Laying out an 8-page book
So, it’s my first time trying to print a small booklet with my 10x15 Heidelberg. I’d like to set half the book in one chase, run it one one large sheet of paper, set the other half of the book in another chase, and then run the same sheet through - an easy job. I just can’t quite figure out the way to lay out the pages so that would work. The booklet needs to be anywhere from 8 - 16 pages, anything really would work. Does anyone have any template designs or anything? Thanks.
The easiest way is to first make a dummy of the book to actual size and determine the type placement on the page and the number of pages. Then make a folding dummy, preferably to size but that’s not necessary, of the number of pages you want including title, blanks, etc. Number the pages of the folded dummy 1 through whatever (8, 10, 12, etc). then unfold the folding dummy flat and each side will give you your imposition of the pages for that side (I number the pages in the middle of each and place the type head the same direction as the number, using the margins I set in the layout). Just be sure you turn the sheet the right way so the second side is properly registered to the first. Then fold the printed sheet the same way as the folding dummy and you have it!
Bob
Cleeton’s General Printing, p 102
Thanks, I’ll give it a shot - and refer to General Printing.
On any other press you’d have a way to maintain guide edges by switching side guides when printing the back, but with the Windmill you have no choice but the built-in lays to front and to right. So it is important to trim the sheets very accurately if you want back-up register. Every point of variance in width will mean that much misregister on the second side when a different guide edge is used.
If the lines of type are running perpendicular to the rollers it may be better to keep the same side lay edge and swap head lay edges because then lines will back up baseline-to-baseline, more noticeable than side to side register.
I do it the same way as AdLibPress above, except that after numbering the pages, and with the signature folded (with the side to be bound to the left), I cut an inverted “V” shaped “arrow” with two cuts of a sharp knife, all the way through the signature. Make the cuts so that the “arrow” points to the top of the front page of the signature when it is folded. When the signature is unfolded, all the “arrows” will point to the tops of the pages. This way, it doesn’t matter how you orient the page numbers when you write them in, because the arrows will always show where the tops of the pages are.
When you are numbering the pages of the folded signature, make sure you number both sides of the pages.