paper briqettes

Jovin

Hi
We have just purchased a Hunter Hawk 3 multifuel stove and I was considering burning home made paper briquettes on it. Anyone done this with success? I was wondering if it would need some logs or coal as well.
Any advice appreciated :cool:

ventureuk

I've made 50 briquettes from office shreddings, I wouldn't want to make them from newspapers, the shreddings made soaking in an old dustbin with a little bleach quite easy. They have taken three weeks to dry in a greenhouse.

They burn slowly and with little flame, I have found that they should really be burnt with wood which raise the general temperature, they would be no good on their own, they also create a lot of ash.

There are recipes online for adding peat, sawdust and other products which make a lot of sense.

I suggest you need to try all fuels in a new fire to see what burns well in your circumstances.

twiglet98

Do you use a special briquette mould? I'm intrigued by this idea. Would newspapers have to be shredded? Do you still use kindling, are these briquettes just to reduce the volume of wood being burned?

ventureuk

Look for an eko-mania heavy duty briquette maker on Ebay. It was the cheapest I could find it and was the original and is the upgraded strong version. There seem to be some cheap Chinese ones about which are flimsy and with sharp metal edges.

Watch the video below, they guy has made his own press but the process is identical to the eco-mania device except for the muscle power to press the water out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Ha3CJo9gA

I don't use them as kindling, I just pop one on with a normal log and I use less logs. I would think newspaper needs tearing up before soaking but adding a bit of bleach breaks down the cellulose and turns it mushy faster, I used an old dustbin and 1/2 full of paper/water mix it made 15 briquettes.

Try and get some office shreddings, they made it really easy.

I have some old growbags and may add them to my next batch.

Just found the instructions online here.

http://www.ekomania.eu/image/listing/071006_logmaker_16-49/4-large.jpg

twiglet98

Thank you so much, it gets more and more interesting - growbags?? I wonder if any other polythene (for want of the correct word!) would break down similarly, compost bags for example? I've saved those instructions and am watching a few on eBay, there is also one that makes dry paper logs. How long do the wet ones take to dry out enough to use - days or weeks?

ventureuk

twiglet98 wrote: »

Thank you so much, it gets more and more interesting - growbags?? I wonder if any other polythene (for want of the correct word!) would break down similarly, compost bags for example? I've saved those instructions and am watching a few on eBay, there is also one that makes dry paper logs. How long do the wet ones take to dry out enough to use - days or weeks?

The peat inside, not the bag.

nubian56

Sorry this may be a bit off topic but I am wondering if any one has used eco briquettes for a wood burning stove, the price varies so much dont want to shell out if they are no good help would be appreciated:j