[grinling]

I am thinking of a paper brick maker, are they any good? Which one? Can I use sawdust in it?

[joyfull]

I have one but found I couldn't squeeze the water out enough so the bricks took months and months to dry and even then they stayed damp in the centre. Jim was able to use it better. I think you can use sawdust but you may need a little pva glue to get it to stick together.
After 1 year we gave up trying to use it.

[sunshineband]

I have one but found I couldn't squeeze the water out enough so the bricks took months and months to dry and even then they stayed damp in the centre. Jim was able to use it better. I think you can use sawdust but you may need a little pva glue to get it to stick together.
After 1 year we gave up trying to use it.

We gave up on our gadget too Joy, for the same reasons.

The smell of wet newspaper drying out wasn't very nice either  :blink:

[ManicMum]

We're really pleased with ours - we got a heavy-duty one (can't remember the brand) which was a bit more pricey but seemed a lot more robust.

We all take a go at making the bricks in spring/early summer, they sit out in the greenhouse or under the carport for the summer spaced out with air gaps, then get packed into cardboard boxes in dry sheds or any other dry corner before it starts getting damp in autumn.

Each brick takes around one tabloid newspaper and burns for around an hour.  If you have a paper every day plus junk mail, that makes around 400 hours of free burn to boost either open fire or woodburner.  And they burn away to nothing so only small piles of compostable ash.

Seems a very green way to use up the newprint, if you don't use it for animal bedding or any other useful purpose.

[arugula]

I have one but found I couldn't squeeze the water out enough so the bricks took months and months to dry and even then they stayed damp in the centre. Jim was able to use it better. I think you can use sawdust but you may need a little pva glue to get it to stick together.
After 1 year we gave up trying to use it.

We gave up on our gadget too Joy, for the same reasons.

The smell of wet newspaper drying out wasn't very nice either  :blink:

Much the same here and if you do manage to squeeze enough water out, they make a very thin slice of paper.

[grinling]

Thanks for the replies, the more robust one does seem better, so will try.I will stack in polytunnel.

[Spana]

I made sawdust ones with wall paper paste and they all went mouldy

I did an experimental  trial a few years back, i'll see if i can find the posts.


Here you go, just a bit more reading for you.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=49578.0

[Agatha]

I roll my papers up in a tight roll and wedge under 'real' logs, about 1 third paper to 2 thirds logs.  Probably doesn't burn as long as the 'bricks' but zero effort/cost.

[jrko]

if you know anyone handy with a welder you could do the same as my mate and I cobbled together a while ago.

Larger but the same principle as the ones you buy. The pressing compartment was fixed to a concrete block for stability.  Instead of pressing two handles to remove water we used a scissor jack from a dead car to exert force/pressure by simply turning a handle.  The amount of extra force available meant we could make bricks MUCH denser than before and they burnt all the way through the next day.

needless to say, after that some tomfoolery took place involving a massive hi-torque motor 

That motor now drives his apple press.........

[Tenhens]

A few years ago I knew someone who made these and mixed in coal dust from their coal bunker.

[like diggingk]

hi we make them using a piece of down pipe 2ft long with small holes drill into it's diameter about 2in apart then using a old jockey wheel (no wheel on it ) piece of wood that fits in side pip   this compresses it
makes a round log about 8in long
dry's in about 2 days in the sun
burners for 1 hour
have put used coffie grans, saw dust in them smell's nice when burnt (only put a small amount in )

have got a cheap one from the shop but found the handles bend so could not get much water out of them takes weeks to dry out

[Growster...]

I was thinking of making one of the presses like the one in this doc, but it would have been too cumbersome for the few logs we would need.

However, it's a great looking machine!

http://www.ruaf.org/ruaf_bieb/upload/3160.pdf

(It's quite a big file, but interesting...)!

I also wondered about making it as a fruit press, but again, probably too much kit for too little use...

[grinling]

Hubby has knocked something up, worked well but too much sawdust. Will take photos when next paper batch has soaked.

[Growster...]

I've often wondered if it's worth mixing coal dust (£7.80 for 50 kg), with a little cement, sticking in a few sticks of kindling and a firelighter, and making an 'instant' fire in a fire-grate-shaped mould.

Just a thought...