Adding pigment to fiber
A resent observation. A student was using pigment to add color to the cotton fiber. She added too much pigment to the pulp. When she squeezed the pulp to, she noticed that alot of the yellow ran out. When this happens, you need to rinse the pulp. Do not add more retention agent as that will not keep the pigment from running out. Adding more retention agent is not going to keep the pigment in the pulp. It is simply over saturated with pgiment. Rinse the pulp with fresh water to flush out the excess pigment prior to forming the sheets. Not rinsing it will stain all the felts. It is best to be safe and wear rubber gloves when flushing out the pigment if you think it is at excess levels.
