Using a plough

[martin]

I'm completely new to using a plough for cutting the edges of the bookblock. My first effort was a complete disaster with the blade riding up over the pages that were first cut and producing an overall upward sloping profile (looking from the outer cut edge)
Does anyone have any tips on ploughing that might help me in my lonely furrow? I think I must be doing something wrong!
Many thanks for any help.

[sueben]

Hello Martin: don't despair, like all skills there's a knack to it, just takes practice. There are different models, so I can only give tips on the one I use. It lies flat on a bench with the book block lying flat, the blade hangs vertically from an arm above the block and I cut the book block by moving the blade in its guard along the arm (for want of a better word!) from left to right and back again.

Firstly the book block needs to be nipped in snugly to prevent it from moving. I always pack it underneath with a few sheets of scrap paper to protect the base - the base of the plough has a deep nylon insert to take the blade in the final cuts, but even so I prefer to put some paper beneath. The blade needs to be introduced to the book block very gradually, literally millimetre by millimetre. So the blade sweeps across left-right, I lower the blade a fraction, sweep again left-right and so on. It's quite therapeutic when you get a rhythm going!! Try to keep the pressure and movement even - the blade will slice the paper rather than cut, this is a plough not a guillotine. The BIG advantage of a plough over a guillotine here is that the final finish is fantastically smooth and you can slice off a tiny sliver from the book block edge - guillotining can by necessity be a bit brutal sometimes.

You may find that the spine has a slight swell because of the stitching and scrim/mull, and I've found from experience whatever you've got in terms of covering on the spine might possibly catch in the blade which can cause it to jump or leave a streak in the surface. This is why packing it below with scrap helps, because you can continue slicing with the blade for the very last stages without the blade being blocked by the nylon insert in the base. (Hope this is all making sense!!) I now know not to take the scrim right to the tip of the spine on the book block if it's going in the plough for that very reason, but to keep it a couple of millimetres short.

Without seeing it, I suspect your problem might be to do with not introducing the blade to the book block in incremental steps, and/or perhaps the blade was catching and therefore jumping slightly or the block shifted. Try again with some practice book blocks - I did - I made a few practice blank journals and got the hang of it in the end! I wouldn't be without my plough now for anything.

I hope this is helpful - let us know you how get on.
Kind regards, Sue

[martin]

Hello Sue

I'm really grateful for your taking the time to give me such a good answer, you are very kind.

I've seen the type of plough you have in Shepherd's so can visualise what you are talking about - it's a beauty! I have a rather odd one with a circular cutting blade that you use like a wood plane - I think it's called a "European" design and runs in a groove on the press.

On your advice, I searched about for a couple of paperbacks with good quality paper blocks to sacrifice for practice - I hate destroying books, but I suppose I make more than I kill!
I gave the blade a good sharpening and took on board your advice about packing and clamping. I think this was the main thing I was getting wrong - you put a lot of force on the plough holding it down in the groove on the press, and the slightest slip causes problems. The results were much better - not perfect, but much better! I think with a bit more practice, I'll be able to produce something quite adequate!

Your point about the scrim is good too - I wouldn't thought of that.

Many thanks for helping me out, I really appreciate it.

All the Best

Martin

[martin]

Hello Again

Well, when I started cutting a bookblock I had made - with serrated edges due to the folding of the signatures - I had the sam problems again. I wonder if the plough blade is bending over sheets which are not supported by sheets behind them? Perhaps I've not been trimming off enough. How many mm do you normally trim by?

Many thanks for your help

Martin

[sueben]

Hi Martin
(Sorry for the delay: had a couple of very busy weeks!)
Hmmm I'm going to have to own up that I can't quite visualise what you mean about the blade bending over sheets - all I can think of is that you're referring to some loose sheets ..? I wouldn't attempt to plough loose sheets because of the risk of them travelling. The amount I trim off depends on the task: sometimes it's a sliver, sometimes quite a chunk. The blade doesn't like gaps underneath the paper it's cutting because the blade can't get a grip and is more likely to push the paper down rather than slice through it - a typical problem if the book block edge is uneven. It's better to cut the entire block to the shortest page than go for the average, if you see what I mean.

Not sure if this is helpful or answers your question!
regards,
Sue

[jude]

Hello Martin,
just to add to what Sue told you about using a plough. Hers is a 'vertical plough and board-cutter'. I also purchased mine from Shepards. I bought it more for the board cutter as I was fed up at not getting perfectly accurate boards. However, it took me quite a few months to get the action right and a perfect result. But that was because I hadn't read the initial instructions properly! In too much of a hurry!! Now the only problem I have with it is that it needs me to sharpen the blade form time to time. I hardly ever need to plough the edges of a book though as I mainly restore old books and wouldn't do this of course.

[martin]

Hello Sue and Jude

Many thanks for your comments. It's clear I have been too sparing in the amount I cut off - a case of he who hesitates is lost? I'll try again being a bit bolder on the next book I make. I think that should do the trick.
As for getting the action right, it does require something of a nack, it's all too obvious when one hasn't got it! Still, if bookbinding was easy, there'd be no point in doing it. I certainly look at restored books in a new light these days.

Thanks for taking the time to help me

Best

Martin