Paper Making For Kids From Wood With Baking Soda?

(JMorris) wrote in message . com...

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!

John-In-Toronto

John,
I wouldn't write off a particular experiment just because it
requires gloves and goggles. Based on your daughter's age and
maturity, your own level of comfort and chemical experience, and on
the particular experimental procedures, decide if the procedure will
be sufficiently safe even WITH the recommended safety equipment. If
it is, and if the project is one you think will be interesting to both
of you, then do it.

In any case, proper use of safety equipment is a good lesson for
children to learn at all ages.

Dave

(JMorris) wrote in message . com...

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!

John-In-Toronto

John,
I wouldn't write off a particular experiment just because it
requires gloves and goggles. Based on your daughter's age and
maturity, your own level of comfort and chemical experience, and on
the particular experimental procedures, decide if the procedure will
be sufficiently safe even WITH the recommended safety equipment. If
it is, and if the project is one you think will be interesting to both
of you, then do it.

In any case, proper use of safety equipment is a good lesson for
children to learn at all ages.

Dave

Bonjour Voisins wrote:
In article ,
says...


Any more ideas about this will be much appreciated!


Pat gave you the reasons your attempts at
doing it from wood pulp will fail. If you're
bound and determined to manufacture from
scratch, maybe parchment or papyrus would
be a more viable process. The historical aspect alone
should make it a worthwhile pursuit, I think.
And certainly the finished product would
be more lasting than ordinary pulp paper.




Another aside to this - since papyrus is somewhat rare in the US - other
plant materials can be used. . . I managed to find one on the net - they
use grass/straw: http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/prairiepaper.html

Several years back I'd read a book from the library on paper making -
and after the recycled paper part was a chapter on using plant materials
like cattails and sunflower stalks - so that's a possibility to look into.

But even if you do the recycled paper bit - it would be very interesting
to add flowers and leaves found in the area to 'decorate' the paper -
you can add to it by teaching the names of the different plants. It's
amazing how many folks don't know the name of various plants that
surround them everyday!

Good luck in finding the instructions you want!

Sonya

David Lloyd-Jones wrote:
JMorris wrote:

Pat,

Thanks for your quick reply!


John,

You don't seem to have replied to my note. I hope you are quite clear
that I think Pat is your children's enemy.

How very amusing.

John, I rummaged through my bookmarks and found some instructions which
may be closer to what you were looking for:

http://www.bluep.com/~stiffe/instructions.html

See the "making paper from plants" tutorials.

The author - an artist who makes hand-made paper (and who doesn't sneer
at doing so from recycled fiber, but never mind) suggests a number of
non-wood plant fibers - stems, leaves and even flowers - suitable for
paper-making, and provides clear instructions, complete with safety tips.

You're not going to get there with baking soda and lemon juice, but if
you feel comfortable with your child using more caustic materials, you
can in fact do this.

Be safe,

--
Pat Kight