Paper briquettes for Log Burners/open fires?

Sledge_2

I've been using one of the brick makers for some time, and I have completely sussed out how to make it work!

My system is this; I have a dustbiin, which I 3/4 fill with water, then get all the newspapers I can, tear them up into little bits of maybe 10 cm square (or rather the kids do), then put all the paper in the water. I leave this for a time while I do other things, then return to it and 'blend' the mistuxe using a drill and a plaster stirrer/mixer, this then produces almost a poridge consistency in just a couple of minutes.

I aquired a large washing basket, the kind that are full of holes, and I scoop out the mixture and pour it all in this basket. I then leave it for a time again to let most of the water drain out, leaving a very thick mulch.

I then use this mulch to produce the bricks. It seem like a lot of effort, but I estimate that each brick I make takes about 4 minutes, and they last about an hour on the fire. So in an hour (cumulative time) I can make 20-25 bricks, which will last me some days on the fire. I continually make the bricks, every alternate weekend and stockpile them.

I agree that they don't seem to give much heat, but I think it depends on the size of the hearth they are placed in, and also if they are 'stirred' occasionally or turned over, the heat is quite extreme. I also found that the bricks are maybe a little large, so I occasionally cut them in half; this produces more heat, but they obviously burn quicker.

The brick makers can be bought from about £15, and a plaster mixer is maybe £5, so the initial outlay isn't huge, especially if you have a multifuel burner, they will merrily produce heat for hours if combined with a few logs and some coal.

My latest experiment is to incorporate upto 50% sawdust in the mulch (acquired from local wood yard), but I haven't tried them on the fire yet.

:-)

Alan_Cross

Sledge wrote: »

I've been using one of the brick makers for some time, and I have completely sussed out how to make it work!

My system is this; I have a dustbiin, which I 3/4 fill with water, then get all the newspapers I can, tear them up into little bits of maybe 10 cm square (or rather the kids do), then put all the paper in the water. I leave this for a time while I do other things, then return to it and 'blend' the mistuxe using a drill and a plaster stirrer/mixer, this then produces almost a poridge consistency in just a couple of minutes.

I aquired a large washing basket, the kind that are full of holes, and I scoop out the mixture and pour it all in this basket. I then leave it for a time again to let most of the water drain out, leaving a very thick mulch.

I then use this mulch to produce the bricks. It seem like a lot of effort, but I estimate that each brick I make takes about 4 minutes, and they last about an hour on the fire. So in an hour (cumulative time) I can make 20-25 bricks, which will last me some days on the fire. I continually make the bricks, every alternate weekend and stockpile them.

I agree that they don't seem to give much heat, but I think it depends on the size of the hearth they are placed in, and also if they are 'stirred' occasionally or turned over, the heat is quite extreme. I also found that the bricks are maybe a little large, so I occasionally cut them in half; this produces more heat, but they obviously burn quicker.

The brick makers can be bought from about £15, and a plaster mixer is maybe £5, so the initial outlay isn't huge, especially if you have a multifuel burner, they will merrily produce heat for hours if combined with a few logs and some coal.

My latest experiment is to incorporate upto 50% sawdust in the mulch (acquired from local wood yard), but I haven't tried them on the fire yet.

:-)

I've just found this thread on search.

I'm fascinated by the sawdust incorporation idea. It strikes me that the calorific value would shoot up. Is 50% the maximum achievable? Does the wood yard charge you anything ?

Sledge_2

At the moment, they haven't charged me for any of the sawdust, although I've only been taking small amounts. I suppose that you could increase the sawdust proportion, the way I make the bricks now, the wood pulp is literally like porridge; very finely mulched. As long as there was enough random paper fibres mixed in, I'm sure the brick would maintain integrity while it burned.

I will have to ask the wood yard about the possibility of getting more sawdust, in the tens of kilograms maybe. The only problem could be that of they might require a disposal certificate, but I'm sure I could produce one.

I've often wondered why nobody does this on a commercial scale, the idea of producing an environmentally friendly fuel must appeal to someone; and it would be CO2 neutral in the materials, the only energy would be in the production and transport.

lynn.roberts

My Oh and I have made out own wood burning fire...he can get the wood very cheep! My mother mentioned a thing to use paper to make bricks to put on the fire and was wondering if anyone knew of a website that sold the item in question and also if anyone knew where we could get an in expecive wood burning boiler.... Thank you all for your help in case I forget to thank you after:D

Fag_ash_lil

lynn.roberts wrote: »

My Oh and I have made out own wood burning fire...he can get the wood very cheep! My mother mentioned a thing to use paper to make bricks to put on the fire and was wondering if anyone knew of a website that sold the item in question and also if anyone knew where we could get an in expecive wood burning boiler.... Thank you all for your help in case I forget to thank you after:D

Hi ya ,

I was looking at the " paper log makers " a while ago and found the cheapest ones for sale on ebay .... here's a link to them

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/_W0QQ_nkwZpaperQ20logQ20makerQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZR40QQ_mdoZ

I did intend buying one , but hadn't realised how " fiddly " it is to make them ...

Apparently you have to soak the newspapers for 24 hours ...... squeeze the water out of them .... add a few layers into the " paper maker " .... squeeze more water out ...let it dry totally for a few days .... then keep repeating this until the " paper maker " is full ...

When totally dry each "log " burns for aprox 2 hours ....

A friend of mine had one and said it is a complete nightmare to start making these in the winter time ...... She use to make hers in the summer time and store them ready for the winter ..... She was lucky in as much as she had an outside workshop to store these in ...

If you do get one ..... let me know how you get on and i may get one and start making mine next summer !

terri x

Mojisola

I know someone who has one of these -

https://www.thegardenersshop.co.uk/logmaker---fuel-for-free-322-p.asp

and is very pleased with it. You don't have the problem with wet paper with this type.

Fag_ash_lil

Mojisola wrote: »

I know someone who has one of these -

www.thegardenersshop.co.uk/logmaker---fuel-for-free-322-p.asp

and is very pleased with it. You don't have the problem with wet paper with this type.

oooh ..... that looks good ..... even better because you don't wet the paper ....:D

I might try one of these .....

terri x

Sledge_2

have a look at this thread;

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1100285

Jazzy_B

I got one from Ebay two years ago, and made them through the summer. They take a couple of months to dry. Last winter we thought they were great and used them most days once the fire was hot. All was well until February , when we had our first ever chimney fire. We were told that you newsprint leaves a deposit on the chimney lining, making chimney fires more likely. The chimney had been swept the previous summer.
Maybe we were just unlucky, but I've freecycled the log maker

tttonyyy

Interesting thread - I'm considering getting one of these in order to use the byproduct from my biodiesel processor (glycerol, with some NaOH and Methanol present). So instead of water, using the glycerol, mixed with either shredded paper or sawdust.