Creating Patterns on Metal with a Rolling Mill

I've seen references in several books about using handmade papers to create patterns on metal by running them through a rolling mill.  So I decided to give it a try to see if it would work, with mixed results.  Here are descriptions of how I created the patterns, the type of paper I used, and my comments on how well it worked.

The Rolling Mill

For those who've never encountered a rolling mill, here's a photo:


[From Wikimedia Commons]

Used for cold metal forming, a rolling mill contains two rollers through which metal is passed in order to texture or flatten it.  The two wheels on top adjust the height of the rollers which affects the pressure applied to the metal.  The T-bar on top turns the wheels to adjust the rollers.  The crank handle on the left side is used to turn the rollers to pass metal through them.

To get the patterns below, I cut a piece of the paper twice the width of the metal, then folded the paper around the metal sheet.  I tightened the rollers until I could just start to feel some resistance when I started to push the paper-wrapped metal between the two rollers.  Then I cranked the handle to send the metal through the rollers.

First Test

This paper had a wrinkled pattern to it but felt pretty sturdy.  I picked this up at The Paper Source in Nashville. 

Crinkled Paper

Here's what I got once I put the paper and some 24 gauge copper scrap through the rolling mill together.  The pattern was very subtle, sort of a pebble-y texture.  It would probably do well as a foundation that you could build upon.

Textured Copper - Pebble Pattern

 Second Test

This paper had a leaf pattern.  You could actually feel the leaves through the paper, so I though it might work well for patterning.  I picked this paper up at Plaza Art.

Leaf Paper

Much better.  The leaf pattern transferred clearly to the copper sheet.  Might be interesting to try an actual leaf!

Textured Copper - Leaf Pattern

Third Test

This paper had clearly visible fibers running through it.  You could feel the fibers in the paper when you touched it.  I picked this up at Plaza Art.

White Fiber Paper

Also a very nice transfer.  You can see the track of the fiber through the metal.

Textured Copper - Thread/Fiber Pattern

Fourth Test

My friend Shore loaned me some handmade Japanese-style paper from her scrapbooking supplies.  Thanks, Shore!

Sorry, no photo of the paper, but here are some of the results.

Textured Copper - Fine Lines and Swirls

Textured Nickel - Fine Lines and Swirls

Conclusions

The best paper had physical texture, fibers you could actually feel just by laying your hands on the paper.  The white fiber and leaf paper examples above are good examples of this.  But even subtle textures, like the crinkled paper in the first test, could produce some texture on metal.