The book exchanger is a device used to change the physical condition of used books into new ones. This works by passing force through the used book and forcing the pages to be placed side-by-side. As a result, the used book's cover is removed and the pages are placed upside down. The pages are then placed in the Recyle Used Book Machine (RBM) where they are recylced to their original position. Once the book has been placed upside down, the force that was used to place the cover on the book is passed through the machine and is converted into heat, which hardens the cover. The cover will not come off until the heat generated from the Hardcover Recycler has cooled the used book.
Today, used book collectors buy used books in bulk. They then restore them as needed to make it appear its best when put in the book exchange corner. There are several types of exchangers, including the following: Dry - Not only does this exchanger not condition used books, it also makes them hard. The dry type is used mainly on bound paperbacks.
Wet - This type condition the used book, but forces them to be softer than the dry style. It is typically used on used books that have substantial pages. The force used in wet mounting is usually enough to bend the pages slightly. When force is used, the force passes through a strain page that locks in the bent page and the book.
Combination - This type of force is very effective, but only if the orientation of the pages is correct. The orientation is not critical with this type, but some binders will insist on straight or symmetrical page orientation. To achieve this, the force is often applied with a comb. Once it passes through the strain page, it is released. This type is the most popular for binding used books.
I know this may sound complicated, but it's actually easy. Basically, the force applied to the book from the front (like when lifting) or the back (like when pulling) creates an asymmetrical force applied to the book at the corner. That is, one side of the book is weakened, forcing the other side to be stronger. The stronger side can then overpower the weaker side, causing the book to flip over. To overcome this, a book corner lock (used by some binders) is used to force the used book into its proper orientation.
Now that you understand the basics, it's time to practice. Start with only a few pages. Test each configuration on a hidden page to determine which is best. If you fail the first time, try again until you find the right configuration.
