Cardboard Crusher Makes Cheap Firewood "Logs"

Cardboard Crusher Makes Cheap Firewood Logs ENERGY Miscellaneous Why spend money on firewood when cardboard will do?
    That s what Phil Orlowski wondered and he did something about it He modified a small hydraulic press to convert cardboard - and other household paper waste - into logs for his wood stoves
     My cardboard logs produce about as much heat as wood It s a cheap way to heat my home and garage says the Imlay City Mich man But my main goal was to reduce the waste of materials that would otherwise get thrown away I use anything that will burn from cardboard to empty feed bags to grocery bags to 12-pack pop cartons I burn the cardboard logs in a pot belly stove in my garage and in a wood burning stove in my home s basement
    He bought a new 12-ton bottle jack press for $99 The jack had a 6-in lift which was inadequate so he replaced it with an 8-ton jack with a 12-in lift He used 1/4-in thick metal to make a 7-in sq 15-in long rectangular metal smash container and bolted it on top of the lift
    To convert cardboard into logs he wets the cardboard for a few minutes in big plastic barrels that catch rain water off his shed Then he packs the cardboard into the container folding it so it will fit It folds down into the container much easier when it s wet says Phil
    Once the container is full he places a 6-in sq 14-in long pressure-treated board on top Then he pumps the jack until maximum compression is achieved After removing the smashed cardboard he ties each bundle together with baling twine He leaves the bundles outside to dry for two days to a week depending on weather conditions Then he stacks the cardboard logs in a shed until he s ready to use them
     I ve used this idea for about three years and it works great says Phil Cardboard logs burn great as long as they re dry My total cost was less than $200 - and my operating costs are almost nothing This process requires no electricity or fuel of any kind
    The material he uses comes from various sources I get some of the cardboard for free from a local store I use a lot of 50-lb feed bags for my livestock which work great too It takes 10 to 12 feed bags to make each log and six cardboard boxes measuring 2 by 2 by 3 ft
    When Phil welded the smashing container together he left some open space around the sides for water to drain out
    According to Phil after a while the water in the barrels can start to smell bad To solve the problem I just add a little pine cleaner to the water - it not only kills any mosquito larvae but also keeps my hands clean too
    Phil says he can make about five logs per hour Last year I made about 250 logs before the cold weather set in I figure that 1 000 cardboard logs is equal to about 1 1/2 cords of wood
    He says making cardboard logs is a good way to teach responsibility to kids It teaches kids the value of recycling and also gives them something productive to do If you spend a half hour a day on this it won t be long before you have a big pile of fuel
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Phil Orlowski 1600 Wheeling Road Imlay City Mich 48444 ph 248 379-1102; philorlo@yahoo com

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