We're cooking!

Conservation Issues
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Roboframer

We're cooking!

Post by Roboframer »

We've always had a fridge and a microwave in the shop's kitchen, which doubles as an office - even though we have an office, which doubles as a stockroom ............. even though we have a stockroom .... :head:

In the kitchen there is also a breadmaker, one time we used to bake a loaf each day and we and/or our staff would bring in sandwich fillings. That all stopped when the kitchen to office ratio increased in favour of the office bit!

Recently we inherited a combi microwave, already have one at home; this one is not as good, so it's been sitting in our garage (which doubles as .....) for some time.

But over the past few weeks I've been having a clearout in the workshop and now the (very basic) shop kitchen microwave is now the workshop microwave and the inherited combi microwave is the shop kitchen one.

This means that I can have pizzas and other (healthier) non microwave-able stuff for lunch now.

The workshop microwave will come in handy for re-heating the odd cup of coffee, but it's main use is for making starch paste.

Now that I can do this without that tedious 15 second walk I think I'll be sending much more stuff out hinged in the best way!

Now then, down to the nitty gritty - asked once before and the place was like a morgue .....

Do you make starch paste? Do you make your own hinges from pure kozo? When/how often do you use this? Where do you buy these things?

If you answer 'no' to the 1st two questions, what is your highest quality hingeing method/material; when do you upgrade to it and what are you upgrading from?
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Bill Henry
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Re: We're cooking!

Post by Bill Henry »

I make rice paste, but seldom tear paper to make hinges. I only use this paste, maybe, 8 to 10 times/year, and mainly to adhere translucent paper to backing material for a float mat. The paper/paste kits I buy are made by Windsor. We get ours from United MFRs over here, but that’s of little use to you, I would guess. I would be surprised if you couldn’t buy it from Lion.

I choose to use the traditional double boiler i.e. an egg poacher, over a hot plate to cook the paste. I like the ability to see exactly when it is just right. Since I believe a microwave to be the work of the devil, I only use it 1) to soften butter, and b) to whip up a batch of popcorn.

I don’t like making popcorn in the shop, however, because people unrealistically expect me to share.
Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent! – Porky Pine
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prospero
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Location: Lincolnshire

Re: We're cooking!

Post by prospero »

My prob is that if I cook up a batch of paste I will use a tiny amount and end up slinging the rest. :? I haven't made any for yonks. For original works on paper I use pre-gummed Hayaku. I like to feather the straight sides of the tape on the part that attaches to the art. For prints I use P-90 or P-90+ unless it is something special.

Anyone tried the Zen paste from Lion that comes in cake form?
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Roboframer

Re: We're cooking!

Post by Roboframer »

The PEL catalogue states that you can make a batch of starch paste, keep it in the fridge and if it goes mouldy, just scrape that off and use the stuff underneath!

Don't like the sound of that, but I did make batches that I'd keep in the fridge in a screw top jar for about a week, trouble was the stuff would separate and it just never seemed the same after a few re-mixes as it was fresh.

So now I make it as I need it and I'd say I use it every other day and a small amount (1 tsp to 5 or six of distilled water in a small ramekin dish) will last two days, takes literally seconds to make and costs nothing.

If you have the paper hinges made up in batches (I'll do a whole sheet at a time, which goes a long way) this is just as quick as Hayaku tape, but unlike Hayaku, true preservation quality. The info that tells you it is not is right there in the lion catalogue 'Polymer'

I'm not sure about the Zen paste. (Edit - quick search on TFG finds at least one person saying it has preservatives, most things that are a short cut to the real thing will have, I should imagine)
Framer Dave
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Re: We're cooking!

Post by Framer Dave »

Bill, I'm curious. Why do you think microwaves are the work of the devil?

Maybe I'm daft, but I don't see why making up a batch of starch paste is seen as such a chore by so many. Here's how I do it, it works well and takes maybe a minute or two:

Mix one part rice starch with five parts bottled drinking water. It just has to be spoonful amounts, not a huge batch. Put into a small glass container like a shot glass. Stir thoroughly. Microwave for ten seconds, take out and stir. Be sure to break up any lumps. Repeat and microwave for ten seconds at a time, it should take 45-50 seconds total cooking time.

I can't imagine it's much more expensive over in the UK, but here I can get a small jar that will last maybe a year or two for about eight dollars.

Here's a link to a fairly thorough article, which, if I do say so myself, is rather good: http://tinyurl.com/43kpy7

Just ignore the mention of Nori paste. Sadly it's no longer around.
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