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This information is reprinted from the Beginner Topics
column of Hand Papermaking Newsletter #69 (January, 2005).
To learn how to order Hand Papermaking bi-annual magazine
and quarterly newsletter, click
here.
Making Shaped Deckles
Making shaped papers is fun and easy. In this column
we’ll learn how to make shaped deckles which control where
pulp flows onto your mould. You can use this technique to
make uniquely shaped papers or you can divide the mould
surface so you make more than one sheet at a time (for small
sheets like cards or stationery).
There are several materials on the market which you can
use to create shaped deckles. Artcore is my favorite. It is
a lightweight plastic like foam core, but it is made
entirely of plastic, so it is waterproof. A disadvantage is
that it is somewhat hard to find. Quarter-inch Styrofoam,
which you can find in large sheets at lumberyards, is the
cheapest material and perfectly suitable for shaped deckles.
It has all of the advantages of Artcore, except that it is
more fragile. Foam core will work, but it won’t last long
since it has a paper surface. You can cover it with plastic
tape to waterproof the surface and make it last longer. If
you have a jig saw, you can cut the shape out of a thin,
lightweight wood, like masonite. I would only do this if you
are going to use this deckle a lot, and you should
polyurethane it so that elements in the wood don't stain
your paper.
Once you’ve selected your deckle material, cut the shaped
deckle either to the inside or outside rectangular
dimensions of your regular deckle. If you cut it to the
inside dimension of your regular deckle, use strapping tape
or another waterproof tape to attach it into your regular
deckle (tape it on both the top and bottom sides of the
deckle at all points of contact). If you cut it to the
outside dimension of your regular deckle, sandwich it
between the mould and the regular deckle when forming
sheets, or use the shaped deckle in place of the regular
deckle. If you are having problems with pulp slipping under
the edges of your shaped deckle, try taping tiny weights
(old lead type works great) to weigh down the problem area
and to keep the deckle from floating up as you form sheets
of paper.
Now that you’ve created a new deckle, simply form sheets
and couch them as you normally would. It is a good idea to
create a guide for lining up your sheets as you build your
post, so that your sheets line up evenly for pressing. Also,
pay attention to which way you couch, making sure that you
don’t flip the mould and misalign your sheets. If your
shaped deckle is divided into several sheets, you will
obviously spend more time handling the sheets in the drying
process.
There are a few other ways to create shaped sheets. One
method I learned from Richard Hungerford, a papermaker who
uses water forced through a dental syringe to cut lines in
freshly formed sheets of paper. You can use this technique
to create holes in a sheet of paper or to create a thin
line, which can be torn later and functions similar to a
perforation. First make a sheet of paper. Next, fill a
dental syringe with water and squirt a shape onto the
freshly formed sheet. You need to squirt with force to break
the fibers apart. After squirting the line, gently peel the
unwanted pulp away from the line. If you have a lot of pulp,
you can use the pulp you are removing sort of like a kneaded
eraser to attract bits of pulp and clean up your lines.
Controlling as you squirt is somewhat random. You can rest a
straight edge on top of your deckle as a guide for squirting
straight lines.
Arnold Grummer, a papermaker who has developed a series
of instructional papermaking kits, developed a unique way of
making round paper using old tin cans. He has a variety of
products on the market and one of his books is called Tin
Can Papermaking. A similar technique involves cookie
cutters or cutting a stenciled shape out of mylar,
interfacing, or Styrofoam and placing it on your mould. Pour
pulp into the shape and then couch the shape--by itself or
onto a base sheet.
A simple but crude way to make a shaped sheet is to form
the sheet on the mould and then remove pulp by pulling it
away with your hand. Remove the pulp prior to couching the
sheet, when it is easiest to peel away. You can lay a paper
or plastic stencil on top of the freshly formed sheet to
guide you in where to remove pulp. Another simple way to
make a shaped sheet is to just pour it freeform on top of
the mould. After it drains, couch the sheet onto a felt or a
base sheet.
Portions excerpted from The Papermaker’s Companion,
©2000, by Helen Hiebert with permission from Storey
Publishing, <www.storey.com>.
Copyright 2005 Hand Papermaking, Inc.
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