Traditional wooden bookbinding equipment, such as the sewing frame, finishing press and lying press have traditionally been made from seasoned beech, nowadays kiln dried beech is used and is a fine wood provided it has been dried properly. Off all the items of equipment the finishing press is the one that will probably be used more than any other in day to day work, and it is this piece of equipment I want to look at. As the name implies, the finishing press is used to carry out the gold finishing to the spine of a book, and one side of the press should have sloping shoulders to facilitate this. It is also used for holding books when you need to work on the spine for a variety of reasons. You will use the finishing press while the book has its headbands sewn; the finishing press really is a workhorse in the bindery. The other side of the press does not have sloping shoulders, and this side of the press can be used for several other purposes in the bindery, such as holding a book while its edges are coloured. When it comes to the screws of the press, of considerable importance is the choice of a 1.5 inch diameter thread, rather than the most commonly used 1.25 inch thread. There are several advantages in using a 1.5" thread. The press's give greater pressure than those commonly available. The reason for the greater pressure is due to the surface area of the thread which is greater on a 1.5 inch screw that a 1.25inch; this also affects the wear and stability of the thread as the pressure is spread over a larger area of thread. With the better presses the whole of the cheek is threaded, again to spread the pressure across the thread making greater pressure possible and spreading the wear and tear on the press. Some presses are threaded on a pin, not through the whole of the cheek, this means that all the pressure is confined to a small area of the thread leading to wear on a small area of the press and causes problems over the long term. This idea is born out of fact, I used a finishing press from one of the major suppliers that was threaded on a pin and eventually the pin gave out and broke after just a few years of heavy use. The smaller threads are produced for reasons of economy and are a result of manufacturers wanting to reduce costs and weight when shipping the items, but unfortunately this has led to a reduction in build quality and durability. The equipment is after all a working tool for the bookbinder and needs to have the strength and durability you would expect in something used everyday in a craft business. So when you are shopping for a new finishing press do ask if the threads are 1.25" or 1.5" and if the cheeks are threaded. Doing this will ensure that your finishing press will last at least as long as you do. And if the people you ask do not have a clue about these important aspects, do yourself a favour and pass them by. Richard Norman
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