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Rufus Fornow · **Posted: 01-10-2008 , 02:23 PM** #39

Re rolling them up and throwing them in...I did something quite like this for years: fold newspapers in half, then half again (lengthways) to make a strip about 10" wide; roll em up to make a tube 10" long by 3or 4" thick ( about 4 newspapers in each one.) Tie up the rolls with a piece of string about 2" from each end - tie 'em tight!

Soak em in soapy water - your used bathwater (or washing up water, if it's not too dirty) is fine. They will float at first cos of trapped air. You can push 'em down or just wait for them to sink. When they are soaked,squeeze the heavy wet out of them, use an old towel, or just step on them somewhere where the water can run away. (this is what the "briquette maker" does!) Stack them somewhere to dry. If you have a glasshouse or conservatory, that's ideal. Otherwise, a shed window or your spare room windowsill (put something underneath to soak up the wet!) - anywhere dry and out of the way.

It used to take a couple of weeks at most to dry out and they were BRILLIANT fuel - burned for hours, put out loads of heat. The only reason I don't do them any more is cos I'm on the commuting treadmill - I spend all my time in the car these days and you can't make them there (can't burn them there either!)

They sound complicated, but aren't. They take hardly any time. Kids love to help making them too. By the way, a friend of mine bought the briquette-maker thingy around the same time. Only used it a couple of times, cos it was such a palaver. But he agreed my logs were better, easier, burnt better than his briquettes and cost ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Hope this is of interest.

	Posted: 01-10-2008 , 02:23 PM #39
Rufus Fornow Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 245	paper briquettes. Re rolling them up and throwing them in...I did something quite like this for years: fold newspapers in half, then half again (lengthways) to make a strip about 10" wide; roll em up to make a tube 10" long by 3or 4" thick ( about 4 newspapers in each one.) Tie up the rolls with a piece of string about 2" from each end - tie 'em tight! Soak em in soapy water - your used bathwater (or washing up water, if it's not too dirty) is fine. They will float at first cos of trapped air. You can push 'em down or just wait for them to sink. When they are soaked,squeeze the heavy wet out of them, use an old towel, or just step on them somewhere where the water can run away. (this is what the "briquette maker" does!) Stack them somewhere to dry. If you have a glasshouse or conservatory, that's ideal. Otherwise, a shed window or your spare room windowsill (put something underneath to soak up the wet!) - anywhere dry and out of the way. It used to take a couple of weeks at most to dry out and they were BRILLIANT fuel - burned for hours, put out loads of heat. The only reason I don't do them any more is cos I'm on the commuting treadmill - I spend all my time in the car these days and you can't make them there (can't burn them there either!) They sound complicated, but aren't. They take hardly any time. Kids love to help making them too. By the way, a friend of mine bought the briquette-maker thingy around the same time. Only used it a couple of times, cos it was such a palaver. But he agreed my logs were better, easier, burnt better than his briquettes and cost ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Hope this is of interest.