- The
basic steps of recycled handmade paper making process are quite similar to
those in large paper mills and these are described below:
- Sorting
& Dusting
- The
raw material, waste cotton rags, is sorted by hand to remove foreign
materials like plastics, iron and dust etc. that would contaminate the
pulp.
- Rags
Chopping
- The
sorted cotton rags are put through a mechanized rag chopper that cuts the
rags into small uniform sized pieces. In the past this process was done
manually using a curved knife mounted on a wooden board.
- Beating
- Is
the most important step in the handmade paper making process. The chopped
rags are converted into a fine pulp I a ‘Hollander Beater’ by mixing
water. Inert chemicals, like rosin soap and alum are added to give the
paper the desired consistency and blot free characteristic. When making
colored and or textured papers, the color dyes and or textured materials
like straw, hemp, grass, silk and jute fibers etc., are added during this
process. The resulting pulp is ready for sheet formation.
- Sheet
Formation
- There
are two methods of sheet formation, which are being used in India.
- Dipping
- Dipping
is the traditional method. In this method the pulp is transferred from the
beater into a masonry trough or vat. Depending on the thickness of the
paper required, the pulp is diluted by mixing it with water. The mould,
made of a wooden frame with a wire mesh or a bamboo stick mat, is dipped
by hand into the pulp. The frame is then shaken side to side horizontally
(this gives the fibre cross linking pattern and strength a unique
characteristic of handmade paper) and lifted out of the vat. A sheet of
pulp is formed over the mould. This method requires a skilled operator and
is physically demanding.
- Lifting
- Lifting
is the modern method. This method requires a less skilled operator and is
physically less demanding. It employs the use of a steel water tank fitted
with an apparatus to lift/lower the mould is clamped between two wooden
deckles (frames) in a water tank. A measured quantity of the pulp
(depending on the thickness of the paper required) is poured evenly into
the mould. The mould is then shaken side to side horizontally and then
raised mechanically to drain excess water. A sheet of pulp is formed over
the mould, which is taken out after unclamping the frame.
- Couching
- The
wet paper sheet is then transferred onto a cloth or a felt piece of
fabric, a couch, which acts as an interleaf separating the wet sheets.
- Pressing
- A
manual/hydraulic press then spueezes out the excess water from the sheets.
This compresses the pulp adding strength to the fibre and facilitating the
drying process.
- Drying
- Each
sheet is dried in the open air. For colored papers drying in the shade,
thought slower, is preferred in order to obtain uniform color on both
sides of the sheet.
- Cleaning
& Sizing
- The
sheets are then inspected for unwanted foreign matter. Small particles and
dirt are removed manually with a sharp instrument.
- Calendering
- Each
sheet is placed between metallic plates and passed through spring loading
rollers in a calendering machine. This smoothens the paper and also
enhances the gloss.
- Cutting
- At
this point the sheet still has a deckle edge. The sheet may remain uncut
if required by the customer. However, typically, the sheets are machine
cut to a standard 22”x30” or 56x76 cm. size and then packed for
shipment.
