Fire briquettes

[SteveClem]

I bet most on here have had a go at making these... using annoying little compressors that make your hands hurt and break after a couple of times. The compressor, not (usually) your hands!
One of the great things about being retired is available time, and being a curious person I decided to investigate. Having an underemployed cement mixer helped, as did my huge pile of old newspapers and my wife's stockpile of Amazon boxes!
Got to say that I'm surprised at how easy these things are to make and how well they burn on our multi fuel stove. Drying time is the big problem, but I guess in the summer they'll cure in the greenhouse very quickly.
They reckon that the average household dumps up to a ton of paper every year, that's a lot of free fuel.

[philthehill]

Steve

I must be doing something wrong as I do not appear to have any spare time since retiring.

Phil

[les]

A common phenomenon Phil !

[POMMReg]

Never mind the paper, does Les' wife fit in the cement mixer?

[SteveClem]

Got chatting to someone from the local stables a while ago. They burn dried horse poo in a rocket stove there. Seems it doesn't smell at all.
She's trying to convince her husband to use it on their log burner....good luck on that one

[TDV102]

When the kids were small we found soiled disposable nappies would burn, any niff went up the chimney.

[Mark Wilson]

If you go trekking in the Himalayas you will probably spend your evenings thawing out by a yak dung fuelled stove. I don't think the smell ever bothered me more than the smell of my companions...

[POMMReg]

Having a Yak fuelled stove in the UK would prove expensive!

[philthehill]

All together,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Yakity Yak.

[philthehill]

I can now understand why there are so many duplicate posts on this site - keep your finger on the submit button more than a nano second and the post duplicates.

[SteveClem]

Seems there's a chap in Bolton sells briquette makers for poo. Grazing animals only,according to my informant.

[irmscher]

What a crap job

[POMMReg]

Lots of insects in poo, not burning the poor sods!!

Can think of a few ppl to burn....

REALLY sad day, as one of our Robin's died

[Nickol]

A good friend has developed, in conjunction with a local university a Nanoblockheizkraftwerke - sort of miniature power station. The principal is not new of course, just the construction using readily available parts from the motor industry and thus considerably cheaper not to mention much smaller than what is presently available and used in large premises. Using town gas, or in my case fluid gas, it produces heat as a by product so to speak.

We are being frequently told here in Germany that out power is quite cheap compared to the rest of europe. Perhaps it is but they forget to tell you that with full VAT is chargeable as well as other "green" taxes and supplements for renewables such that your "cheap" power has a minimum 45% ish surcharge. Those using town gas with the unit can sell the power back into the grid at a profit ( not so with fluid gas ) and amortise the purchase costs, it is reckoned within 5 years. I understand in Britain you do not have these surcharges so the amortisation would I suppose take longar.

Thus when it is ready, the software is being finalised now, I look forward to seeing it work in my small house and giving a stink finger to the tax man. Made in Germany

[les]

Lots of insects in poo, not burning the poor sods!!

Can think of a few ppl to burn....

REALLY sad day, as one of our Robin's died

Yes, apparently we are losing many insects from pesticides, land clearance, and the like, not that it bothers the makers and participants of crap programmes like ‘celebrity’ get me out, tipping bucket loads around.
Well, they’re only insects after all, sod it, it’s entertainment.
My understanding of the matter is a thriving insect population is the key to the well being of us all. Bees being a good example.

[irmscher]

Probably another Robin Chris as at this time of the year they are very territorial and fierce and will fight to the death .A few old logs are perfect for insect habitation

[SteveClem]

So i’ve had a full summer making these things. Just using waste. Finished up with almost a ton of them.
A few tips...
Newspapers and cardboard is the best base material
Up to about 20% sawdust or wood chippings can be used
Avoid shiny magazine type paper
They take along time to dry
Burn just like logs but leave a bit more ash
Very good heat output and no tar in the chimney
Don’t mess around with the silly little ‘log makers’. Make one of your own. Simple and fun,and you can churn them out.
Saved us about £300 this year
Good fun

[Propshaft]

Hi s c. Any chance of a bit more info on how you make the brickets and what mould you use
Thanks

[SteveClem]

I soak and churn the paper in a cement mixer,using water from a rainwater butt. Then put the resulting pulp into a
Tesco’s plastic crate. The sort with lots of holes in. I made wooden dividers to split it into 4 equal sections. Then I insert a wooden block, cut to size ,in each section and stand on it. The water escapes quickly leaving four solid, if damp,briquettes.
Depending upon the weather they can either be left outside to dry, or stacked in a dry ventilated place. I used the greenhouse as the plants had been moved into the garden and found that they were bone dry within a few weeks.
Next year I’m going to make some sort of press to extract more water and speed up the drying process.
Once you have a system going it’s easy to make about 16 in an hour.
I find that they are best burnt mixed with wood to prevent ash buildup. Great in fire pits and chimineas too.
Each one burns for up to an hour with good heat. Shortage of raw material and drying space are the only limitations.

[Propshaft]

Thanks for that I have two multi fuel fires and this seems a good idea to get rid of paper and cardboard unfortunately I am half way through my 59 two door restoration but will give it a go next summer
Ps getting plenty of cardboard boxes from the parts suppliers
Regards Colin