Paper Making


Equipment: Waste paper (newspaper is not the best to use! Large bowl or baby's bath (must be larger than the mould)
Bucket
Colander
Liquidiser
Mould and Deckle *
Shallow tray
Couching cloths- tea towels, felt squares, J cloths
Pressing boards -2
Newspaper/Plastic sheet

*The mould is a frame covered with a piece of net. The net should be fine like curtain net/gauze….the nylon type. This is attached with drawing pins and should be taut. The deckle which is not essential is a frame same size as the mould but without the net.

Method:

  1. Fill the bucket with waste paper and add cold water.  Let stand for at least ˝ an hour if you can.  Overnight is better.
  1. Liquidise paper with water until it is the consistency you want. The finer the paper the more the pulp must be liquidised. When you hold it up to the light it should look like a thick soup!
  1. Put approximately five scoopfuls of pulp into bath or bowl and fill 2/3 full with cold water.
  1. Prepare tray for couching by layering newspaper to make a mound. Fold a piece of newspaper into a small square. Wet. Fold a second piece into a bigger square. Place over first piece and wet. Now fold a third piece the size of your tray, place over first two. You should now have a gently mound. Wet this and lay the first couching cloth (wet) on top of it.
  1. Put the deckle if using one on top of the mould and scoop up the agitated paper pulp.  Allow to settle, then remove deckle. To scoop hold the mould in your hands and dip the furthest edge into the water. Slide down and then lift up.  Tilt very gently to allow the water to drain off.
  1. Holding the mould in front of you place it on the edge of couching tray and then tilt it away from you and press down onto cloth still  from you, making sure to do this with a clean movement so as not to trap air. Continue this movement away from you and  lift up mould leaving paper pulp behind. This is not easy and is the hardest part of making paper. If you find that your paper doesn't come away evenly get as far as pressing the mould onto the cloth. Then get a damp

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