Shredded Paper

[the.fee.fairy]

Dad got a new paper shredder... We have mountains f the stuff. The copmpost bin has been filled and i don't have ratties anymore. Any ideas for what we can do with it?

Does anyone want some? They can pick a load up!!

[thomas533]

I fill my shredder bin about twice a month and my worm bin loves it. They break it down a lot faster than the regular compost will.

Can you make papercrete with shredded paper?.... (doing a google search...)

Ahhh, I gues you can: http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/dewrwami.html

[Wombat]

Yo Thomas!

Yep good in worm bins and your local pet shop will probably love you if you take some in to them!

Nev

[Thomzo]

Make new paper from it. Great for greetings cards and scrap booking. I used to sell mine for crafters.

[the.fee.fairy]

I'll give it a go!

We've got a washing bin size box under the shredder, but my dad used to have his own company, so there's 7 years worth of paperwork going through!! I've filled 3 compost bins, my worm bin is one of the compost ones.

Don't know what i want to make out of papercrete, but it sounds promising!

Don't i need to get special sieves and stuff for paper-making?

[Thomzo]

Hi
I'm sure there are instructions on here for papermaking, if not there are loads on the net so here are my tips:

You need some way of pulping the old paper. You can just soak it in water but it takes days and needs lots of stirring. You could really do with a food processor but I wouldn't recommend using it for food after as it's almost impossible to clean the paper out properly.

You will need a screen of some sort. A wooden frame - a picture frame is ideal - covered with net curtain or something like that, use a staple gun to fix the material in place. If you can make different screens with different fabrics you can get lots of different textures. I have one made with an industrial mesh with little round holes. That gives a great texture to the paper.

I have made bowls in an old sieve. Just scoop the seive through the pulp - make sure it's evenly covered and leave to dry. It does take several days to dry but it makes a great bowl for pot pourri or similar.

Add petals, leaves, bits of thread, orange peel, or whatever you fancy to the pulp. If you're using plain white paper, try adding used tea leaves (make sure there's no milk in them). It gives an effect a bit like old parchment. Special fruit teas work really well and give great colours.

Pelargonium petals work really well and retain their colour, but I haven't had so much luck with rose petals.

I quite like leaving some of the shredded paper so that it isn't quite pulped and you can still make out the odd word or letter.

It's great fun but very messy. Best done in the garden.

Vegetable dyes are great but proper printers inks give much better colour. Paints don't really work as they are diluted too much by the water.

Once you've pulped the paper you can leave it to dry and use it later. It doesn't take up much space when pulped and dried. That way you can pulp a batch then use it when you have time. Fee - maybe that is the answer for you. Pulp it now to save space then use it when you have a project for it.

Always wear gloves. The combination of paper, water and whatever additives you put in will murder your hands.

Oops that ended up being quite a long posting. Sorry guys but I also taught papermaking for a while so have made loads of mistakes.

Cheers
Zoe

[ohareward]

I havn't made paper, but I thought a good use for it would be making different size pots for starting seedlings. Our egg cartons are made of recycled pulped paper.

Robin

[Thomzo]

Good idea Ohareward. You'd need a mould of some sort. One of those pots for pond plants might do as it would allow the paper to dry from both sides. You'd probably have to line it with some cloth to give the pulp something to stick to. It would take a long time though.

Also beware of the chemicals in the print or in coloured paper. I guess a small amount wouldn't hurt and no worse than putting it in the compost heap.

[ohareward]

The printing ink in our newspapers is made from vegetable based products, but the paper has been changed. It does not break down as it used to. I use it to start a new garden. Put layers of wet paper on top of the weeds and grass and cover with compost and soil.

Robin

[the.fee.fairy]

Thanks Zoe. can't think of what i want to use the paper for, but now i have a need to make some!

Must go to the boot sale on Sunday to see if there are some frames and net curtains going!

[Thomzo]

Cheers, Fee. I had no interest in making paper either. My mother wanted to go on a course so she persuaded me to go with her. Of course then I was seriously hooked, mades loads of recycled paper which I then had to find a use for it so I started selling it to friends. They then all wanted to learn how to do it too, so I started doing the classes.

Beware, it does take up quite a lot of time and space which was I gave up.

[the.fee.fairy]

well...i have two days a week off work, well, 1 and a half really, cos i have college Tuesday nights. So, i could start some on the tuesday, then finish it on the sunday.

Therefore, i wouldn't be tempted to pick it up and stuff before its dry!

Can you get a smooth surface with home-made paper? I remember making some in School, and it was lumpy. Was this just because there were lots of 7 year olds sticking their hands in it? Or is it an inevitability of not having industrial machines?

[multiveg]

A while back in Kitchen Garden Magazine (UK), there was an article about making paper from vegetable peelings....

Re- shreddings, well, next time, don't let the paper to be shredded build up! The garden compost bin will now have some shreddings added after I empty the veggie peelings bucket.

[Thomzo]

Can you get a smooth surface with home-made paper? I remember making some in School, and it was lumpy. Was this just because there were lots of 7 year olds sticking their hands in it? Or is it an inevitability of not having industrial machines?

It is possible to get smooth paper but you really need some sort of roller (like a mangle) to get it really smooth. Also, you will need really smooth cloth to dry it in. I use jif cloths or bits of old curtain so you tend to get an impression of the fabric. I think you might have to use silk for a smooth finish.

If you want to write on it you'll need to add glycerine otherwise the ink'll just run and spread out.

I like the natural look with all the lumps and bumps. If you add bits to it them you're going to get bumps anyway.

Zoe