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Caring for your
papermaking equipment
Hardwood Deckle -
Gently wipe and air-dry your hardwood deckle after
each papermaking session. NEVER leave the hardwood
deckle soaking in water. It may warp or crack. Do not
store in plastic until it is bone dry.
Papermaking Screen -
Handle with care. Do not bend or fold it. RINSE WELL
after each sheet and store flat. Note: Small fibers
can become caught in the screen openings. This affects
drainage and sheet formation. Holes and thin spots can
appear in the sheet. If drainage becomes uneven, soak
the screen in soap and water and scrub gently with a
brush. Rinse screen after each making each sheet to
avoid clogging.
Couch sheets - Couch
sheets can be used over and over if treated with care.
Handle damp couch sheets carefully. Keep away from
dirt. After each use, dry completely. Lay couch sheets
out on a flat clean surface or dry them in the oven on
a very low temp with the door of the oven ajar. Store
flat. It is a good idea to have some couch sheets that
you have set aside to use when you are making red,
pink, and purple paper, they tend to bleed the most.
You may also use thick paper towels, (sometimes there
are good ones in automotive centers,) cloth diapers
and handy-wipes. Flannel sheets or army blankets (try
the thrift stores for these) or felts from a craft
store, work well alternated in your press. Remember to
be careful with the texture because your paper will
take on all of these textures when it is wet.
Sink and Drain Care -
After use of the papermaking products, there will be
some residual fiber in the tub. In quantity, fiber can
settle in pipes and create drainage problems. We do
not recommend pouring the water down the sink or
toilets (as a last resort I would use the toilet
before the sink as least it will go through a
sanitation system before it reenters our water
supply.) Strain the pulp through some type of tightly
woven fabric. I use a pillowcase and then I can
squeeze out all of the extra water. You can use this
water filtered or unfiltered for plants, trees or
grass. I then store any remaining pulp in my
refrigerator if I an going to use it in the next few
weeks or the free
Left Over Pulp –
Strain all of the water out of the leftover pulp using
a strainer. Roll the pulp into a ball, squeezing as
much water as you possibly can out of the ball. Put
your ball in a plastic zip lock type bag and store in
the refrigerator. You can store your leftover pulp for
several weeks, or indefinitely in the freezer. When
you’re ready to use this pulp, simply place in warm
water and re-hydrate in your blender or if you agitate
it in hot water.
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 - I have had these balls of
pulp in my freezer for several months. When I am
ready to re-hydrate them I will just blend them with
warm water.
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