October 1994
October 1, 1994 (Saturday)
Yesterday we decided that the fibers de Bella Vista were not suitable to work with, after trying to remove the thick outer fibers and beating and washing before cooking. The fibers of Isak that we left in the cooking pot overnight were still slightly tough. After beating, the fibers were not totally separated but useable. About the same quality of the fibers from Danta we beat yesterday. After beating and washing, the weight of wet fibers was 95 grams.
We made the stove today and made other beating sticks. We made two batches of Lejia, one with medium size cuya of leaves of salt, which resulted in Lejia #11.8 pH approximately. Second batch was a mix of oja de sal with guama. It measured almost 12 pH.
Two cooks:
• First, with fibers from Bocas sent down first, which were left in water overnight to soak. Two types of white fiber. Start 10:30am / Stop 1:30. Results, one fiber beat well (2nd grade), 162. grams/ other third grade, 116 grams.
• Second cook, with fibers de Misael. We wet the fibers, beat them, washed them before cooking, and removed the tough outer fibers which was time consuming. Start 11:45 pm/ Stop 2:30 pm. Fibers beat well, first grade yield 290 grams
October 2, 1994 (Sunday)
Made five cups of Lejia from a combination of ash, yarumo leaves, and wood and other types of wood as well. We made one batch which measured above 12.5, after two passes. So we started making another batch, after two passes adding one more cup of ash. It measured almost 12.
Two cooks. Fibers de Misael
• Cook #1
• First batch of Lejia 12.5+. Some fibers we cooked yesterday.
• Cook start 10:00 am (10:45 lye = 11.5)/ Stop 11:15 (lye 11.5).
• Results after 45 mins: fibers were fairly well cooked.
• 284 grams, 2nd grade, 242 first grade
• Cook #2
• Second batch of Lejia, 12 (a little less).
• Cook start 10:45 am, 11:20 (11 pH)
• Cook Stop 12:45
• Results 254 grams, 2nd grade, 110 grams first [grade]
• Cook #3, Fibers of C.P.
• Two types, test with lye.
• From first cook, 11.5 pH
• Start 12:30
• After half hour, fibers were well cooked. Thick fibers. Beat well and long fibers as well very good
• PM made two more batches of Lejia which measured just below 12 pH
• Cook #4, Good quality remaining fibers of Misael
• Cook start 4:30 pm
• Cook finish 6:30 pm left overnight
• Results
• Cook #5, the rest of Misael’s fibers, which looked the poorest of quality
• Cook start 4:40 pm
• Cook finish 6:30 pm left overnight
• Results 335 2nd calidad + 294 grams 2nd+ 85 = 714 grams
October 3, 1994 (Monday)
Made two batches of Lejia from five tasas de ceniza. First batch at 12.5, 2nd batch at 12 almost.
• Cook #1, fibers de Saul
• Cook start 8:15
• Cook stop 10:25 (10.5 pH, still a little tough)
• Results 705 grams, 2nd grade
• Cook #2, fibers de Antonio
• Cook start 9:20
• Cook stop 11:45 (11 pH, fibers fairly well cooked)
• Results 705 grams, 2nd grade
• Lye making – five cups ash, two passes, 12+ pH
• Cook #3, fibers of Antonio
• Cook start 12:05 pm
• Cook stop 3:00 pm
• Result
• Cook #3, fibers of Antonio
• Cook start 1:30 pm
• Cook stop 3:30 pm
• Result 1137 grams, 2nd grade
October 4, 1994 (Tuesday)
Made paper. 64 small sheets using less than one kilo.
October 5, 1994 (Wednesday)
• 22 small sheets – total for one kilo. 86 sm
• 31 large double sheets one kilo fiber
• José found a very poisonous snake in a pile of leaves he had brought from a nearby chagra to make ash from. 88sm. 47lg.
October 6, 1994
Fibers of Misael, 31 all decorated.
October 7, 1994
Rained hard in the morning. The creek was muddy and running high. We waited til 12:00, until the water settled enough to make paper. Worked til 5:00.
October 8, 1994 (Saturday)
Made a lot of paper. Finished with Bocas fiber. Quit at 5:30 pm. Misael 48 small papers decorated (two with white clay); 31 large pages, some double.
October 9, 1994 (Sunday)
More paper. Problem with the strength of the lye. Paper of Providencia.
October 10, 1994 (Monday)
Paper making zero.
October 11, 1994 (Tuesday)
Papermaking with white clay. With large mold needed jálea. With small mold not necessary.
October 12, 1994 (Wednesday)
Papermaking
October 13, 1994 (Thursday)
Paper Providencia: 231 small, 32 large
Paper Bocas: 78 large, 196 small, 34 small 2nd
C.P. 56 white sheets, 25 sheets w/ white clay; 34 decorated sheets 2nd quality; 110 decorated sheets first quality.
93 small white; 3 sheets decorated 2nd quality; 31 small white 2nd quality; 106 decorated
[Shopping lists for 10/13 & 10/14 here]
Last day of work; worked in morning. A lot of paper from Arturo’s marima silvestre wasn’t sticking well to the plywood. We pulled sheets off early still damp and tried to dry them as best we could. Ended up packing them with silica gel. In the evening we had a meeting to discuss the work and count the papers. Sara presented her results, gave a copy to Fernando, and will write a report which she will send to me and Centro Providencia.
October 14, 1994 (Friday)
Travel to La Pedrera. Hard rain in the morning. Set off about 9:30am. The motor (40 HP) didn’t want to start. Stopped at Arturo’s. Arrived in La Pedrera about 5:30 pm. Played pool with Luis in the evening.
October 15, 1994 (Saturday)
Travel to Bogotá via Villa Vicencia. Took Ricardito with me. $35,000 for his air fare. His first air flight. Arrived Villaro at 4:30 and took a taxi to Bogotá with four other people. Hard trip, bad road, Ricardito got car sick but didn’t complain. Held vomit in his mouth ’til I could get a bag. Arrived at Ellen’s at 10:00 am. Marcella was waiting for R. Took him back to her house.
October 16, 1994 (Sunday)
Washing, unpacking, drying papers which were humid.