Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Frugal Living => Topic started by: Poolfield2 on October 05, 2008, 09:39
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Has anyone tried those "formers" for squashing newspaper into a slow burning log for the fire? I believe you have to start with wet newspaper which is putting me off but if they are good once you've managed to dry them out (how in this bloomin weather) I would consider having a go. We always seem to have plenty of papers and I can only use so many in the henhouse.
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I tried them. The problem was getting them to dry. Once dry they burnt well. A bit quicker than wood, but warm enough.
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I think they are a bit expensive for what they are. My brian maade me one, but I only use paper to start my fire, as we get all the old window and door frames we need for burning, so I've never used it.
I did have a website with a simple one like the one brian made me on it.. basically a wooden box with a lid that fits inside the box with holes at the bottom. You stuff it full of wet paper, then keep presing it down until as much water as possible goes out of it then stack hem, but like Paddy said, it takes ages for them to dry.
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Thanks both, I take it then that they are more trouble than they are worth. I just liked the idea of heat for free but drying them would be a big problem even if we had a few dry days.
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Look on German eBay, you'll get them much cheaper - FOE have them for£30 in their catalogue, a ripoff. I saved up cardboard and paper for ages but ended up composting the cardboard, haven't tried burning them yet but have laid by quite a few for emergencies and they'll insulate the loft too.
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I like the idea of added insulation while waiting to burn them :lol:
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I soak newspapers (briefly!) in a bucket of soapy water, roll them up as tightly as possible and tie with a bit of wire. They dry in a couple of weeks and then I just chuck them in with the logs. Not brilliant, but free!
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i have one of them log makers and i think they are quite good (I think around £20). I just throw all my shredded documents into a bucket of water and every so often make a brick. yes, they do take a long time to dry, but if you do it through the summer you will have pleanty to keep you going through the winter.
i use some recycled plastic mesh type cannisters that you get from food wholesalers to store mine whilst they are drying (lets the air get around them). if you plan more long term, they are definately a good use of all your waste paper. (tip...if you work in an office that uses a shredder and they will let you take the stuff home..even better).
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Thanks goose that sounds a lot easier than ripping up newspaper and I can get loads of shreddings. I've put an appeal on a local freecycle incase anyone has got bored with theirs.
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Our local freecycle is very friendly and someone offered to lend me a paper squasher thingy. I have made 3 so far and put them to dry in the polytunnel. It takes a great deal of force to squash the log hard enough to keep it together. I'm no shrinking violet but I struggled. I think if I was designing it, I would make the arms longer to increase the lever length. I seem to remember from my physics lessons that I would get more power out with the same effort in.
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mine dont require that much pressure to squash into shape. perhaps you need to soak the paper for longer. i usually give it a week or so.
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It was easier after the paper soaked longer but it was hard to get them out whole, it seems I'm still not squishing them hard enough. I did wonder if the paper was too good quality and so didn't break down easily. I'm going to employ neice power this weekend and we will use newspaper and see if we get on any better.
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We used newspaper and 2 niece power and were successful, so we have spent a "ripping" evening getting the next tub of paper ready for tomorrow. Newspaper was so much easier than shredded office paper.
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My pal Richard made a video about these paper logs
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Maybe of interest?
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Now I see why 2 girls aged 8 and 11 struggled :lol: You do need a fair amount of muscle.
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I should have said - I stand on mine and trampoline on it a bit to compress it down.
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Ahh now that makes sense, I'll try not to break my ankle in the process :lol:
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Hi, I tried the briquette maker using wet paper like the one you're talking about but found the whole thing too much trouble. I then was recommended a dry paper logmaker, it's very easy and quick and you can use more than just newspaper.Check it out on http://www.greenstamp.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/122.
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Hi tarranty. Welcome in. :)
Do you want to pop over to the welcome forum and introduce yourself? :D
Be nice to see you around the forums.
Rob 8)
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I would but I can't find it!
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have a look here:
http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewforum.php?f=12
:D
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Tear your newspapers, junk mail, etc. into 1"/25mm wide strips, add paper shreddings and soak in buckets for at least 24 hours. I leave the newspapers out in the rain for several days before tearing up and top up from rainwater barrels to reduce tap water usage.
Place the strips into the 'log maker' with the ends hanging over the sides/ends, and continue to fill it ensuring you wrap the projecting strips from lower layers back over the ones above so everything interlocks and you get a compact 'log'. Those made from whole sheets of newspaper always seem to fall apart.
During the Summer is obviously the best time to produce these paper 'logs', stacking them on edge to dry under cover, but the season can be extended by putting them in your oven to dry/finish drying. This is obviously more efficient if you are burning paper logs in your Aga/Rayburn to dry paper logs in it's oven! (but damp 'logs' can be placed in an electric/gas oven after use to dry).
Our 'log maker' cost a friend approx. £16, but they couldn't cope/get the hang of it. As we cut our own firewood (and are now producing the first of our fuel from willow coppice - but for an enclosed stove). However, we will still continue to make our 'paper logs'.
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A few pics taken today:
Fill 'log maker' with soaked strips of newspaper (or junk mail, envelopes, shreddings, brown/tissue/Christmas paper, etc. - but I keep this below 25% otherwise it doesn't all stick together very well), getting the strips all tangled together (I ignored the instructions not to tear into strips and just to wet - not soak as that produces logs that fall apart):
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w264/DavidsWine/paperlogs1.jpg)
Fill evenly to approx. 25mm from the top:
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w264/DavidsWine/paperlogs2.jpg)
The insert the top plate, press the levers to squeeze water out (the should go almost as far as they possibly can if you've filled it to the right level and turn it upside down to pour the water out (and remove the 'log'):
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w264/DavidsWine/paperlogs3.jpg)
It only takes a couple of minutes per log (didn't get this one quite perfect as it was bloomin cold today:
(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w264/DavidsWine/paperlogs4.jpg)
If you put it back in upside down and re-press you should get some more water out. Work on a bench at a suitable height with your paper up there as well or you'll knacker your back if working on the ground. If you do it on your patio it will end up covered with loads of bits of paper stuck to it (until the slugs eat them).
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Very informative David. Thanks for that. How many logs can you make from a couple of newspapers ?
We only get a coupel of free local papers and not that much junk mail. I think we'd have to scrounge from other folks.
And how long do they burn for ?
Rob 8)
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Hi there!
We squish damp (not soaked) shredded paper into plant pots, makes for great in between kindling and logs burning stuff and we even have family making them for us out of shredded bills, they dry out fairly quickly if left on a radiator.
Hope that helps
C.L.
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How many logs can you make from a couple of newspapers ?
We only get a coupel of free local papers and not that much junk mail. I think we'd have to scrounge from other folks.
And how long do they burn for ?
Rob 8)
Being back in the summer when we produced them, I could only guess at an average of one 'log' per newspaper, which would burn in an open fireplace for approx 45 mins, but we mix them with wood & coal.
We use the 'free' local paper and neighbour's newspapers - could be a good time to convince then to give you their papers as the bottoms dropped out the market for recycled paper.
But use of newspapers as an 'organic' mulch always competes against their use as a fuel source.
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Having made the wet log method I did find it all a bit cold and messy then you have to dry them for weeks before you can burn them. I would need to plan ahead and that is not my strong point.
However the other post about the dry system really interests me, I could sit in the house and make those while chatting to a friend over a cup of tea. Now that's my sort of thing :lol: :lol: