Full article could be found here on the ARCHES® website.
Papermaking on a cylinder mould
Making paper using a cylinder mould is a traditional process which produces very high quality papers similar to handmade paper. ARCHES® has been using this method since 1895.
Principle
A large cylinder – the mould – is covered by a wire, a sort of mesh screen which may have areas of relief that will produce a watermark. The cylinder is dipped into the vat containing the paper stock (mixture of water and fibres). The cylinder turns slowly in the vat, and the water in the stock penetrates inside the cylinder; the fibres that remain on the surface, on the wire, will be distributed evenly and regularly. The sheet that is formed is transported on a wool felt that subtly marks the surface with the grain.
The cylinder mould process is the process best suited to produce paper that is stable (it does not deform when damp), with a watermark, a natural grain and deckled edges. Today ARCHES® is the only French paper mill still producing all its art and publishing papers on a cylinder mould.
