The path from an idea to a hard cover

• Design the cover tacking sheet
• Print, laminate and trim the tacking sheet
• Switch on the Casemaker machine
• Adjust the guides
• Remove the printed cover back liner and align the printed positioning marks on the vertical and horizontal marks on the light table.
• Lower the spine guides
• Place the cover boards and spine stick on the support rail and lay them onto the tacking sheet, carefully following the machine center line to ensure the cover is centered and square
• Slide the tacking sheet towards approximately 2 inches, just dropping off the shelf support. Let the boards drop and stick to the cover, 
• Cut the corners, a 45 degree cut, 2millimeters off the tip of the hard board
• Fold the long side(s) of the sheet edges in the edge wrapping unit on the front of the machine, then pinch/fold each corner. then edge wrap the short sides.
• Press with a hand roller or place thru a heated pressure press to make sure the material is tightly bound to the cover board. Press the gully /gap with your fingers to make a more rounded gap.

Adjustable spine guides

For precise positioning the casemaker has two spine guides and a rear guide, which are adjustable. 

Before making a cover, the spine guides are adjusted according to book block thickness (measure the height of the finished book block and add 2mm)  and placement of the registration marks. The side and rear guide magnets are used  to pre position the cover material when using materials such as cloth or faux leatherette to make a cover.

Light table helps with adjusting

The Light table has a scale which helps with the exact positioning of the cover on the table. The center positioning line is a guide to keep the cover straight on the table, along with the vacuum fans to keep it in-place.