[68] Cellulose forms the ground-work of all vegetable tissues whether they are the tender shoots of a fern or the hard wood of trees.
How to Make Paper.
—Whatever material you use to make the paper of it must be converted into a pulp first. Cotton or linen makes the best paper—this is called rag paper—because these materials are nearly pure cellulose to begin with.
Making the Pulp.
—To make a little paper take about a pound of white cotton or linen rags and cut them up into little bits; boil them in a solution of caustic soda for a couple of hours, to get out all the dirt and grease, and stir them often.
Next wash out the dirty water that has resulted from boiling them and then the cotton or linen must be broken up and beaten until the fibers are separated. You can do this by putting the fabrics into a chopping bowl, wetting it down with clean water and then using a pair of chopping knives on them until the fibers are cut fine, and you must change the water often. In paper mills a rag engine, as it is called, is used to wash and break up the rags.
Fig. 70. a frame for paper making
The Molds You Need.
—Make half-a-dozen frames of wood ¹⁄₄ inch thick and ¹⁄₂ an inch wide, and about 5 × 8 inches on the sides; and cover these with brass wire netting having about 20 wires to the inch as shown in [Fig. 70]. School slate frames are good for this purpose.