Artificial fire logs

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grenfell
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by grenfell »

I would assume the petroleum based inks would be burnt although if it leaves any nasties I wouldn't know. Plenty of people put newspaper on compost heaps and as far as I know it doesn't cause huge problems. I tend to use paper ash and any ash that might have been created from plywood and such to mix with sand for bedding slabs rather than as a soil dressing. That's more because my gut feeling is that it's of little nutritional value more than containing anything nasty.
Edit
Just to add it's not exactly the biggest issue in the world and if i bin a few shovelfulls of ash it's not really a problem.
grenfell
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by grenfell »

In one of those strange coincidences that make me wonder sometimes, tinfoil hat type of wondering , a post came up on facebook , an American off grid type of couple and they were talking about the ash from their fire. As an aside they said a cord of hardwood produces around 50lbs of ash and they ran through a few things they use it for. Principally as a soil improver but they also said they put some in the chicken run as a dry bath for the birds as it helps to keep mites at bay.
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Cocotte
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by Cocotte »

grenfell wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 7:07 pm . Principally as a soil improver but they also said they put some in the chicken run as a dry bath for the birds as it helps to keep mites at bay.
Only in smaller amounts. After all it is very alkaline.
I put our wood ash in the chicken run to feebly try and balance the soil ph7 so they have something to destroy/enjoy, a but on the compost with the chicken muck, and in think it's only a couple of cups per litre of sand for the chicken bath. Also most of the herbs you'd use for a flavourful roast goes in there too as they keep the bugs at bay as well.
grenfell
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by grenfell »

I'd sort of guessed it would be the alkaline that worked for the mites. I can see how you're not going to use an awful lot in a dust bath but a thought occurred to me. Feel free to say it's rubbish if you don't think it's a very good idea. I don't keep birds myself but have a customer who keeps a few. Every year she will get me to "paint" the insides with creocote ( creosote substitute) to keep the mites down and I wondered if the coops could be throughly dusted with the wood ash and then perhaps hoovered out afterwards. Probably wouldn't be any more pleasent than the creocote but at least it would be free .
jansman
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by jansman »

grenfell wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 8:23 am I'd sort of guessed it would be the alkaline that worked for the mites. I can see how you're not going to use an awful lot in a dust bath but a thought occurred to me. Feel free to say it's rubbish if you don't think it's a very good idea. I don't keep birds myself but have a customer who keeps a few. Every year she will get me to "paint" the insides with creocote ( creosote substitute) to keep the mites down and I wondered if the coops could be throughly dusted with the wood ash and then perhaps hoovered out afterwards. Probably wouldn't be any more pleasent than the creocote but at least it would be free .
A couple of times a year I lock my fowls into the run very early, and after cleaning inside the coop I spray a Jeyes fluid solution in there. I open it up so it dries , a hot day is best, and then dust it with mite powder.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

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Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

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grenfell
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by grenfell »

Yes I would think jeyes fluid or the creocote do the job very well , just trying to think of other uses for the ash. Re thinking the ash idea it would probably be better to make a lye solution and spray that ,certainly from an application point. I may give it a try when cleaning out the greenhouse.
As it is most of my ash has been used mixed with sand to bed slabs on. Seems to have worked anyway. I have worked on old buildings with lime ash floors. Lathes or reeds laid across the floor joists and a mix of ash , lime and sand laid on top of that. Goes off like concrete.
jansman
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by jansman »

grenfell wrote: Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:46 pm Yes I would think jeyes fluid or the creocote do the job very well , just trying to think of other uses for the ash. Re thinking the ash idea it would probably be better to make a lye solution and spray that ,certainly from an application point. I may give it a try when cleaning out the greenhouse.
As it is most of my ash has been used mixed with sand to bed slabs on. Seems to have worked anyway. I have worked on old buildings with lime ash floors. Lathes or reeds laid across the floor joists and a mix of ash , lime and sand laid on top of that. Goes off like concrete.
It may be that we return to that in some form. We need to look at ‘waste’ and see it as a resource instead. Rather like the so- called Third World.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.
grenfell
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by grenfell »

Yes , muck and brass and all that..
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Cocotte
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by Cocotte »

I remember watching a video years ago of a guy making fuel bricks from old leaves (sawdust should work better) and flour. Add water, mix and pour into casts. Press in tight and air dry for weeks.
His "mk2" briquettes included making a press with a wooden block that he would squeeze the mix with to get it more compacted and remove more water.

I'd assume the local bakery would have a few buckets of waste flour from the floor and the like rather than use your own stock.
jansman
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Re: Artificial fire logs

Post by jansman »

Cocotte wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 7:42 am I remember watching a video years ago of a guy making fuel bricks from old leaves (sawdust should work better) and flour. Add water, mix and pour into casts. Press in tight and air dry for weeks.
His "mk2" briquettes included making a press with a wooden block that he would squeeze the mix with to get it more compacted and remove more water.

I'd assume the local bakery would have a few buckets of waste flour from the floor and the like rather than use your own stock.
You’ll struggle to get ‘floor flour’ from a bakery. It doesn’t happen- I work alongside a bakery.
In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life: It goes on.

Robert Frost.

Covid 19: After that level of weirdness ,any situation is certainly possible.

Me.