Just Out of the Press

So, I waited until yesterday morning to paste up the leather.  Good thing.  After much thought, I realized my paste was too wet, so used straight PVA (a new technique for me).   I had to work very fast as PVA quickly becomes tacky.  Working carefully to keep PVA off the outside (as it is very unforgiving), I smoothed the leather on front, back and spine.  Then I folded in the sides and tops of each cover and and worked the corners until they were well-rounded.  I then finished by tucking in the top and tail of the spine.  Into the press for at least 24 hours.

Today, I got brave enough to open the press.  The outcome looked good and taking the book out of the press today proved my theory.  The leather is lying flat and the edges look great.  The book is behaving very well.  Just opened the book and pasted in the recycled hinges.  I will be lining the covers with bristol later.  Then, I will finally be ready to measure and cut the new flyleaves.  Whew.