Ukwenza Umcako Wokupenda

Qala nge-1 kg ye-slaked lime (i-calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)₂). I-slaked lime itholakala njengempuphu eyomile (i-hydrated lime) noma njenge-putty emanzi (i-lime putty, ebigcwele amanzi amasonto noma izinyanga futhi ibushelelezi). I-lime putty inika ukuqedwa okucolekileyo kunempuphu eyomile. Uma usebenzisa i-hydrated lime eyomile, yixube namanzi anele ukwenza unamathisela oqinile bese uyiyeka ubusuku bonke. I-hydrated lime isivele i-slaked; ukucwiliswa kuvuthwa i-putty futhi kwenza kube lula ukusebenza ngayo. ISEXWAYISO: i-slaked lime ine-alkaline enamandla (pH 12-13). Gqoka amagilavu nokuvikela amehlo. Gwema ukuthintana nesikhumba futhi ungahogeli impuphu eyomile.

Kancane kancane engeza amanzi ku-lime putty noma kunamathisela we-hydrated lime, uvuselela njalo, kuze kube yilapho inhlanganisela ifinyelela ukuqina kobisi olunokhilimu ogcwele — luncane ngokwanele ukuze lupendwe kalula kodwa lungabi amanzi nje. Nge-1 kg ye-slaked lime, lokhu ngokuvamile kudinga amalitha angu-3-5 amanzi. Vuselela kahle bese uhluza ngenetha elicolekileyo ukuze ukhiphe izigaxa noma izinhlayiya ezingancibilikanga. Izigaxa zizodala imigqa nokuqedwa okungalingani. Inhlanganisela kufanele ibushelelezi futhi ifane yonke.

Ukuze uthole umcako onombala, engeza impuphu yombala womhlabathi enhlanganiselweni: i-yellow ochre ngokhilimu ofudumele, i-red ochre ngophinki we-terracotta, i-raw umber ngompunga ofudumele, i-lampblack ngompunga opholile. Umbala akufanele udlule u-10% wesisindo se-lime — umbala omningi kakhulu wenza ukubopha kube buthakathaka. Xuba umbala namanzi amancane ukwenza unamathisela obushelelezi ngaphambi kokuwufaka emcakweni, ukuze ugweme izigaxa. Qaphela ukuthi umcako uhlala womile ukhanya kunalokho obukeka kukho uma umanzi — hlola isiqeshana sesampula bese usiyeka some ngaphambi kokukhetha umbala.

Manzisa indonga ngamanzi ahlanzekile ngaphambi kokufaka umcako — izindawo ezomile zimunca amanzi ngokushesha kakhulu, zivimbe i-carbonation efanele. Faka umcako ngezingqimba ezincane, ezilinganayo usebenzisa ibhulashi elibanzi elinoboya obuthambile (ngokwesiko ibhulashi elikhulu eliyisicaba lokwakha noma ibhulashi eliyindilinga elinzima elibizwa ngokuthi 'ibhulashi lomcako'). Sebenza ngokushesha futhi ungabhulashi kakhulu. Ungqimba ngalunye kufanele lube luncane kakhulu — lubonakale uma lumanzi. Yeka ungqimba ngalunye lome amahora angu-24 ngaphambi kokufaka olulandelayo. Faka izingqimba ezincane ezingu-3-5 ukuze uthole ukuqedwa okugcwele, okukhanyayo. Ungqimba luzobukeka lunamachashaza uma lumanzi kodwa lome lulingana.

Ngemuva kongqimba lokugcina, umcako udinga isikhathi sokwenza i-carbonation — i-calcium hydroxide imunca i-CO₂ emoyeni bese iguquka ibe yi-calcium carbonate, yakhe indawo eqinile, enamakristalu. Le nqubo ithatha amasonto angu-1-4 kuye ngomswakama nezinga lokushisa. Ungapendi elangeni elishisayo noma eqhweni — amazinga okushisa amaphakathi (10-25°C) nomswakama othile anika i-carbonation engcono kakhulu. Indawo eqediwe imhlophe ekhanyayo efana ne-chalk engacwebezeli (noma enombala) enokujula okuncane nokuthungwa okujula ngongqimba ngalunye olusha phakathi neminyaka. Umcako ungaphinde ufakwe minyaka yonke — ungqimba ngalunye lwengeza endaweni eqoqekile.