View Full Version : Paper bricks
Anyone heard of these? My dad has a paper brick maker, basically a box which you put wet paper into, then compress it to a tight block. When its dry it ignites beautifully =D
I tried making some by squidgeing it inside a plant pot. Mine didn't burn at all well though, just smouldered for a while.
you can normally get the press out of one of those betterware type catalogues or some decent old world diy shop
BnQ :
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9636681&ecamp=trf-005&CAWELAID=266993873
FreddyFish
11-04-2010, 23:45
I have one and made a stack that are sitting in the cellar but not got round to using them yet...
there is athread called fire logs ther is alink on it somewhere and i think there cheaper there regards dave
sasquatch
12-04-2010, 08:53
They do work but it's a lot of effort for what you end up with in my opinion. I've had one for a few years now and only use it on occasion thesedays, my lad like to help make them so I do it for his sake more than anything! They're optimistic with burn times when advertising them I reckon.
Ryecroft
12-04-2010, 13:58
Completely agree sasqwatch, I made a load, they took ages to dry out, and burnt quickly without any 'substance'. Ok to get a fire going imho, but countered by a fair bit of ash which can smother a fire too.
Not going to be making many more in a hurry.:(
Aye, we had a bit of trouble getting them to burn as well >.< Something we tried was mixing a little bit of lighter fluid into the water when we made the bricks O.o When we lit one the flame nearly took my eyebrows off :eek:
sasquatch
12-04-2010, 19:22
I stack them on a radiator and it dries them a treat, I've not had a problem with them burning they just didn't last very long or throw off much heat...maybe a bit of sawdust in the mix would help them go further?
gowersponger
12-04-2010, 19:27
umm never heard of these fancy giveing them a try,any one no a good way to make them with out ,buying the machine :confused:
My grandad used to have one that didn't use any water - you rolled the newspaper round and round a spindle to make 'logs', by turning a handle and feeding the sheets in. Not seen one like it anywhere since, but it worked a treat! The logs were dense enough that they burned for quite a while and you could make them and burn them instantly as no drying needed. I imagine something like it would be quite easy to fabricate.
I saw that type on ebay a while back...
Really? What did they call it? Now I'm thinking about it, I think the logs it produced were really very dense, so you needed to get quite a hot fire going to start with... and possibly add a coal or two now and then. But knowing my grandad he probably rolled them very tight. lol. And slow burning is definitely better than disappearing with a flash.
how about this relfy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rglqqz1faas
also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyGI1vLrF-A
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1311&_nkw=paper+log+maker&_sacat=See-All-Categories
few different types..
spiritwalker
12-04-2010, 22:05
ive got 32 paper bricks and rising drying out in the greenhouse using the log maker i linked to in the other thread. I plan to use them when the burners running hot as opposed to initial fuel eg been burning wood until a deep bed of embers is formed its just to make my logs go further as opposed to main fuel source. THe ones i made in january are just about dry now but since the papers free even if they only last 20-30mins each its better than buying logs or coal i am also wombling shed loads (literally) of wood
how about this relfy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rglqqz1faas
also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyGI1vLrF-A
I love that first one - if I tried that with my drill it'd take my hand off! The piston one I've seen before.... it does seem like the two options in the UK are either wet or flimsy, though I guess the piston idea could be played with using more sturdy materials.
The one granddad had was like this one I found on American Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/UNIFLAME-Newspaper-Log-Roller/dp/B0012M9UZ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1271107977&sr=8-1 ..... I must see if its hiding in his cellar or something. I guess you could remove the handle and attach a drill... hehe! Just need to be prepared with long glued together lengths of newspaper before you start.... :D
Youtube has lots of people showing their own ingenious fabrications. I like this guy's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9XZTsi-_8U&feature=related perhaps because I would never get around to making such a thing. ;)
helixpteron
12-04-2010, 23:18
They're optimistic with burn times when advertising them I reckon.
Not if you use asbestos fibres. http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/helixpteron/happy0009.gif