Apparently, one shouldn't use Drano for papermaking. Which is what I started with. But given enough info(the fumes are very toxic) even though I was outside, I quit and dumped it out on some of the weeds in the back. I watered it down good too so it wouldn't hurt the dogs. Weeds gone but good!
 
I made four trips to both of the hardware stores in town and back-to look stuff up online-before I got what I needed. I expected someone in the store to recognise what I was aking for when I said "caustic soda". I was wrong. Back home again to see what the chemical name for caustic soda is.
 
Noone knew what soduim hydroxide was either. I kept thinking it sounded familiar, ya know???  Well.. it is the main ingrediant in Drano! Well... Drano also has these little bits of aluminum in it that cause harmful fumes. It was all okay since I was using the outside stive and had locked the dogs in.. and well, I also stopped,LOL.
 
Sodium hydroxide is lye. Lye, people! Why in the heck didn't I-or the dozen people I asked-including a plumber-know this. I now own a can aof lye and I am cooking asparagus ferns as I type. Why? To make paper pulp!
 
The beater is here and set up in the shed. I spent a good part of the weekend gathering up plant material in the country for pulp and for drying. My shed and greenhouses smell lovely-like sweet sage and alfalfa!
 
I also bought about 100 feet of chickenwire to start on the float for Stampede and the Crestone Music Festival (booth) is less than 2 weeks away. Most of what I made for the sidewalk sale was scooped up by my local vendors for consignment, so, uh...I must need another project or two!