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MISSALE
ROMANUM page> |
| PRODUCTION
UPDATES |
Updated:
March 8, 2008 |
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The
sections
in brown
are processes that have already been completed, those shaded in
green
are currently ongoing and those in gray
still need to be reached.
The
reprinting process consists of: |
| scanning original pages into pdf signatures (16
pages per
signature, 8 per side) |
gilding book
block edges |
| proofing
/ correcting signatures |
constructing hard cases
(covers)
and slip jackets |
ribbon
manufacturing
(12,000
ribbons!) |
inserting manufactured ribbons
into spine |
| printing signatures |
case-binding book blocks |
| folding signatures |
manufacturing
and applying tabs
(which can only be done manually) |
| binding signatures into a book block |
books
being shipped |
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IMAGES
Click on a thumbnail to see a production image:
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Pre-press
proofing
The
reprint manager (on right) and pre-press
technician (on left) examine one of 80
signatures that the former has already
proofed for proper color-separation (red and
black texts). Any original color errors (e.g.,
black for red) made by Benziger (which
were not corrected due to the labor-intensive
method of resetting 2-color linotype plates)
were amended, while scanning and original
printing deficiencies (marks, spots, light ink
coverage or bleed-throughs) were fixed digitally
via the computer to
ensure a pristine copy. |
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Printing
of first batch of signatures
An
historic moment: at 9:00 am CST on January
11, 2008, for the first time since its original
printing by Benziger in 1963, the 1962 Missale
Romanum reprint begins to come off the
press! |
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First
batch of signatures completed!
The
proud project manager stands next to the first
stack of signatures printed (just the first
side); total running time: 20 minutes. |
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Finished
signatures awaiting to be folded
Shown
here are skids of completely printed signatures
(both sides) awaiting to be folded. 80 of
these skids will make up the whole project. |
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Folding
in progress
The
batch of the first missal signature (the first
16 pages) are folded. The lady furthest
away feeds the folding machine, while the lady
in the front removes the folded signatures and
places them in a box for shipment to the
bindery. Meanwhile, the folding machine
manager periodically checks folded signatures to
ensure their accuracy. |
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Folded
signatures boxed
A
shot into the box (skid) holding the folded signatures
(also referred to as "forms" as seen
by the note). |
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Finished
skids ready for the bindery
A
shot showing some of the 80 skids of folded
signatures before being sent to the bindery to
be sewn into book blocks. |
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Sewing
the collated signatures
At
the bindery, all of the folded signatures were
laid out on tables and then collated into a
complete book block. Then each signature is
fed into the stitching machine and sewn together to form
the completed 80-signature book block, which will then be
sent to the gilder's to have the edges sanded
and leaf-gilded. |
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Tipping endsheets onto front and rear signatures
Part
of the process described above, includes the
tipping of the precut endsheets to either the
immediate front or final rear set of
signatures. Stitched to the book block
and heavily glued to the insides of the cover
boards, these endsheets bridge the book block to
the inside of the cover and are an essential
component to any high-quality binding
project. Constructed of durable, thick
paper-cover stock, the endsheets' color will
match the missal's cover, so here we see a batch
of endsheets intended for the red-covered
missals. |
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VIDEOS
Click on a link to watch a silent video of a reprinting
process in action [requires QuickTime
to view]:
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Panoramic
of press in action
A
view of the massive 2-color Heidelberg offset
high-speed press shown printing one of the first
signature batches [8.2
mb]
Verifying
signatures during run
Here
we see the press man remove a ream of signatures
(performed periodically during each press run)
while the press runs to determine if everything
is printing and aligning correctly
[9.3 mb] |
Folding
completed signatures
Watch a batch of signatures that have had both
sides printed being folded. [11.5
mb]
View of skids of completed signatures
While folding continues, a walk-past is made
through the shop to show the impressive array of
skids (containing awaiting their trip to
the bindery. [9.9
mb]
To
be continued... |
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PDFS
OF ACTUAL SCANNED PAGES
Click
on the pdf images to view samples of scanned pages, which
include Benziger's famous litho-engravings used for the
page headers of major feasts:
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Annuntiatione
BVM [1 mb]
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Tempus
Passionis
[1.1 mb]
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Tempus
Nativitate [1.3 mb]
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Hebdomada
Passionis [1.3 mb]
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S.
Joseph Sponsi BVM [1 mb]
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Feria
Sexta [1.1 mb]
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(NB:
There are some items that appear slightly skewed in the images;
this is how they appeared in the original, a common
occurrence with the old linotype process)
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