Question about skipping the traditional pressing step for a quick repair

Everyone says you absolutely must press a book for a full day after a spine repair, but I was in a hurry to fix a client's 1920s poetry collection. I tried using a heavy-duty clamp and a hair dryer on low heat for about 20 minutes instead, and the adhesive set perfectly. Has anyone else had a good result with a faster method on older materials?

2 comments

2 Comments

casey78711d ago

I fixed a 1970s cookbook last month with a similar rush job. I used two C-clamps and a space heater on low from about four feet away for maybe 30 minutes. The glue held fine and the book lays flat. Sometimes the old rules are just guidelines.

beth_anderson11d ago

Whoa, that sounds risky to me. @casey787, that heat can dry out the old glue and paper way too fast, making it brittle. In my experience, even low heat from a distance can cause damage you won't see until the spine cracks later. I always stick with weights and just give it a full day to set.