Paper Log Briquette Maker Recycled Eco Fire Free Fuel Brick Block Newspaper

ok, first, this is a budget solution. I read the reviews and took heed that the metal is weak and flimsy so I was careful not to use too much force.This is how I made briquettes that have burnt pretty well1 - Shred up all cardboard and paper (a micro-cut shredder would be ideal) Larger pieces make the briquettes delaminate as they dry2 - place into large bucket of water to soak (I left the bucket out to collect rainwater to be more eco)3 - occasionally mix up cardboard (can buy a paint mixer for a drill but I just used a garden fork but don't compromise the bucket with the fork)4 - once soaked for up to a week, briquette maker can be used5 - half load the maker and carefully squeeze water out ensuring the top remains level and arms are not bending. should be able to get down to the stoppers.6 - fill to the brim and then squeeze what you can out by hand being careful to keep everything level and not push too hard to remove some water.ensure the top squeezer is parallel with the bottom (not tilting up at either end)7 - this needs caution as could damage the maker. Place a square piece of wood (garden tile anything that covers the whole maker and big enough for a foot to stand on and won't break easily) over the cenre of the maker8 - ensure everything is parallel and level as you place a foot on top. Ensure you support your body so the weight does not move around as you gradually add pressure to the top of the maker.9 - still ensuring your weight is evenly balanced and the maker remains parallel, gradually load up your foot until you are standing on the wood10 - you can use the levers to give the briquette a hand squeeze to get the water off the top. Carefully remove the briquette and store to dry. I put them on a shelf with a board on top and some weights to compress them as they dry.11 - in winter, I leave them for a week outside then put on a grill near the fire to finish the drying offNot an alternative to wood but I find putting a briquette then a log then coal (if you use it) is a good way to get things burning, have good heat and compress the remaining card. They last about 30-45 mins and there seems to be less ash than when you just chuck boxes straight into the burnerFinally I'm gonna remind you that too much force will cause the maker to bend as it is not the strongest construction so keep that in mind and be wary of what you are doing as you apply force

I've been using this for about 4 months now, so I think I've now got enough experience using it to give a thorough review.TL:DR - Good value, not as fragile as others have claimed, satisfying to use but paper briquettes aren't going to replace wood in stoves or chimeneas.So, first off this product isn't as fragile as other reviews have indicated. If these reviews are worrying you, then please take comfort from the fact that I'm 6ft, weigh 14 stone, and was standing on the arms last night, bouncing up and down to get as much weight as I could on it. The briquette maker stood up to it fine, and all is well.One thing I quite enjoy is the activity involved in using this. If you own a woodburner, you probably fit into one of two categories: People who just want to buy a bag of logs and enjoy their stove on a cold evening OR people who enjoy spending hours cutting, chopping and seasoning wood and the smug satisfaction that comes from free heat. If you fit into the second category, you will probably enjoy this bit of kit; There's a lot of effort involved, from shredding the paper, to mixing the sludge to decanting and forming it with the briquette maker to drying the briquettes afterward. I really enjoy this, and am happy to put the time and effort in, but if you run your stove only occasionally, and don't want to spend hours messing around then this probably isn't for you!Finally, I would suggest that this is not going to end your reliance on wood. The briquettes make a great supplemental fuel - I chuck one in with every log, and it provides loads of extra heat - but on their own they don't burn very well and don't produce much flame, so while they are a great addition which reduces the amount of wood you use, don't think they're going to replace those £5 bags of wood or the hours of chopping and stacking!

The briquette maker is a cheap lightweight device for making used paper into fuel for the fire. I have made around 25 briquettes so far. It is a labourious process but quite satisfactory. I found it best to tear used newspapers into strips and soak in my wheelbarrow. Leaving to soak for a prolonged period does not seem to have any more effect than soaking overnight. The smaller you tear the paper the better. I found it best to tear the paper into 25mm wide strips. I did try soaking whole papers over night and longer but the paper fibres did not seem to break down as the torn strips did. When the paper was fully soaked I found it useful to get in there with my hands to mush and further tear the pulp. At first when making the blocks I filled the container with pulp up to the top of the unit before squeezing out a bit of water and topping it up with more paper. This method adds another step to the process but does mean you can compact the paper a little more. I stopped doing this on later attempts just because it took longer. The briquette maker is not what I would call heavy duty- it is very lightweight and will bend out of shape as numerous other users have rported, I don't think this is a big issue really as it still works okay. I have seen a heavy duty log maker and at €180 it is probably only for the very serious user. On the drying out time- It takes a long time, but if you have the whole summer ahead then it doesnt really matter, just try and find somewhere covered which has a bit of airflow. Can't wait to try them on the chimnea on a long summer evening.