January 2015, Week 4

This week's post is about the binding of the codex.

I finished with the painting, etc of all the signatures, cards and cover.  I did not yet adhere my text to the pages, just to make it easier to deal with.


STEP 1 - Creating a template

The first step is to create a template to make the slots in the signatures and the cards.  Creating a template will help you avoid having to remeasure every signature and card and helps maintain consistency.

It is the same length as the book, the width is 1/2".   I measured 1 inch from the top and bottom.  Then measured and marked  19/32 inch from each 1" mark.  This will accomadate the size of the tyvek strip.  If you would like, you slots can be 5/8" instead.

Step 2 - Cutting the slots for the tyvek strips

For the cards - I aligned the template along the left edge, marked and cut slots for each.

For the signatures - I used the template once again.  I marked and cut slots in the middle fold of each of the signatures.

Now.  I was ready to start weaving.


STEP 3 - Weaving the signatures together or binding the pages

Helpful note:  Before you begin the weaving, cut one end of the tyvek strip into a point.

You can also add a small piece of scotch tape to the end.  It will help glide it through the slots.


I started my weaving by taking two signatures and inserting a tyvek strip from outside to inside into the top slot, leaving a tail of about an inch or so on the outside.

If your pages are heavily painted or thick it will take some patience and care to get the tyvek to go through the slot.  You do not want to tear or rip the signatures, cards or tyvek as you are doing the weaving.  I found it helpful to slightly bend the paper where the slot was to open it a bit, insert the tyvek and then carefully slide the signatures and cards into place.

I then insert the tyvek strip into the top slot of a card and back through the same top slot of the two signatures.

You can see how it makes a loop.  In weaving terms, the tyvek is the warp and the card is the weft.

You will want to take up some of the slack but don't make it too tight yet because it helps to have that slack to attach the lower strip.

I then did the same with the lower slot using the other tyvek strip.

STEP 4 - Continue Weaving

I continued to do the same process with the remaining signatures and cards.  Starting from the outside to inside, insert the tyvek strip into two signatures and then into the card and back through the signatures.

You need to check often to make sure each page is oriented the correct way, so that nothing is upside down or backwards.

Above shows how two sets of the signature cards are attached.

As I was weaving I kept a bit of slack in the tyvek warp.  I found it helpful to have a little wiggle room to move the pages.  I will tighten things up at the end.

After I finished all the weaving, it looked like this:

STEP 5 - Adding the text

I then adhered my text to the pages.  (I don't think its necessary to wait to add your text till now, but I felt more comfortable not having to worry about messing up the text blocks while I was weaving the signatures together.)

Step 6 - Tighting the weave


I did one last check to make sure every page and card was oriented right and then I very carefully tightened the weave up.  It's kinda like tighten up your shoe laces.

I did use a piece of an old plastic rewards card to make the job of pulling the tyvek a bit easier.  But mostly it just requires patience.

I then cut and glued the the end pieces directly to the first and last pages.


STEP 7 - Folding the cover


Since I am interested in people seeing the binding, I did not attach the cover directly to the signature block.

I measured my signature block and added a bit of room, it came out to 11/16".  I then found the center of my cover page and centered the 11/16", scored and folded the paper.  I inserted the signature block to make it sure it fit properly and then measured, scored and folded for the page width.  (Once again adding about 1/8" of extra room to each side.


STEP 8 - Finish

It does need a day or two under some weights to help flatten it a bit.  But overall, I was happy with the results.


I hope this inspires you to create your own woven codex.

Next Week, begins February's book - a Tunnel Book.

Happy book making!