Papermaking

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Western Sheet Forming Techniques

Western Sheet Forming Techniques

 

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Western Sheet Forming Techniques

Equipment Required

  • Mould and deckle
  • vat (concrete mixing container)
  • a press (2 boards held together with C-clamps can work)
  • sponge
  • felts or couching  cloths ( Remember that the texture of the felts will be transferred to the paper)

Method

  • Put about 4 inches of warm water into your vat.
  • Add about 3 cups of pulp and mix well.
  • Hold the deckle onto the mould and lower into the vat vertically, as you reach the bottom of the vat, move the mould and deckle to a horizontal position and slowly raise through the water.  As you leave the surface of the vat, gently shake the mould and deckle from side to side and back and forth. When most of the water has drained through tilt to one comer to drain some more then remove  the deckle.
  • Couch- Invert the mould onto a very wet felt.
  • Rock back and forth and rock the mould off the felt leaving the sheet of paper on the felt. Put another wet felt on top of the  paper and repeat the process. Ten to twelve sheets can be made at one time by placing a felt between each sheet. The sponge is then removed  
    and the paper is pressed between two boards for an hour or overnight.  
    Once pressed the paper can be hung to dry on the felts. When it is dry the paper will peel easily from the felt but should be pressed lightly between dry boards or under books.Different shapes can be made by using different deckles. Some mould  
    and deckle sets come with an envelope deckle which has the corners  blocked. An embroidery hoop can be used as a deckle to make circular  sheets of paper. 

 

Western Sheetforming Techniques

  • Thickness of the sheet is determined by the proportion of pulp to water. 

  • Good to start 1 pulp: 4 water As needed, regular intervals, add measured amount of prepared pulp.

    • Stir to evenly distribute the pulp. 
           Hydrate the vat.  Place palm flat to the bottom of the vat. In general, the more water-the thinner the sheet the more pulp-the thicker the sheet.

    • Japanese call this tame-zuki "to fill and hold way to make paper". 

      Japanese method 
      Nagashi-zuki - "the flowing or sloshing way to make paper". 

      Floating mold method

      Pull the mold through vat to form the sheet 

      • Deckle placed on top of the mold to control the edge of the sheet.  Screen trap the fiber and lets the water drain away.

      • Hold the two mold parts together onthe short sides of the mold.

      • Perpendicularly insert mold and deckle into the far side of the vat 

      • Dip the mould into the pulp in a slow continuous motion pulling forward and gradually bringing the mold into a horizontal position

      Vat Man Shake 

      • Shake the mold gently a couple of times (both side to side and front to back) to align the fibers and let excess water drain out.

      • Fibers alignment affects the strength of the paper

      Remove deckle and check sheet quality 

      • Tip mold to drain the excess water from the corners.  Hold a sponge below the help catch any water that does not return to the vat.

      • Remove deckle.  Kiss of deckle.

      • If the sheet is inferior,kiss it off screen so that pulp goes back into the vat 

      • Re-stir the pulp slurry

      Can stack layer of pulp and damp felts

      Paper press

      Transfer paper to felt 

      •  Damp felts

      • Couch: (Rhymes with smooch -"kooching"). From French "coucher" - to lay down) Turn mold onto felt (or newspaper) so that paper is between the screen and felt

      • Remove some of the water from the back of the screen with a sponge.  (Not always necessary)

      • Paper will stick to dampfelt before you remove the mold

      • Remove mold

      • Place another layer of newsprint, or damp felt, on top and gently press with a rolling pin to remove excess water.  Gradually increase pressure. Pressing helps to strengthen paper.

      • Remove top felt.

      Transfer paper to cotton sheeting or drying board

      • Place paper and felt "upside down" onto white board.  The felt will be on top

      • oll down again with rolling pin.

      • Mark your new sheet of paper with a post-it note with your name

      Press dry.  (OPTIONAL - We will not do in class)

      • Place another layer of cotton sheeting on top

      • Press with a warm iron.  Keep it moving

      • Can directly iron the paper when it is nearly dry

      From blender- aim for approximately 1/8" thick as pulp. 
      Creamy consistency. 

      Wash mold and deckle after each use to prevent any transfer of pulp residue between batches 

      Do not fill vat closer than 3" to top of vat to prevent too much splash. 

      Big sheets from small molds 
      Place sheets next to each other slightly overlapping until you reach the desired size 

      coloured pulps, shaped and alternative moulds, stencils, creative watermarks, string pulls, lace and rain papers are just some of the exciting possibilities you will experience. 

      Unique packaging for special gifts (or gifts in themselves, just as they are) 
      Decorative papers will be handmade, shaped with mould & deckle to form boxes, cards, envelopes, bags and packets.


 
   

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