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HE METHODS for papermaking vary considerably depending upon what equipment
you have and what results you seek. I decided to learn the craft so that I could do some informal
printing on paper that I had made myself. Following are instructions and advice from a self-taught amateur who's learned above all how rewarding is the old art of making paper.
Paper From Paper
Making paper from scratch involves recycling old materials found around the house or shop. Start by saving scraps of rag-content paper (business letters are often printed on paper with 25% rag content, which is sufficient) or any paper that you might use with your letterpress. These scraps will become the material foundation for your new paper. It is not absolutely necessary to include
scraps of rag-content paper, but your own paper will hold together more easily with some rag content, and it will be a bit softer.
As you become more comfortable with the papermaking process, you might experiment by adding different ingredients, such as unusual types or colors of paper -- brown paper bags yield a nice color and texture -- or even other materials such as fine sawdust. With my heavy blender, I often beat up bits of old flannel pajamas to add to the pulp.
If you'd like to get started making paper quickly, you can purchase linters (dry sheets of cotton pulp) from any store that sells papermaking supplies. Wet pulp is also available in buckets. Both can be used alone or mixed with scraps of paper.
Spare the Kitchen Blender
You'll need the following supplies:
- Blender: Use a spare one. Best to keep pajamas and other potentially toxic ingredients away from the realm of food preparation. I purchased a kitchen blender at a tag sale for $2.00.
- Mould and deckle: Used to transform the mushy pulp into beautiful leaves of paper. The size of the
mould will determine the size of the paper you want to make. Though I once built a successful round mould for an art project, you may want to begin with a
rectangular mould.
I use old pieces of wood letterpress furniture as a frame; they are
hardwood and have years of oil in them so they don't warp. Miter the corners or just form a rectangle that is secured from the back so that the edges on the front side are flush with one another. Purchase a piece of copper (or plastic) mesh and tightly cover the face of the mould.
The deckle is another frame, identical in size to the mould, that does not have a screen. When the flush side of the deckle, facing down, is atop the flush side of the mould, facing up, the deckle forms a square area that traps paper pulp above the screen on the mould while letting water drip through.
- Couching ('KOOCH-ing') felts: Thick, felt cloths placed between new leaves of paper to absorb water as the leaves dry.
- Copy press (optional): For pressing water out of the leaves. A window on a warm day will also suffice, as may other drying methods of your own invention.
If you have trouble assembling these items, the first three can be easily purchased. A beginner's or student's
papermaking kit is available through a number of craft or papermaking
suppliers. Kits range from $30 to $50 and come with felts, mould and deckle,
and linters (dry pulp). The major problem with the kits I
have used is that the moulds have plastic screens and it is harder to form a
sheet of paper on the plastic. Also, inexpensive wood moulds are made of wood that
tends to warp very easily. Still, if you want to get started quickly,
try a kit and experiment with the best pulp for the screen.
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