Homemade Paper

by hellstudios

8.9K6314

Intro: Homemade Paper

When I was in 5th grade or so, Our art teacher taught us how to make our own paper, and I remember that process to this day! So without Further Due Here is the Instructable.

Have some old Junkmail you never got around to throwing away? Have old bills That you don't Need? Don't trash them! Make new paper!



Please vote for me In the burning question Competition!

STEP 1: What You'll Need

What you'll need for this step is some pretty common things you'll find in a kitchen:


A blender
Sink
some sort of mesh screen Strainer
and, of coarse, used PAPER!

STEP 2: First Thing You'll Want to Do

The first thing to do is Collect old papers / Magazines.

STEP 3: Rip It Up

Rip all the paper up like so.

STEP 4: Put SOME in the Blender

put some magazine in the blender, but not to much. about half is fine. don't compress it down at all.

STEP 5: Add Water.

Add Water until it is about half way up.

STEP 6: Blend Like You Mean It!

BLEND FOR YOUR LIFE!


or until it looks like this....

STEP 7: Now Go Outside With Strainer

Go outside with the strainer and blender, poor Contents of blender into strainer and....

SHAKE!

Just keep shaking until no more water will Drip. then Proceed to Step 8.

STEP 8: Apply and Let Dry!

Pour contents of Strainer onto Flat Surface. Then wait 24 hours then flip. then wait another 24 hours.

STEP 9: Or If You Have Little Patience....

if you have little Patience, like me, get the hair dryer out.

STEP 10: Just Kidding.

get The propane torch out. the paper should be dried within 30 minutes of slowly going over with it. Be sure not to hold it to close or you will set it on fire.

STEP 11: And Done!

Admire your work. Make a love card, Write a Business memo, or fold it into origami, You just made your own paper!

20 Comments

Sunnedaez 12 years ago

I tried to blend magazines with newspaper and the resins in the paper from magazines puts a weird substance in the water. I would just use newspaper, then put the shredded paper into a large container and use clorox to bleach it white. From there once all the inks had come out of the paper, I would put the shredded paper( now white) into a blender. Once it was at the consistency I wished for it to be I would put it into a variety of different sized molds. They had screen bottoms and a hinged press on top to force the water out. After allowing it to dry you could do all sorts of types of applications to it. Paint it, draw on it, emboss it, like I said you can find all sorts of different types of applications for it.

June301 7 years ago

yeah, papermaking doesnt work well with magazine paper because the texture makes it weird. also, DONT USE PLASTIC!

tjones29 11 years ago

I was curious, could you use the material to create a sculpture in the manner you would use clay?

porcupinemamma 14 years ago

I've heard of people who add coloured dryer lint to the mixture and sparkles.

Sandisk1duo 15 years ago

i did this in 3rd grade, but the paper cam out pink for some reason?

probably because we used pink construction paper

SuzyMac 15 years ago

Magazines don't work that good in the initial blending, because the pages are coated and they don't break down in water as well as other paper. BUT you could shred then chop and then add them later for some spicey bits.

hellstudios 15 years ago

Well my batch binded pretty well. I actually thought that too, but the "wax" coating breaks down when you add water and blend it. Thanks for the comment!

Kiteman 15 years ago

This is more "How to make a cast of your drive in papiér maché" than how to make actual paper.

stinkymum 15 years ago

yes "drive" is English for driveway (in England!!)

hellstudios 15 years ago

that is actually my porch, its just that the fire from the torch caused the paper to shrivel a bit. Still, what grade of results does this guy want? I'm not a machine! or am i?

hellstudios 15 years ago

Righty-O then. I feel Like a dumbass.

Kiteman 15 years ago

Sorry, I get picky with paper - I used to run the labs in a paper mill.

stinkymum 15 years ago

If you had a little frame made out of wire mesh and four bits of wood, to dry your pulp on, you can get the paper to be a more regular size - but the method is the same.

PKM 15 years ago

Your paper looks like the fibre is quite fine, but it's still got more surface texture than I would want to use for writing on. If you can find a way to flatten out the surface (roll the paper with something heavy and smooth during or after making, etc) you will deserve 5*.

hellstudios 15 years ago

Perhaps You could use a sheet of paper to put down before you apply it, when it is dry it should just peel apart, VIOLA! smooth homemade paper!