Technology of the Medieval Book  IX
8-12 & 15-19 July, 1996
Santa, Idaho

Our purpose in presenting these seminars on the technology of the medieval
book is to provide the participants with an opportunity to experience and
understand elements of those technologies which have been central to the
production and dissemination of knowledge in Western culture.
   Toward that end, in the first week the participants will learn how flax
and other fibers were harvested and processed to make thread, cord, and
paper.

        During the second week, participants  will learn to make thread,
parchment, alum tawed leather, wooden boards and fore edge clasps.

        Each participant will be given a quantity of handmade paper on the
first morning.  During week one, these sheets will be folded and sewn with
a link stitch and be given a paper wrap to form a notebook. During week
two, the sheets will be sewn on supports of cords, or split thongs,  bound
in wooden boards, and closed with fore edge clasps.

        I will be making paper for the workshop over the next few months,
so that it will be ready for use by July.  Wood for the boards has been
split out and dressed down from quarter-split air dried oak.  During the
second week everyone will split boards out and learn to dress them down
with hand tools, but the boards used for binding the books will be selected
from those which have been dressed down to a proper thickness over the past
few years, for reasons which will be explained during the workshop.

        The seminar will be conducted on property owned by Jim & Melody
Croft, craftspeople dedicated, as I am, to preserving traditional
handcrafts.  Santa is located in the mountains of northern Idaho, less than
two hour's drive from Spokane.  Roundtrip transportation will be available
for those who will be flying in to the Spokane
airport.


Week One:
Fiber Preparation through Papermaking & Sizing

MONDAY:  Make drop spindle and spin thread from line flax; learn to thread
hog bristle needle; sew unsupported text block and bind in limp paper cover
(for use as a notebook for the course); discuss production and harvesting
of flax and other fibers used for making thread and paper; set harvested
and dried flax to ret.

TUESDAY:  Examine flax stalks in retting pond, discuss chemistry of
retting; take previously retted and dried flax stalks and scutch and hackle
them; spin thread from fresh line flax; cut up old cotton rags.

WEDNESDAY:  Set stamping  mill for first beating (breaking fabric/fiber);
make glue from parchment and hide trimmings; make western-style paper from
prepared pulp.

THURSDAY:  Set stamping  mill for second beating; pull paper from drying
boards; cook glue size and starch size, and size paper.

FRIDAY:  Set stamping  mill for third and last beating; make eastern-style
paper and dry on heated plaster slab, and drying boards.

Week Two:
Bookbinding with Oak Boards and Fore Edge Clasps

MONDAY:  Fold and sew textblock on raised cords or split thongs;
quarter-split oak for boards and begin shaping them with single
bevel tools [broad hatchet; draw knife; spoke shave] and scrapers; set skin
to soak in lime bath.

TUESDAY:  Continue working boards and fit them to textblocks.

WEDNESDAY:  De-hair skin, stretch it in frame and and scrape it for making
parchment; work tawed skin until supple, apply egg emulsion and continue
working skin until it is dry and soft.

THURSDAY:  Make iron needles to be used in sewing endbands; sew endbands;
cover book; begin manufacturing fore edge clasps.

FRIDAY:  Finish fore edge clasps and fit them to the book; paste down end
sheets.

Tuition, room & board for both weeks is $900.00; for those wishing to
participate in either week one (papermaking), or week two (bookbinding),
tuition, room & board is $550/wk.  Family members are welcome, but there
will be a slight additional charge for food. For further information, or to
register for the course(s), contact:

                             Jack C. Thompson
                    Thompson Conservation Laboratory
                 7549 N. Fenwick * Portland, OR  97217
                        503/735-3942 (voice/fax)
                    [log in to unmask] * [log in to unmask]
                http://www.teleport.com/~tcl/index.html

             The life so short; the craft so long to learn.
                                         Chaucer, 1386 A.D.