Finally bought a proper book press after using bricks for 2 years

I spent $80 on a used nipping press from a local guy on marketplace and it's a total game changer for making sharp spines. My previous setup with bricks and boards gave me uneven results that drove me crazy on every project. Anyone else upgrade from a cheap DIY setup to a real press and notice a huge difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery_flores15d ago

Three years I used a stack of old textbooks and a cinder block from my backyard. Worked perfectly fine for every project I did. People act like you need professional equipment to make books but the whole point of bookbinding is that it's a craft anybody can do with whatever they got lying around. That $80 could have bought you enough materials for five or six new projects instead of a press that basically does the same thing as a brick. I still get sharp spines on every book I make and I've never once worried about "uneven results" because that's what sanding and trimming are for. Honestly feels like people just want an excuse to buy gear instead of actually learning how to work around limitations.

cameron_hernandez6915d ago

Wait @avery_flores you really used a cinder block from your backyard? That's wild, I thought I was roughing it with a stack of dictionaries but a literal construction brick is next level.

spencer_gonzalez115d ago

@cameron_hernandez69 You know what, I used to think you needed the fancy gear but this actually changed my mind.