PSA: Don't glue your spine lining before the case is ready, I wrecked 3 books figuring this out
I was rushing a batch of 4 rebinds for a guy in Reno and glued the mull and spine lining right after rounding, thinking it would save me time later. Big mistake. The lining dried overnight and the spine went stiff as a board, so when I tried to case it in, the boards wouldn't sit right and the hinges cracked on 3 of the 4. I ended up cutting the linings out with a dull scalpel, rebacking the spines, and starting over on a Sunday. Now I let the spine dry flat for at least 12 hours before I touch the lining, and I only glue it once the case is built and fitted. The one book I redid that way came out clean with no hinge gap. Has anyone else had a lining dry too fast and kill a hinge, or is it just the humidity in my garage?