how to make grit?

artichoke

hi all

this morning we had run out of grit but needed to move the car so i got all the wood and coal ash out of the woodburner and mixed in a bag of salt and we used that.....

anyone got any other ideas for what to use as grit ?

although i do now have a problem as i have just started to weigh out flour for the breadmaker and realized i have not salt left in the house!

art

Uniscots97

Do you have a cat? You can use cat litter as grit.

Reverbe

I wouldnt swap the grit and salt to the extent of putting it in your bread tho

motherhen2234

Check you local council website. Most local authorities have local grit bins where you can fill your bucket up for free. I discovered about ours after i used up all the household salt.

thriftlady_2

motherhen2234 wrote: »

Check you local council website. Most local authorities have local grit bins where you can fill your bucket up for free. I discovered about ours after i used up all the household salt.

But isn't there supposed to be a national shortage of grit at the mo? It's being rationed round here I believe;)

Uniscots97

This might help:-

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa120703a.htm

it mentions that some weedkillers and fertilisers can be used, but please be careful where you're using them!!!

Penelope_Penguin

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TDA10

Not grit making, but my dad always shoves a couple of those really rough textured exterior doormats under his wheels so that they have something to grip to when setting off.

Haven't tried it myself as my drive is on a slope so I just roll off it at the mo!

wallbash

Not grit making, but my dad always shoves a couple of those really rough textured exterior doormats under his wheels so that they have something to grip to when setting off.

Good idea, but a step forward is to tie the mats to the car with a long bit of string!

Then you can move away from the problem, towing the mats, then stop , mats are close.

Suzy_M

motherhen2234 wrote: »

Check you local council website. Most local authorities have local grit bins where you can fill your bucket up for free. I discovered about ours after i used up all the household salt.

Before everyone rushes out to steal road salt from the roadside bins -

The majority of grit bins are located at exposed locations and dangerous road junctions and are provided for use on public roads at that location. This is especially important where the location is not on a primary gritting route and/or in particularly inclement weather when gritters are unable to reach all areas because of workload or road conditions.

The vast majority of these bins are not provided to supply individual householders or businesses - despite what 'some bloke from the council' telling you to help yourself so he doesn't have to record an official complaint.

If you don't think this is important
- imagine yourself driving into a side road and finding yourself sliding back on to the main road into traffic because the junction wasn't gritted because the grit had been stolen

or

- being one of a number of residents who turn out to help paramedics on an emergency call carry equipment to a patient and then help to carry the patient back to the main road because the junction was again too icy, even for emergency vehicles, again because someone had stolen the road salt.

If you want road salt for your own use it can be bought at builders merchants. If you need a temporary solution coal ash is always good and also general sand.

jblack_2

Well said Suzy!!