Bookbinding is a hobby I picked up during lockdown. It’s tactile, it’s slow, and the finished object is something you can hold. Here’s what I use.
Equipment and materials
Glue strips — 50-piece packs of hot melt glue strips (285mm). I’ve ordered these from eBay and AliExpress. They’re cheap and work fine for pamphlet stitching.
PVA glue — Artway Strong PVA, 1 litre. White, works on fabric and paper. From Amazon UK.
Paper cutter — HFS Heavy Duty Guillotine, A3 size, metal base. It’s heavy (20 kg) and takes up space, but it gives clean cuts. From Amazon UK.
Laminator — Rexel A3 Style, white. For covering boards and protecting finished covers. From Amazon UK.
I’ve not bothered with a sewing frame yet — the glue-strip method works well enough for what I’m making. If I start doing more traditional Coptic binding I’ll revisit the tool list.