Hot take: An old library card catalog makes the best bookbinding press

I stopped by the Friends of the Library sale in Cincinnati last month and picked up a wooden card catalog drawer for $3. Those hardwood drawers are perfect for pressing small text blocks - way better than my flimsy clamp setup. Anyone else repurpose old library stuff for their bench?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_anna19d ago

Wait, you got a whole drawer for $3? That's a steal. I've been using my old library checkout card holder as a bone folder and it works way better than anything I've bought. The wood is just the right hardness and the edges are worn smooth from decades of use. Honestly, old library furniture is built like a tank compared to the flimsy stuff we get now.

the_fiona18d ago

@the_anna, wait wait wait. You are using an old library checkout card holder as a bone folder? That is genius and I am honestly shocked I never thought of that. Those things are built like furniture from a different century, right? The wood is probably oak or maple and it's been handled by a million people. The edges on those old card holders get worn down smooth as glass over time. I bet it glides over paper like butter. Now I'm going to be scouring Goodwill for one of those this weekend.