手工造纸工艺流程

    This is the VOA Special English Technology Report.
    这里是美国之音慢速英语科技报道。

    The earliest process of making paper was done almost five thousand years ago in Egypt and the Nile Valley. In those days, paper was made from strips of the papyrus plant.
    最早的造纸工艺出现在近5000年前的埃及和尼罗河谷。当时的纸张是由纸莎草制成。

    Modern paper-making began in China about two thousand years ago. This process produced paper from cloth, straw, wood or the bark of trees. The raw materials are struck over and over until they become loose. Then they are mixed with water.
    现代造纸技术始于两千年前的中国。这种工艺使用织物、稻草、木材和树皮造纸。这些原材料经过反复捶捣直至其结构松散(即造纸过程中的帚化),然后与水混合。

    After the water has been removed, the flat, thin form remaining is permitted to dry. This becomes a sheet of paper.
    等水沥干后,剩下平坦的薄薄一层烘干后就变成一张纸。

    Large machines started to be used for making paper near the end of the sixteenth century. Today, paper-making is a big business. But it is still possible to make paper by hand, since the steps are the same as using big machines.
    16世纪末开始使用大型机器造纸。今天造纸已成为一项巨大产业。但是仍然可以手工造纸,因为其流程和大型机器造纸并无区别。

    You should use paper with small amounts of printing. Old envelopes are good for this reason. Colored paper also can be used, as well as small amounts of newspaper. Small pieces of rags or cloth can be added. These should be cut into pieces about five centimeters by five centimeters.
    你可以使用少量的印刷纸张造纸,旧信封就是很好的原材料,彩纸和少量报纸也可以。还可以加入一些小块烂布或织物。这些原材料需要剪切成5厘米见方的小方块。

    Everything is placed in a container, covered with water and brought to a boil. It is mixed for about two hours with some common chemicals and then allowed to cool. Then it is left until most of the water dries up. The substance left, called pulp, can be stored until you are ready to make paper.
    将所有材料放入容器中,加水煮至沸腾。将一些普通化学物质与其混合大约两小时后待其冷却。待大部分水干燥后剩下的物质就被称为纸浆。纸浆可以保存起来以备造纸时使用。

    When you are ready, the pulp is mixed with water again. Then the pulp is poured into a mold. The mold is made of small squares of wire that hold the shape and thickness of the paper. To help dry the paper, the mold lets the water flow through the small wire squares.
    当你准备好造纸时,将纸浆与水再次混合。随后将纸浆倒入模具中。该模具由铜丝网组成,可以控制纸张的形状和厚度。水可以从模具的铜丝网中渗出以使纸张干燥。

    After several more drying steps, the paper is carefully lifted back from the mold. It is now strong enough to be touched.
    再经过几次干燥过程后,将纸张小心地从模具上揭起。现在可以开始压平纸张了。

    The paper is smoothed and pressed to remove trapped air. You can use a common electric iron used for pressing clothes.
    纸张经过压平,纸张中的气泡将被去除。你可以使用一个普通电熨斗来压平。

    There are many other technologies for people making paper using small machines.
    还有很多使用小型机器造纸的技术。

    Internet users can do a search and find directions for making homemade paper. You can also order information about making paper from the website enterpriseworks.org.
    互联网用户可以通过搜索,找到自制纸张的方法。你也可以从enterpriseworks.org网站获得造纸的信息。