Using Your Thermal Binding Machine to Repair Trade Paperback Books

After months and years of use and abuse, many soft cover library books eventually begin to fall apart. Often the covers of the books begin to separate from the book blocks on these books. Fortunately, there is a new simple way to repair these books using a thermal binding machine.

Many soft cover books can be easily repaired using a thermal binding machine. If the book has begun to come apart and there is plenty of glue left in the spine you can simply place the soft cover book into your thermal binding machine and re-heat it. The thermal binding machine will reheat the glue from the spine allowing the cover of the book to bond with the book block to the cover. After the book is heated and the glue is soft simply drop the book onto the counter to ensure that the book block is settled securely in the glue and let the book cool.

In most cases simply reheating the book is enough to reattach the cover to the book block. However, occasionally there is not enough glue remaining on the book block to secure it to the cover of the book. To repair your book in this situation, it is necessary to use a thermal binding glue strip. These glue strips come in 1 inch widths and twelve inch lengths and can be easily cut with a pair of scissors to fit inside the detached spine of your book. After cutting the glue strip to the correct width and length and inserting it into your cover, simply reinsert the book block and drop the book into your thermal machine. The binding machine will melt the glue and adhere the book block to the cover. Just drop the heated book onto the counter and let it cool on the cooling rack of your machine.

If you want to repair books with your thermal binding machine it is very helpful to have a machine that can handle books up to 2" thick. Many thermal machines such as will only bind books up to 1" thick and many trade paper backs are thicker than this. Additionally, it is important to choose a machine with heaters that will get hot enough to activate the glue in your books.

Additionally, your binding machine can be used to help extend the life of all of the new trade paperback books that your library purchases.

Jeff McRitchie is the designer and Director of Marketing for MyBinding.com. He has written over 100 articles on binding machines, laminators, binding covers and more.

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