What's in modern vellum paper

[jbb]

Does anyone know what modern vellum paper is actually made of? It feels like it has plastic in it. We'd like to cut it with a laser engraver but if it has vinyl in it it would release toxic fumes. Anyone?????

[punch]

I had read somewhere that it is cotton. Some of mine is even marked "100% rag".

[Phthalo]

There is Vellum, and then there is a Vellum Finish, which apparently has some tooth to it, and then there is also Super Vellum, which is the stuff we use in our Rhodia and Clairefontaine notebooks - this is paper which has been calendered to provide a super-smooth surface.

 

All of this is clearly confusing, but to answer your specific question... Modern Vellum is not 100% cotton, and although it feels plasticky (I assume you are talking about a translucent variety), I don't think it is. I believe some varieties contain acrylic...? But I'm not sure.

 

In this context, I believe this webpage will help.

 

Edit: I just soaked a piece of Gilclear 115gsm in water for five minutes. After rubbing it between two fingers for 20 seconds or so, I'd created a hole / tear quite easily.

Edited March 25, 2008 by Phthalo

[Rena]

I have a tablet of Foray vellum which is marked 100% cotton rag, 16 lb. Foray, I believe, is an Office Depot brand. There may be various papers which are called vellum, as Phthalo states. Mine, by the way, also says "white translucent paper." Although not as friendly to slow-drying inks, it is fountain pen friendly and I like it. This doesn't help you in your laser cutting project, however.

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2008 by Rena

[RandyE]

Here's what I used in Architecture school years ago - the same brand vellum anyway - and it says that it is %100 cotton...

 

- R

Edited March 25, 2008 by RandyE

[punch]

All of this is clearly confusing, but to answer your specific question... Modern Vellum is not 100% cotton, and although it feels plasticky (I assume you are talking about a translucent variety), I don't think it is. I believe some varieties contain acrylic...? But I'm not sure.

 

From the Wiki -

 

Today, because of low demand and complicated manufacturing process, animal vellum is expensive and hard to find. A modern imitation is made out of cotton. Known as paper vellum, this material is considerably cheaper than animal vellum and can be found in most art and drafting supply stores. Usually translucent, paper vellum is often used in applications where tracing is required, such as architectural plans. Some brands of writing-paper and other sorts of paper use the term "vellum" merely to suggest quality, when it is actually not vellum.

 

Given that at least two of us have tablets marked either 100% rag or 100% cotton rag, and given the above excerpt, what basis do you have for saying that modern Vellum is NOT 100% cotton? Just interested.

[Rapt]

In general vellum of the "drawing" sort is usually 100% cotton. Often available in large sheets.

 

However for plans that require greater long term storage and dimensional stability and that are intended for scaling off the drawing and for writing on with pencils some drawings are done on Mylar with a matte finish that looks very similar to vellum with similar translucency. This stuff is not commonly sold at your average paper/office store and is usually sold as drawing Mylar, not vellum. At least I've never seen it sold as vellum. Check wikipedia for more info on Mylar's chemical make-up if you're concerned. This may be the source of the question about plastic.

 

All "vellums" whether real 100% cotton or just wannabe, have a similar finish, that is, a finely textured surface that takes pencil well. Instead of the glassy smooth surface of something like HP laser paper. Its generally so fine a texture it won't affect writing or drawing on it like many more heavily textured papers may.

Edited March 25, 2008 by Rapt

[jbb]

What I've got is ream of Neenah Paper with no other markings on it. It feels heavier than text weight and is translucent and smooth. I would definitely call it vellum. I emailed Neenah paper today to see if they can tell me anything. The ultra hard and smooth surface of the paper is what made us want to check if any plastic treatment was involved just in case --before we lasered it and got inundated with nasty fumes.

 

Meanwhile, I've written two letters with dip pens on it and it is very nice. There were one or two spots on the page that the ink didn't take well on but for the most part it's a fun writing paper.

 

Thank you all for your input!

[RandyE]

The ultra hard and smooth surface of the paper is what made us want to check if any plastic treatment was involved just in case --before we lasered it and got inundated with nasty fumes.

 

It could be heavily sized if it feels hard to the touch. I know that sometimes I need to size paper for photographic processes in order to create a super-smooth surface for coating. I use starch, but I've no idea what the paper manufacturers size their papers with (not all paper is sized) so you may also wish to know what size was used as well.

 

- R

Edited March 25, 2008 by RandyE

[wednesday_mac]

If you're looking for animal vellum/parchment like the medieval monks used, try Talas.com.

 

[WhosYerBob]

Does anyone know what modern vellum paper is actually made of?

Be careful what you ask about, as one form of drafting vellum is frosted mylar - a plastic film.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Here's what I used in Architecture school years ago - the same brand vellum anyway - and it says that it is %100 cotton...

 

- R

 

Ur clearprint---I haz dems. *Haven't tried it out yet, though*

 

[Phthalo]

I'm a cartographer by education - our frosted drafting film was never referred to as vellum, and it was not 100% cotton - it was plastic-based. The link to the ClearPrint product is frankly intriguing.

 

In Australia, all I have ever seen is animal skin vellum and the mylar variety - which IS called vellum here, even though it does not seem to be referred to as such anywhere else... any online scrapbooking store in AU calls all those mylar products vellum.

 

A search of an online paper distributor (Dalton) in AU turns up one result for "Vellum" : "Jac Vellum is a self adhesive, white matt woodfree vellum paper which exhibits good printability by a range of processes."

 

Your vellum is clearly not the same as what I know as vellum.

 

I'll leave this discussion. My knowledge does not help US residents and is just adding confusion.

[jbb]

I'll leave this discussion. My knowledge does not help US residents and is just adding confusion.

Phthalo, Actually your information was quite helpful.

 

We're pretty convinced now that the paper we have is not laced with deadly plastic and will be safe to laser. People on a laser chat board my husband writes to have said they've tried it... and lived... and you all here have given me reason to believe that it's JUST paper. Thanks.

Edited March 26, 2008 by jbb

[punch]

I'm a cartographer by education - our frosted drafting film was never referred to as vellum, and it was not 100% cotton - it was plastic-based. The link to the ClearPrint product is frankly intriguing.

 

In Australia, all I have ever seen is animal skin vellum and the mylar variety - which IS called vellum here, even though it does not seem to be referred to as such anywhere else... any online scrapbooking store in AU calls all those mylar products vellum.

 

A search of an online paper distributor (Dalton) in AU turns up one result for "Vellum" : "Jac Vellum is a self adhesive, white matt woodfree vellum paper which exhibits good printability by a range of processes."

 

Your vellum is clearly not the same as what I know as vellum.

 

I'll leave this discussion. My knowledge does not help US residents and is just adding confusion.

 

Quite the opposite! Your explanation makes it clear that there are other products out there called "vellum" that are manufactured differently than what may be "standard" in this country. Given the global nature of our hobby, complete information like you provided is of considerable value. That is why I asked for a basis for your statement (which you have, thankfully, given). BTW - that is why I presented you with my findings and asked for your basis rather than simply (and stupidly) saying "you're wrong". In my post I stated "I had read somewhere that it is cotton. Some of mine is even marked "100% rag"." I had a basis for this, including a box of the stuff sitting right in front of me. In your answer, you directly contradicted this by stating "Modern Vellum is not 100% cotton . . ." Well, seeing that you pretty much said that I was full of **it, I asked for your basis. Perhaps if you had written "Here in Australia modern Vellum is not always 100% cotton . . . " some confusion may have been avoided. No reason to leave in a huff.

[encephalartos]

I'm a cartographer by education - our frosted drafting film was never referred to as vellum, and it was not 100% cotton - it was plastic-based. The link to the ClearPrint product is frankly intriguing.

 

In Australia, all I have ever seen is animal skin vellum and the mylar variety - which IS called vellum here, even though it does not seem to be referred to as such anywhere else... any online scrapbooking store in AU calls all those mylar products vellum.

 

A search of an online paper distributor (Dalton) in AU turns up one result for "Vellum" : "Jac Vellum is a self adhesive, white matt woodfree vellum paper which exhibits good printability by a range of processes."

 

Your vellum is clearly not the same as what I know as vellum.

 

I'll leave this discussion. My knowledge does not help US residents and is just adding confusion.

 

Quite the opposite! Your explanation makes it clear that there are other products out there called "vellum" that are manufactured differently than what may be "standard" in this country. Given the global nature of our hobby, complete information like you provided is of considerable value. That is why I asked for a basis for your statement (which you have, thankfully, given). BTW - that is why I presented you with my findings and asked for your basis rather than simply (and stupidly) saying "you're wrong". In my post I stated "I had read somewhere that it is cotton. Some of mine is even marked "100% rag"." I had a basis for this, including a box of the stuff sitting right in front of me. In your answer, you directly contradicted this by stating "Modern Vellum is not 100% cotton . . ." Well, seeing that you pretty much said that I was full of **it, I asked for your basis. Perhaps if you had written "Here in Australia modern Vellum is not always 100% cotton . . . " some confusion may have been avoided. No reason to leave in a huff.

 

The stuff I've seen labelled vellum, in pads in the typical art supply store is the high-grade translucent tracing PAPER,

sometimes 100% rag. Lightweight, but it has more body than the thin crinkly tracing paper in rolls. I have

some that's close to 8.5 x 11 inches in a pad and I use it for writing snails that go overseas, to lower the

weight. It's fairly fountain pen friendly. Something similar came in rolls and was high grade drafting paper.

 

One brand of the mylar stuff is called Duralar, and it feels plasticy.

 

I've met and heard of people who use actual animal vellum. It is still used for botanical watercolor by some

artists. It is handled a little differently than the hot press watercolor paper most people use.

 

[punch]

The stuff I've seen labelled vellum, in pads in the typical art supply store is the high-grade translucent tracing PAPER,

sometimes 100% rag. Lightweight, but it has more body than the thin crinkly tracing paper in rolls. I have

some that's close to 8.5 x 11 inches in a pad and I use it for writing snails that go overseas, to lower the

weight. It's fairly fountain pen friendly. Something similar came in rolls and was high grade drafting paper.

 

That is exactly what I have and exactly what I use it for. I used to use a lot of it before I found a place that sells Rhodia pads.

 

[mrdavie]

The vellum I have used in the past was 100% cotton, called Clearprint as indicated in an earlier reply. K&E also provided vellum and it was primarily utilized for drafting available in various width rolls and several pad sizes. It is GREAT for ink but frankly, the paper has no personality. It was great for reproducing utilizing blueline and now, digital blacklines at the repro-houses, but again, it's boring stuff.