I often recycle papercrete from broken panels or unused projects, and find that the recycled stuff seems to make fluffier smoother pc. It's not enough to make me want to process all the paper twice, though.
I left a bale of shredded paper sitting in the weather for years, and when I broke it open there was a reddish tint to some of it, along with a slight smell that wasn't unpleasant. It was damp inside. It made good pc.
It seems that letting your paper/cardboard get wet and dry out several times does make it pulp easier.
spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change without notice upon receipt of new information. http://Starship-Enterprises.Net
On 9/22/2010 8:52 AM, JUDITH WILLIAMS wrote:
I find my cardboard/paper absorbs water best if I leave it out in the elements and let it get wet and then dry out. I have left carboard in the soaking barrel for up to a week. It smelled pretty bad but did not have mold. The only time I had a mold problem was when I kept newspaper in a wire cage and the bottom never had a chance to dry out between rains.
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To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
From: Spaceman@starship-enterprises.net
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:04:49 -0600
Subject: Re: [papercreters] Re: Several hundred pound of old books
That was my question, too. If I leave wet paper sitting around for days it starts to smell. Are you adding anything like bleach or salts?
spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change without notice upon receipt of new information. http://Starship-Enterprises.Net
On 9/22/2010 7:56 AM, Evelyn Vollmer wrote:How long can you keep the paper in the tub before it starts to mold? Welcome to the group, Wayne.
On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 1:29 AM, Wayne <huon@intas.net.au> wrote:
Although I am only new to this group I have been making things from paper
slurry for over 10 years now. I use all sorts of raw materials including
old cardboard boxes and books. I find it works best if I store my raw
materials in an old bath outside and the rain keeps them wet. This
pre-soaking makes the fibers tease apart quicker and better in the mixer.
I just discard the non useable items like the plastic tape from the boxes
while I am using the pulp. Using this pre-soaking I find I can use a
much wider range of raw materials.
Wayne
>
> That would scare me too! Maybe a different blade with finer
> teeth?
>
> I've never cut a book on a table saw, was basing the suggestion on
> seeing Judith's success cutting pc blocks but then pc is normally a
> lot less dense than a hardback book. I think my spray washer would
> work on them but I'm not driving a thousand miles to find out :)
> spaceman All opinions expressed or implied are subject to change
> without notice upon receipt of new information.
> http://Starship-Enterprises.Net
> On 9/20/2010 1:44 PM, countryatheartok wrote: Well the
> table saw I have on the job will not rip the back splines off, it
> kind of grabs instead of cutting like it cuts wood, kind of scared me
> and help me make up my mind not to use.
> ------------------------------------
>
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"If you give yourself fully to this moment the next moment will turn out just right."
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