FEBRUARY 1, 19 IG 



HOW TO BIND GLEANINGS 



BY M. H. TEISBEEG 



Gleanings contains so many valuable 

 sng'g'estions that it is Avell worth while to 

 save the back numbers for future reference. 

 I think all will agree that the most satisfac- 

 tory way to keep them is to have them 

 bound in book form. My way of binding is 

 so satisfactory, and so easily and cheaply 

 done, that I should like to pass it on. Al- 

 most every beekeeper has all the necessary 

 implements and materials except the stitch- 

 ing-frame, which I will describe. 



An ordinary carpenter's bench-vise can 

 be used as a press. Proceed as follows : 



AiTange the twenty-four numbers that 

 constitute one volume of Gleanings in 

 order, and remove the advertising pages 

 from all except the first and last numbers. 

 Leave three or four advertising pages on 

 each of the latter to serve as fly leaves. If 

 all the advertising pages were left on, the 

 completed book would be too bulky. 



AA, uprights; B, baseboard; CCCC, cords; 

 D, top-bar; EEEE, nails or tacks. 



This done, true up the top and back edges 

 of the volume and put it in your bench-vise 

 between two smooth boards and screw up 

 tight. The back side of the volume should 

 be up, and should project about a quarter 

 of an inch outside of the boards. Take a 

 saAv and make four cuts across the back of 

 the volume so as to divide the back into 

 five more or less equal parts. Guide-marks 

 may be made first with a pencil if you like. 

 Make the cuts one-sixteenth to one-eighth 

 of an inch deep. Before sawing remove 

 any of the wire stitches that are in the way 

 by twisting them out with the point of a 

 knife. 



'1 lie next step is to sew your l)ook to- 

 getlier, and for this purpose you will need 

 a stitching-frame. Alnio.st any one can 

 make a frame good enough in a few min- 

 utes like this: 



Take a piece of plank or board six inches 

 wide, or wider, and a foot or a foot and a 

 half long, and to one side of it nail a frame 

 six or eight inches high and as long as the 

 plank. This frame is simply two uprights 

 with a straight stick nailed across the top. 

 Stretch stout cords between the top of the 

 frame and the side of the plank, spacing 

 them to correspond with the notches you 

 sawed in the back of the volume. 



You ax'e now ready tO' stitch your book 

 together. First tie yo'ur thread to the sec- 

 ond cord from the top ; then take the last 

 number of the year and place your right 

 hand between the middle leaves. Insert tlie 

 needle in the second notch from the top, 

 and draw the thread thru. Then put it thru 

 the third notch on that side of the third 

 cord which is furthest away from you. Re- 

 insert it in the same notch, but on the side 

 of the cord which is nearest to you. Put it 

 out and in at the fourth notch in the same 

 manner, then go back to the third, second, 

 and first notches, and finally out where you 

 started. If you have drawn the thread up 

 snugly the cords will be drawn into the 

 notches. Proceed in like manner with the 

 remaining numbers, being careful to have 

 them in proper order. Remove the book 

 from the frame by cutting the cords, leav- 

 ing the ends about one and a half inches 

 long. 



Now screw the book up tight in the bench- 

 vise as before, and hammer the back down 

 sm.ooth. It sliould have a rounded shape. 

 Paste a strip of muslin on the back, letting 

 the sides overla]) about an inch. This strip, 

 together with the cords, forms the hinge on 

 which the book opens. Let it dry in the 

 vise all night. 



The cover is made of pasteboard covered 

 with any kind of cloth you please. A care- 

 ful examination of any cloth-bound book 

 will give a good idea of how it should be 

 made. Paste it togetlier. Fasten the cover 

 to the book by i^asting the outside fly leaves, 

 the ends of the cords, and the overlapping 

 edges of the back strip to it. Leave it in 

 the press to dry or the covers will curl. 

 Flour paste is good for this work. To 

 spread it smoothly use a kitchen-knife. 



Books bound in this way open flat with- 

 out danger of breaking. They are much 

 stronger than ordinary books, and I am 

 sure that mine will last a lifetime. 



As to the lime it takes, the work is such 

 a pleasure that one will be almost sorry 



