and this can cause the signatures to slip a bit-making your book more of a trapazoid than a square or something like that.

Next comes putting the cover together but that will be another blog. See you then.

Thanks for stopping by and

See you around town,

Janet