Papercreters: [papercreters] Birdbath -was- Re: very fine paper pulp

Sunday, July 27, 2008

[papercreters] Birdbath -was- Re: very fine paper pulp

Welcome to the group, Susan.

Nice birdbath.

How difficult is it to keep clean? Do droppings stick to it?

When I was a kid I used to wish I was a bird, but that was caused by
a lifelong fascination with flight. Now that I'm an adult delinquent
I can appreciate soaking my old carcass. I can't think of a more
luxurious place for a bird to wash off a bad day.

I can't imagine anything you've said or done that's inappropriate.

If someone thinks you have done something inappropriate ... dare I
say we should have more people that choose to Susan's method of
acting inappropriately. We'd all be a lot better off.

That was a great first post.

Please keep sharing and helping others. You might find a few ideas
here that can help you also. Do you have more pictures that you can
post that show the process you use to sculpt with your custom version
of papercrete?

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "sryanart" <sryanart@...> wrote:
>
> --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "ngrdh" <hnegaard@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I am looking for suggestions on how to get a very finely ground
> slurry paper pulp. I don't
> > want the normal bumps and pieces that normal papercrete has; I'd
> like it to be very smooth
> > and finely chopped so you would not even know that it is paper.
> >
> Hello:
>
> I was going to start with a more formal introduction--I am the
Susan
> Ryan who has been mentioned recently on this list--but I work with
a
> version of pulp that produces a clay that gives me a nice
> hard,surface.
>
> This is not, however, realistic for large quantities.
>
> Very quickly--
>
> 1. I use torn newspaper--torn to about 2" by 2". Believe it or not,
> size makes a difference. Movement in water helps to break down the
> fibers smoothly. Shredded newspaper actually seems to take longer
to
> break down.
>
> 2. I cover the newspaper with water and soak 1-3 days.
>
> 3. I bring the newspaper water to a boil on the stove and then
> (carefully) break it up into a smooth gray pulp (looks like gray,
> fluffy cream of wheat) using a paint mixer attachment on an
electric
> drill. There can't be too much paper in the water or the newspaper
> won't move properly and break down. Too much water, and it moves
> around too much and doesn't break down easily either.
>
> 4. Once cooled, I slop a few handfulls at a time into a cotton dish
> rag and twist it up to squeeze most of the water out.
>
> 5. To this semi-moist pulp I add: Elmers white glue and a little
> vermiculite and then knead with my hands. Depending on the feel of
> the clay, I can add a little more water, a little more glue, and/or
a
> little more vermiculite.
>
> 6. Once I have a clay that fels nice, I throw on a dusting of
> portland cement and mix in with my hands. The grittiness of the
> cement seems to help tear the fibers into a finer clay.
>
> At least I think this is how I do it. :>) It's a lot like cooking...
> I don't have a definitive recipe. I mix by feel and sight. The glue
> makes the clay silky and workable, but too much makes it too
stickly
> to work. Too much water makes the clay too sloppy and results in
too
> much shrinkage. Too dry and the clay is unworkable. Vermiculite can
> dry up clay that's too wet, but too much can make it lumpy.
>
> Sometimes I add Plaster of Paris or Rock Hard water putty to the
clay
> and this gives me a finished product that has a nice, hard surface.
> It can be sawed and sanded.
>
> One critical element in getting a smooth finished surface is in
> letting the clay dry more slowly (not direct heat--like with a
lamp)
> and in keeping the water content down.
>
> A few years ago I found through the papercreters site and was
> absolutely impressed and charmed by the wonderful structures you
all
> were building. That's when I decided to try adding portland cement
to
> my clay. All I had to go by was some comment from one of
> the "builders" that it only takes a small amount of cement in the
> slurry.
>
> So, when I added cement to my clay I called it papercrete--for lack
> of a better name. I hope this is OK and doesn't step on anyobody's
> toes.
>
> I messed around a little with papercrete because I was looking for
> something that could hold up to being outside. Don't know if I got
> that something or not. I am definitely still experimenting.
>
> However, in regards to the birdbath I made out of papercrete--I
used
> a silicon-based exterior water sealer on it. Sealed the raw PC with
> it and then applied coats of sealer with artists oils added to make
> stains. It held up well through last summer, though some moisture
was
> wicked up through the feet, but not in any way that damaged either
> finish of form. I took it in for the winter and put it back outside
> recently.
>
> Yes, I did worry about the birds taking water from something that
was
> sealed with this stuff, but I thought that once it had dried it
would
> not be a danger.
>
> I am definitly no expert with papercrete. I have done a lot more
work
> with the regular paper pulp and know much more about that. But if I
> can answer any questions, I'll be glad to give it a shot.
>
> BTW. This is my first post. Ever--anywhere. So I hope I have not
done
> anything inappropriate.
>
> Regards,
> Susan
>
>
> >
>