1. Using water from a recently boiled kettle is indeed a mistake as it basically makes a boiled water pastry mess. Fully cook or hot tap water are better options.
2. Sometimes the paper lifts a bit when dry. This makes a less strong finished product with tiny air gaps. Seeking solutions still
I seem to remember it's a latex stain but not set into the permanent form yet. I remember heat and some chemicals set it into a dye/rubber. Others remove it... I want to suggest alcohol or water without soap. Possibly an acid. Sorry, my brainbox has the low coffee light on right now so I can't retrieve the information I was seeking. I'll make some coffee and try again.
The other scrap of paper in my mind crawlspace (like a mind palace but less organized) box labeled "latex stains on clothing" says once it's set, very hard/impossible to fix. The citation reads "grandmother told me when I was about 11 years old". She was smart, but very 20th century and better with rayon clothing than cotton.
But I see the experiment has already happened. It looks pretty cool actually.
Being only 4 layers of paper, the mache is quite flexible and will squeeze to fit the shape once it's trimmed to size. But flexible also means it becomes more symmetrical after removing the balloon so i have to make a jig to hold it in shape while I add some more layers.
Some local producers make it and it's easy to special order here at almost every grocery store (except the big ones that don't buy locally). But that's this little corrner of canada.
Might be worth asking at your local grocery shop if they can order it in from one of their suppliers. One shop near me keeps it in stock but frozen due to shorter shelf life and the trend away from extra salt.
When I made it at home, it took nearly double the salt and had half the shelf life, so freezer makes sense as it extends shelf life and mellows the salty taste.
I don't know if charcuterie shops are normal where you are, but they can usually make a big batch and you can freeze in small portions for when you are ready.
From a bit more searching, it looks like we can use any wood if it's thin enough and consistent density. Plywood seems most popular because it is a more affordable product that fits these criteria.
It seems that the power of the laser influences what wood and limits the thickness. Most home units seem to max out at 3mm Baltic birch ply which is not easy to get where i live as most wood in canada is sold in imperial.
At least, that's what I understand at this beginning stage
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an insomniac misanthrope who enjoys cooking, textile arts, farming and eating delicious food.
