Leafcaster machine, sourced from Preservation Equipment Ltd, UK.
This machine
Incorporates a number of design features, which when combined with its large casting area offers the conservator much more than any other leafcasting machine. The caster has proved to offer a superior quality of paper infill.
The machine consists of a casting tank, holding tank and vacuum system:
- Water is pumped into the casting tank first from the holding tank, housed below the casting area.
- Pulp is then mixed with the water in the casting tank containing the paper to be infilled.
- During the casting process, the pulp is removed from the water through the openings of the document being repaired and is held in place by a filter mesh such as fly-mesh placed below the damaged paper.
Cleaning is made easy, the casting screen is removable as is the internal holding tank and pipe work can be removed for cleaning. Casting sink has integral "shoulder" to enable easy sealing of the casting screen membrane. Vacuum unit can be manually or timer controlled. Vacuum power is adjustable. Controls enable a selection of either top fill through sprinkler bar, bottom fill or both together. This feature allows simple water level adjustment prior to casting.
