using newspaper as fuel - briquette maker?

dirtyepic

Hi,

We indulge in buying the newspapers at the weekend and every two weeks, when the recycling gets taken away, the newspapers are overflowing over the top of the bin.

We also have re-instated a gorgeous real fire in our sitting room and using wood and coal as fuel with newspaper folded up to start it off.

Soooooo........ it has suddenly dawned on me that maybe we could use the newspaper as fuel and I have heard of the briquette makers but have no idea if they are any good or not.

Has anyone any opinions of them? Worth it or not? Too much hassle? They take too long to dry out?

Any opinions much appreciated. Or alternative suggestions please?

Thanks

shellysue

I think newspapers are worth turning into fuel, but you don't need a briquette maker, just mash the newspaper up and then make balls of whatever size you like, the bigger they are the longer they take to dry, the smaller ones burn faster:)

ifonlyitwaseasier

we have the briquette maker, i'd advise start making them in the warmer months so they dry, i left it too late this year, only bought it in october, and they just wouldn't dry out

angelavdavis

Hi,

There have been various discussions over time about making your own briquettes that you might find useful:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/968735
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2771656
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2238407
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/320166

zippychick

ive moved this to green and ethical as your thread may be merged with the older one

Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

These threads from Old Style may also be useful

Tip for those with an open fire to save fuel!

Laying a fire

Looking after the fire

Wood burning fire

OS firelighters

Making Paper Bricks

Pine Cones on the fire?

Cheap Fire Kindler wood


Thanks
ZIP

absoluteutopia

shellysue wrote: »

I think newspapers are worth turning into fuel, but you don't need a briquette maker, just mash the newspaper up and then make balls of whatever size you like, the bigger they are the longer they take to dry, the smaller ones burn faster:)

Burning faster defeats the purpose

easytiger-gb

I have one of those briquette makers and I find it a real handy piece of kit; sometimes when I'm on my own and it's not really cold but I just want to keep the log burner in, I just pop a couple in the fire and they burn for ages. They catch really easily too, so they're perfect for when the fires nearly out. I read somewhere about putting sawdust in too but have had no joy, since when it dries out it all falls out. I pop a couple on the top of my radiator and they dry out in a week (we have to have the radiator on for 1 hour every day to warm the water), so have a ready supply at the minute but in the summer I'm going to make loads and dry them out outside. Here's my tips for good briquettes.
* don't tear the paper and cardboard into small pieces, strips are better.
* catalogues and brochures are perfect for tearing into strips - junk mail ones even better
* put a sheet of old scrap printer paper (after you've used both sides) or old junk mail letters into the bottom of the log maker, with the long edges sticking up the sides. then fill with paper, fold the top bits over and squeeze as hard as you can. The a4 paper keeps the bits altogether when it dries.
* use all bits of paper that you can; sugar wrappers, reciepts, junk mail, envelopes, cereal boxes, the cardboard sleeves from food, the greaseproof paper you use for baking, paperbags from the grocers, tissue paper from presents, wrapping paper (be careful not to use too much glossy stuff at one time). You'll be suprised how it soon adds up.
*use a dedicated bucket/washing up bowl with lid. The ink runs and dyes everything.
* make sure they're totally dry before you put them on the fire.
* don't be tempted to make the logs too thick or too thin. About 4 inches is perfect.
* consider putting a bit of old foam or rubber tubing over the handles of the log maker, they can be harsh on the hands.
* soak cardboard overnight but paper (esp newspaper) only needs a couple of hours.
* beware of how much ash they produce, make sure you riddle the fire out occasionally.

NeverInDebt

Surely you get lots of ash with using paper/cardboard?

grahamc2003

NeverInDebt wrote: »

Surely you get lots of ash with using paper/cardboard?

I burn all our paper, cardboard, magazines and junkmail in our multi-fuel stove. The only time we get serious amounts of ash is after burning really glossy magazines, but even so, I've never had more than an ashpan full of ash in any one day. Newspapers just seem to disappear with little ash. I'm not sure burning all that stuff on an open fire would work too well though, I doubt it would get ho enough to fully burn everything.

Making brickets and suchlike simply isn't necessary or even desirable in a stove. The fuel needs to be dry, and wetting it then drying it out over a few days or weeks seems a waste imo. Maybe it's beneficial for an open fre though.

For glossy mags, I just rip out seven or eight double pages, roll them up, then twist them to make them as tight as possible, then drape them over a burning log in the really hot stove - works a treat, no smoke and plenty of heat from waste material.

easytiger-gb

grahamc2003 wrote: »

Making brickets and suchlike simply isn't necessary or even desirable in a stove. The fuel needs to be dry, and wetting it then drying it out over a few days or weeks seems a waste imo. Maybe it's beneficial for an open fre though..

I'm interested to know how long these burn for? I have both a stove and an open fire and I find paper logs burn slower in the log burner due to being able to close down the air flow.

Equaliser123

Heard that too much paper on a fire plays havoc with the chimney and leads to increased soot.