Why would you NOT get this item or it's sister the XtremePowerUS Newspaper, Paper Log Maker? Honestly...
I don't know about you, but I get enough junk mail every day to nearly make a brick every day. It is really ridiculous to see how much paper we throw away (or put in the recycle bin every day). So instead of throwing away your paper, why not make bricks that you can use in your fire pit at home or take camping? Or if you are a prepper store them somewhere in case the SHTF. Aside from the setup cost you will be making bricks for FREE.
The method I use is to gather paper, shred it, and when a box is full to go and dump it in a concrete mixing bin (I got mine at Home Depot). You could easily put it in a 5-gallon bucket as well. Fill the bucket up with water so that all the paper is submersed. Let the paper sit for 72 hours and then scoop the wet paper into your press and fill it up to the brim. There is no need to press it down to put more in there in fact if you do so it will probably mess it up because you won't be able to press it down enough. So once it is sloppy and in all the compartments put the top of the press on and then move the handles to press it down. Once the top of the press is all the way down (grey touches black) then take the top piece off and slide out each compartment and flip the brick out somewhere that they can dry. It will probably have to dry for 3-10 days depending on your climate.
If you are really ambitious you can take a big piece of wood after 24 hours and smash the paper down to make it more mush instead of strips. You don't have to use a shredder, but I suggest it. It makes things a lot easier and your bricks more consistent. As far as shredders go, I don't think the shredders that do micro-cuts would work maybe not even the confetti cut as the pieces are too small. I use a Fellowes Powershred W-11C 11 Sheet Cross-Cut Shredder (3103201) and it works perfectly. Just make sure that if you are going to do a lot of shredding for this that you lubricate your shredder to prolong the life of it I use something similar to Aleratec Shredder Lubricant Sheets White (240165) which are really handy because I just throwin a sheet and it does all the proper amounts of oil for me.
Bonus on all this is that you are arguably helping the planet even more than recycling. I know recycling would keep the paper in service. However if you think about it to recycle you must put it in a bin, someone needs to come drive over in a big gas-guzzling truck to collect it, then it needs to have people and machines sort it, then it needs to be broken back down with more electricity and water, then it needs machines to make it back into whatever it is being made into, then it is wrapped in plastic, then it is again shipped around the world by gas guzzling planes and trucks, and finally you drive your gas gar over to the store to buy it. With this, you keep it and reuse it for something else and cut out all that re-manufacturing consumption just to recycle it.
The only thing I can knock it on is that it was built in China. I REALLY like to buy products made in America.
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I have three of these and they work very well making solid paper bricks. However, I would say it take several days for the paper if not weeks for it to dry out even in this dry Colorado weather.
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I got this brick maker at the end of September, rainy weather in the Pacific Northwest. I use a paper shredder for all materials -including cardboard boxes. I dump shreds into one of two 20 gallon rubbermaid containers on the deck and cover with water. I leave the shreds for about a week, then using a wide-mouthed kitty litter scoop I scoop the shreds in to the slots. It takes 5-6 scoops to fill each slot. I found the scoop makes it faster and easier and less messy than doing it with my hands. I use the same water for the next shreds. After I squeeze the water out of the bricks I put them at the base of my woodstove or on a rack in the garage where a dehumidifer runs. It takes about 6-7 days for the bricks to thoroughlly dry in these environments.
Before making the bricks I read all the reviews, hints and watched a video on YouTube. After a few tries, my bricks now are always solid, don't crumble and burn well. I could never make enough bricks to heat my home through winter, but I can supplement the wood with the bricks. I do believe that it's important that the paper shreds are really well saturated and have had time to break down. If I drizzle old candle drippings on the top, they make good fire starters too.
UPDATE: 12/11/12: Yesterday I decided to burn ONLY paper bricks since I had many and wanted to test their efficacy. The outside temperatures ranged from 39-46 degrees. I started a fire at 9am using 3 paper bricks, one with wax drizzling; the fire went all day till 11pm, when I went to bed, fire still going. I added 2-3 bricks an hour during the day, using up a total of 34 bricks. The house stayed at 66-69 degrees. I prefer the house a little warmer and think that combining wood and paper bricks is the way to go.
Now that I know how well they work, it makes me wonder how many I can make and store during the summer. I know I can get throw away newspapers and broken down cardboard from the stores for free. It will definitely lessen how much wood I use.
I am going to give several friends 3 bricks to try -these bricks are great and once you get the hang of making good solid bricks, its the responsible thing to do.
Honest reviews on 4-in-1 Paper Log Maker
I live in an apartment and i needed a good cheap source for fire wood. I picked this up and it came in a rather large box that had crumpled corners so i was disappointed i opened the box to find the log maker box(considerable smaller) and 2 pieces of crumpled paper and a kotulas catalog again disappointed. the log maker was dinged in one spot scratched in another and the handle was bent. I bent the handle back and it works fine. the directions are really vague it says the logs will be ready to burn in 2 days with good weather but since i dont burn in the winter I cant attest to this in the colder weather it takes nearly 2 weeks in a warmer room but once they are dry i burn 2 a day and it keeps my 1000 sq/ft home warm enough. i would buy again. p.s. i baught this one as opposed to the 1 log because it was 5 dollars more and had free shipping.
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I have had this paper log maker for about 2 months so I figure I can write a reasonably good review of it. Overall I am happy with the purchase. With the amount of time it takes to make a batch I don't know why anyone would buy the one that makes one at a time. It would take all freaking day trying to make them one at a time. Do yourself a favor and buy the four brick model.
Ignore anyone that says it does not work. It took me two batches to get it down just right so take your time. It does work but there are a few suggestions that make it work better.
First, Use shredded paper. If you try to just soak news paper or unshreded paper it will not stick together properly. Also, each batch will be a little different. Some will stick together better than others because of the different types of paper that might be mixed in.
Second, Buy a big plastic trashcan to soak it in and a small shovel. I have a 33 gallon can that I use. A half full 33 gallon can will make about 26 bricks. Also, the paper will smell bad. Some batches worse than others depending on what types of paper were used.
Third, Let the paper soak for minimum of 4 days. I let mine soak for about 5 7 days. The longer it soaks the better it will turn out.
Fourth, Use some type of boards to place the bricks on. This way you can move them indoors when it is going to rain.
Fifth, Be patient. It takes 3 5 days of full sun on average for the bricks to dry. You will have to turn the bricks every day to let the bottom side dry.
Sixth, Be prepared for a mess. The shredded paper will spill out the bottom and make a mess wherever you press the bricks.
Pros:
Bricks burn well
Easy to use
Solid construction
Cons:
Makes a huge mess
Most of the paper smells bad after soaking
Takes a long time to dry
