The Book Arts Forum

hi all. so i'm practicing my binding and i've been attaching some decorative papers, scrapbooking quality acid free lignin free, and i was wondering if there was really a big difference between mod podge and pva. the mod podge i am using is specifically for paper and it's gloss finish and acid free. it's a water based sealer, glue and finish for all paper projects - as per the info on the front of the bottle. there are no ingredients listed. so i want to know, if i happen to make a book during this practice period that looks good enough and i want to give it away, does the fact that i've used the mod podge matter? will it be of lower quality compared to pva.

also, i went onto the talas website and i'm looking to see what items i should purchase for bookbinding. i was looking at the different adhesives and i'm a bit confused as to what to get. i saw that pva seems to be the number one choice. is there a difference between the 403 and the 711 with the odor reduction. could it be that taking out whatever made it stink also takes away from the quality. does anyone have any experience with this? i'm a little concerned about the smell because i do have pets and i don't want them to be affected negatively ... is the smell that bad? i also only have the option of working where the pets are housed.

i am currently working on coptic binding and would like to move into making some standard bound journals. xmas is coming and i come from a long line of journal keepers and artists. are there any supplies that you would recommend that i ABSOLUTELY need to get the job done. i have ordered the keith smith books from the library and am eagerly waiting their arrival and i don't know if he offers suggested materials/tools list in his books. either way, here is my list so far of the goodies i will be purchasing from talas in the next 2-3 weeks:
pva 403 or 711 (will i need the wheat paste also?)
curved needles 2.5 and 3 inch
steel ruler set of 5
a metal ruler with cork backing
acid free tissue paper to work with fabrics
brushes for glue (is there a difference between the conservation and round brushes)

this list actually looks smaller, i think i had more items picked out last night.

i have a bone folder, one of those pink we r memory keepers hole punches 1/8, 3/16 ( as per the suggestion on this site) and i've been using nylon cord, doubled for my coptic stitching. i'm debating using some waxed cotton cord or the irish linen. do you know if there is a difference? i have some waxed cotton cord already.

i am still going back and forth with what guillotine to purchase (suggestions are welcome and appreciated)

so before i continue rambling on, i'd like to thank those of you who have read this whole post and a SUPER THANKS to those of you who will respond.

I use the 403, I can buy it locally so I've never used the 711. I don't have much experience with Modge Podge but what I did have it never dried, it was always tacky and it ruined the covers I made with it... I'll never use it again and I tossed my container. For anything one would use Modge Podge for I now use a mat medium, it can be found in the painting supplies.
I love pva, it dries fast so I cut it with a little water when I need to extend the drying time. Wheat paste you can make on your own no need buy the mix from Talas.

The ruler with the backing is key, I don't function well without mine
I don't remember if set of 5 rules are marked or not, if not save your self some money and go to the home repair shop and buy some square metal rods, another invaluable tool in my box.

Brushes are a personal preference (at least I think), but none of the binders I know locally use the big circle brushes Talas sells. What I have found to be my favorite is a very large fan brush, nice and thick so bristles don't separate. I know a great binder who loves the cheap foam brushes in the craft stores... see what you like before committing to an expensive brush.

As for thread I was taught on unwaxed Irish linen and it's what I prefer, the prewaxed is really too waxed for me. I've always had it around so I've never tried anything else.

That's about all I have to say for now... it's late and my muffins are almost out of the oven

I use mod podge. I find that mine dries fast and cleanly, but it could be the type I'm using or the altitude or something. I also tend to work in a room with a fan going at a pretty good clip.

However, i've never used PVA. I will get some soon enough and then I'll be able to post a good comparison.

In response to your questions:

For glue and glue brushes: I like PVA diluted with water for most projects. The amount of water is trial and error and also depends upon the paper on which you will be gluing. My favorite glue brush is a Crayola "So Big" found in children's art supply. It has a semi-rounded brush width of ¾" and has an all plastic handle (no metal ferrule to rust when you leave the brush soaking). The last time The last time I bought one it was less than $2. If you do forget to rinse out your brush you can remove dried-on glue by soaking the brush overnight in rubbing alcohol.

As for cork-back metal rulers; I know some people use them as a non-slip feature, but I was taught always to put the cork-side up when cutting because with the cork-side down there is the possibility of the craft knife going under the ruler and giving a beveled edge of your cut. The trick is to really, really hold down the ruler with one hand while cutting with the other.

Coptic Sewing: Waxed linen comes in different plys and the 3-ply is less waxy than the 4-ply. A good source for waxed linen is Royalwood. You can see all of their colors at <www.royalwoodltd.com> I like to use crewel floss (not embroidery floss) that comes in many colors - it is called "pearl cotton floss" it comes in different plys, get the thicker one. I wax it and it shows off the Coptic stitch very well. A good hint that I received from Daniel Essig, (when I took a class from him) is to use a lighter, rather than darker, sewing thread to show the stitch. If you sew with black or other dark colors, the loop of the Coptic is somewhat lost for lack of contrast.

You can make your own bent needles (rather than buying curved ones). Again, a hint from Daniel Essig - heat the needle with a butane lighter (holding the needle in a pair of pliers) and when the needle gets red hot, gently bend it with a second pair of pliers. Do not bend as far as a right angle and bend it about a third of the way down from the tip. I use #2 crewel needles which I blunt with sand paper. A blunt needle is less likely to piece the thread when you are re-entering a sewing hole and also a blunt needle finds the pre-pierced hole easier (a sharp needle can actually make a new hole next to your pre-pierced one). I find a bent needle easier to sew with than a curved needle, as the curved needle tends to rotate in my hand as I sew.

Hope these hints help.

d. guffey

thank you all so much for the advice. i found a great little art supply store by where i live and they have some of the items you guys suggested. i did buy a little bottle of Neutral pH Adhesive by Lineco Inc. I have yet to try it out, but the girl that works at the store, who has taken book binding courses, told me that this should work well for making books. I did get another bottle of paper mod podge *50% off coupon, woo hoo* so i think i'll try them both out and see which of the two works out better. i'll let you guys know if i see any major differences in performance and usability.