JMorris wrote:
Hi there!

I'm a Dad who is getting ready to visit a cottage with his daughter
and other relatives. Thinking about maybe trying to make some paper.
And have some nice downloads from the web for this.

Wondering if we could do this directly from grasses or wood. Maybe
some old rotton poplar trees. Mash 'em up, boil 'em up and then you
can do the paper thing.

YOUR QUESTION (Mr./Ms. Phelps!): To make paper you need to get the
lignin glue out of the fibers. Apparently either a strong acid or a
strong base will do this. Typically, in a hobby type situation, you
would use lye.

Is it possible to use something a little less dangerous. I mean,
having to wear gloves and goggles doesn't sound like much fun.

Would lemon juice or vinegar or baking soda work (well, not at the
same time)?

Look forward to any thoughts!

Paper making from wood is, as you note, a messy process that requires
strong chemicals. Lemon juice and vinegar probably won't do the trick.
It also requires high temperatures, and that alone poses some risks.

A better choice for kids might be making paper from ... paper!

Gather up junk mail and other recyclable paper (not the glossy magazine
stuff, which is coated with clay), an old blender you won't want to use
for food again, a piece of window screen in a wooden frame and a large,
flat tub (Rubbermaid makes some flat storage boxes that work great for this.

Tear the paper into small pieces (a good job for kids!) and whir it up
in the blender with a couple of cups of water till it turns to a
grey-ish pulp. If you want to color it, add torn pieces of common
colored construction paper.

Fill the tub half-full of water and stir in the pulp mixture. Keep
stirring while you slip the screen under the water and pulp and bring it
straight up to catch a screenful of pulp. Let it drain for a while, then
turn it out onto a dish towel or some other absorbent surface; continue
drying in the sun and - voila! Instant paper (although the first few
attempts will probably be more like cardboard in texture). You can add
leaves, grasses, flower petals, seeds and other things into the pulp, or
press it into the surface of the wet paper, to make "nature paper."

This is a great outdoor activity and one kids really seem to like. My
description is sketchy, but you can find more detailed ones by googling
for "handmade paper" and "instructions".

Have fun!

--
Pat Kight