So paper logs are an easy thing to do. They just take a little patience. Its a great way to do a lot of things at once. You can:
*Reduce your garbage/waste
*Fertilise your gardens (flowers food or otherwise)
This isn’t kindling. Properly made paper logs will burn damn near like a regular wood log and produce a high BTU heat.
The steps are pretty straightforward. I usually wait until the hottest and driest days to do this work because it aids in the manufacture process. This summer I have had no shortage of those.
highly shredded junk mail, newspapers, flyers, dryer lint, pet hair, or highly shredded particles of cardboard.
Log press. You can buy one or make one. I used a hand made one when I started out. I bought my current and use the store bought one nowadays because it is honestly faster than my hydraulic jack driven 2x6 one I made out of pressure treat. My old one does make a better log however. You can order one from Amazon, Harbor Freight or a number of tool companies relatively cheaply.
Dog poo rake. Dont laugh. It works and keeps you from dipping your hands in the slop as much. Basically works like a giant pasta spoon. When/If you try this you will see what I mean as it grabs good quantities of paper but lets the water run back in your bucket or can
Kitchen Garbage can: I recommend using this. Its tall so you dont bend over as much. Holds plenty but is still moveable but is easily cleaned.
Optional: Patio table. Metal and mesh style. Get a junk one. Again keeps you from bending over as much but the mesh lets air get under your paper logs so the dry faster. Also it will hold a good many so you have a waist high work space and drying area.
Step 1: shred your paper. A cross cut shredder works best but you can do it by hand if you want just make it as small as possible.
Step 2: Fill your garbage can with water about 3/4 of the way full. Now add your paper, lint etc. Use the rake to stir it good and get everything saturated.
Step 3: Let the concoction sit for about an hour, two if you really stuffed it full. You want the paper to be almost sludge. The mail goal of the water however is to wash off bad inks and chemicals that would be harmful when burned. Most ink these days in publications are biodegradable however it still pays to be safe.
I didn’t let these sit quite long enough because I have a lot to do today but they will still do the job.
Step 3: get a good scoop of your paper sludge and fill your log press.
Step 4: Close your press. You should have a good amount of resistance as you are using compression to push the water out. Fill the press a second or third time if you need. You want the log to be firmly and highly compressed- again this isn’t kindling or fire starter.
Once you have compressed it firmly remove the log and set it aside to dry.
While you wont replace fire wood entirely in this method for heat, you can supplement it with it. I use a big, plastic lined box in my kitchen with a removable lid to store them. Helps keeps critters out.
You’ll want to clean out the box each year as well. That or Im just OCD.
Other tips: I use a galvanised garbage can to collect my junk mail in. I easily have a full 32 gallon can of junk every year. Toss in sensitive documents and other items and I make about 50 paper logs a year just from shit people & politicians send me.
You don’t realize how much waste you get for free until you start doing this sort of thing. You can bury it in a landfill and pretend its fixed- or do something useful with it. I prefer the latter.
There you go, rubberneckers. Enjoy!
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