What am I doing wrong with beginner bookbinding spines getting tight or loose?

[Mila92]

I’ve been trying to learn the basics of bookbinding at home, but my first few attempts have resulted in spines that are either too tight to open properly or so loose the pages feel wobbly. I’m not sure if it’s my glue application, how I’m rounding the back, or something about the pressing stage. Has anyone else run into this specific issue when starting out?

[AmeliaT]

Yeah I ran into that too. My first spines were jammed shut or the pages felt loose after a few days. I realized the rounding wasn even and the press pressure was uneven, and that seemed to make the symptoms worse.

[Eleanor_T]

I fiddled with glue amounts and tried a couple of brands, but the same wobble came back. It felt like the gatherings weren't lining up during assembly.

[MadisonUW]

Could the real problem be the pressing stage? If the stack isn't perfectly flat when the glue sets, you get either a tight spine or a floppy one. Do you think that the culprit?

[Oliver_M]

I took a step back and checked stock weight and paper grain. I found a tiny misalignment on one batch and I abandoned it rather than forcing a fix. Not sure if it helps you, though.