Paper briquette maker..any good?

[Anne Robertson]

Has anyone used one of these log/briquette makers? Are they more trouble than they're worth? I'm desperately trying to think of ways to save money this winter and always struggle to get free wood for the fire so if efficient this would be ideal.
Thanks
anne

[Anne Robertson]

[Baccy Man]

As well as paper you can use sawdust, twigs, leaves, teabags, fruitstones, acorns or anything else you have to hand. Each brick should take 1-2 hours to burn depending on what materials it's made from.
The problems are that making up the bricks can be fairly messy especially if you have kids that want to help. It requires quite a lot of time to make them & then ages for them to dry. The heat they give out is more of a gentle background heat as they smoulder rather than burn so they won't heat a house by themselves but will make your logs last longer.

This design works much better than the tubular ones.
http://www2.cat.org.uk/shopping/product_info.php?products_id=897

Unfortunately there are lots of cheap imports for sale which don't compress the bricks properly & break after you have used them a few times.

[Hyacinth]

Acorns explode like gunshot :o

[tartonterro]

we used one as kids, we used to make them up during the summer with mum and burn them thru the winter, my dads a welder so when the briquett maker my mum bought broke he made a new one - and its still going strong 30 years on - im thinking of making up some briquettes to burn this summer (dont have a coal or wood burning fire in the house im staying in) go for it - good way of using all that junk mail and getting a use out of it as well.

[Anne Robertson]

Thank you for replies. I could use a shelf in my airing cupboard to dry them but storage in a dry place may be a problem......hmm have to put my thinking cap on. If I get one I'll take your advice Baccy Man and get the one you suggested, hopefully it will be cheaper on eBay.
I have a wood burning stove and source my wood from skips and the local timber yard but only light it at the weekend, paper briquettes may enable me to light it a couple of nights a week as well.