Make Your Own Paper
The commercial papermaking process is quite complicated. However, you can make paper in your classroom or at home by following these steps.
MATERIALS
- Facial tissue (several sheets of Kleenex)
- Bowl
- Hot water
- Fork
- 2 Cloth kitchen towels
- Metal screen (like those used in windows or screen doors)
- Wood frame (an old picture frame will work)
- Stapler
- Rolling pin
- 2 Boards
- Heavy item (a pile of books will do)
PROCEDURE
- Shread facial tissue into small penny-sized pieces.
- Place the pieces in a bowl and cover with hot water.
- Stir to make sure all paper is wet.
- Let stand overnight.
- The next day, tear the paper into pieces as small as possible and then
stir with a fork for several minutes. (You have made pulp.)
Note: if you have blender handy, it will give you a better result.
- Prepare a metal screen by
stapling screen tightly to a wooden frame.
- Smooth out an even layer of pulp (approx. 1/8" thick) onto the screen by
hand.
- Allow the water drain off for one minute.
- Flip your screen over so that your paper pops out onto a clean kitchen
towel.
- Cover the paper with another kitchen towel and use the rolling pin to
flatten it out for one minute.
- Lift your paper carefully and place between two boards, then cover the
top board with something heavy.
- After two days, uncover and inspect your own handmade recycled paper!
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