MC - Methyl Cellulose

!tyza!! · Post by **!tyza!!** » January 15th, 2009, 8:49 am

MY dad works with chemicals everyday and got me Methyl cellulose, but he said its correct abbrevciation is CMC rather than MC

(btw I aalso recommend CMC/MC. and incase it ahsn't been said, they use that as a lickener/emulsifier in ice-cream)

wolf · Post by **wolf** » January 15th, 2009, 1:32 pm

MC and CMC are two different things - they have slightly different chemical formulas, and thus also different physical properties. The CMC that's commonly referred to in goop-folding is also really a sodium salt of CMC, and not CMC itself.

In paperfolding terms, the difference between MC and sodium CMC becomes obvious in humid environments. Sodium CMC is a lot more hygroscopic than MC, so models that are goop-folded with sodium CMC pick up a lot more moisture and become soggy much more readily than those goop-folded with MC.

Post by **Daydreamer** » January 15th, 2009, 2:00 pm

Heh, I like the word "goop-folding"

Jonnycakes · Post by **Jonnycakes** » January 15th, 2009, 11:20 pm

I could not go as in-depth as wolf did, but I can tell you what the abbreviations stand for:

MC=methylcellulose
CMC=carboxymethylcellulose

Zoraz · Post by **Zoraz** » January 16th, 2009, 4:06 am

Well, Im going to make some double tissue tomorrow as soon as I find some glass and tissue paper. I read the entire topic and I think i know the method well enough, but i still have two questions.
1. Does the MC come off the paintbrush easily after coating the paper?
2. Is there a difference between artists tissue paper and regular? I've heard both terms used on the forum.

Ill report my results after I try it

angrydemon · Post by **angrydemon** » January 16th, 2009, 7:13 am

Since MC is water soluble, it's pretty easy to wash it off after you're done. If you let it dry though, the glue will harden and damage the brush, but you can still remove it. I use artist's tissue or crepe paper, but that's because I don't have much of a choice. People seem to prefer selling it over smooth tissue. It has a lot of lines on it, which makes it very hard to see creases after you've made them. Also, the paper expands in only one direction after you wet it, but it doesn't really matter unless you try to stretch the paper.

Yesterday I found the regular tissue in a Popular bookstore, holed up in a tiny corner way behind. Unfortunately, they only had colours that I would probably never use. And there were like only less then 10 rolls of them while there were hundreds of sheets of crepe paper. What, is it poisonous or something???

Just so everyone knows, it's not necessary to use glass when backcoating with MC. You just need a very smooth surface which the glue cannot adhere to. I made a mat by taping several plastic bags together and it works just fine.

mrsriggins · Post by **mrsriggins** » January 16th, 2009, 7:58 am

Zoraz,

For us in the USA it's just plain old tissue paper, like what you put in presents. People in different countries have different kinds of tissue papers which is why they refer to it as artist tissue paper. Or maybe I'm wrong but that's seems to be the differnece because I've never seen artist's tissue paper and I'm a craft store junkie. Who needs a mall when you've got JoAnn's or Michael's??

Zoraz · Post by **Zoraz** » January 17th, 2009, 4:08 pm

Well, I think it went pretty well. There were hundreds of small bubbles and a few wrinkles, but from what ive read, those will disappear later, and don't disrupt the folding process. Can't wait to fold it!

Leaflock · Post by **Leaflock** » January 24th, 2009, 2:46 pm

@mrsriggins and Zoraz:
The difference between "artist tissue paper" and "normal humdrum tissue paper" is that the former bleeds like crazy and makes a mess when you so much as come near it with a glass of water. I much prefer the normal stuff myself.

Zoraz · Post by **Zoraz** » February 7th, 2009, 4:32 am

So, I have made 5 sheets so far...the first was all blue, and the second was all yellow, and they both turned out great. The third was red and green, and it was amazing! for all three of these sheets, the MC was very watery, and was easy to brush on. The paper turned out smooth on one side and rough on the other, as expected. Now it got wierd. My fourth sheet was blue and yellow. The MC was very thick and gooey, like the baking soda/water mixture. It was almost impossible to brush it on the edges without messing them up, and it was horribly wrinkly. The dried sheet was smooth and shiny on both sides, very crinkly, and I couldn't see my precreases. My fifth sheet is drying right now. Now for my question...

What happened to the MC? It was only stored as a solution for about a month.

origamimasterjared · February 7th, 2009, 5:08 am

Nothing out of the ordinary. It settles like that in a day. The stuff at the top was little more than water. As such, it's not going to do much for the foldability of your paper. That last sheet though--it's gonna be good. If the thick MC solution was too thick for you (the watery stuff is definitely too thin) you should stir it all together before applying.

Zoraz · Post by **Zoraz** » February 7th, 2009, 8:10 pm

Ok, ill try mixing it more.. I noticed today that my newest sheet (which I made for the ancient dragon) had a large tear in the middle, so I'll have to get the bottom of the mix a little less thick next time.

sarah_9 · Post by **sarah_9** » April 27th, 2009, 9:39 am

Hello,

Hm..., it sounds interesting, I will try to make it, though I love hand made papers but I'm not quite good in making it.

Regards,
sarah_9

ftangdude55 · Post by **ftangdude55** » June 8th, 2009, 11:28 pm

Is it possible to just store the MC gel inside of a yogurt container in the fridge? That's what I am doing, and I am hoping that it will keep for a couple of months, and with luck, longer.
I made the gel from 2 ounces of MC powder, and 20 ounces of water (the ounces being liquid measure), so I hope to keep it for a long time, since there is so much of the MC gel there, it would be a waste if the gel didn't keep for a while.

I'm making double tissue, and I took Jared's advice on the amount of MC to put on the paper, so now I'm just waiting for it to dry. I plan on sizing the paper after I cut it square. I am going to fold Mabona's Fugu Fish.

origamimasterjared · Post by **origamimasterjared** » June 8th, 2009, 11:52 pm

A yogurt container? As long as it's in a sealed container you'll be fine. I wouldn't keep it in the fridge. Just keep in a cool dry place. I used to use jam jars. Now I use tupperware bowls (Actually the disposable Gladware), since they're easier to dip a wide paintbrush into.