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have really enjoyed the past few weeks planing down some white and red oak from the trees we dropped a couple years ago. beautiful boards coming out. and as expected, i’m up to my ears in wood shavings. i’ve heard of a device that will compress the shavings, maybe with a binder, into fireplace logs. would like to go this route rather than dumping them on the burn pile or using for animal bedding – don’t need dogs covered in mud and sawdust too.
any ideas??? would appreciate any leads. been searching fireplace shops, tool companies, even sawmills… no luck
thanks in advance
vinny
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Those shavings will burn good, even if you can't compress them. I usually get a good fire started in the shop in the morning, then at some point, depending on the weather, switch from firewood to sawdust and shavings by the shovel full. Mixed together that stuff burns nice and slow and keeps the shop toasty.
*I saw a great sawdust compresser at a machinery show a few years ago. It made logs abt 18" long and 4" diameter with a 1.5" hole down the middle. No binder, just pressure. I took 4 samples and they burned fine, hardly any ash. Only one problem-- the machine was $45,000. If anyone knows of a cheaper one, let me know.
*Mix in a little parafin wax as a binder and you can place them in pans, drywall buckets, etc. Pop 'em in the fireplace and light 'em up! Friend and I used to mix fine sawdust and wax, place in egg cartons, and carry a few with us when camping as emergency fire strters. I should have considered a career as a rain-maker!
*Get inventive people. How about some sort of pipe device with an old hydraulic jack or a long lever to exert pressure and compress a mixture of shavings, dust and paraffin? If I had a supply of material and a wood burning stove I would never throw sawdust away. It wouldn't seem right.
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have really enjoyed the past few weeks planing down some white and red oak from the trees we dropped a couple years ago. beautiful boards coming out. and as expected, i'm up to my ears in wood shavings. i've heard of a device that will compress the shavings, maybe with a binder, into fireplace logs. would like to go this route rather than dumping them on the burn pile or using for animal bedding - don't need dogs covered in mud and sawdust too.
any ideas??? would appreciate any leads. been searching fireplace shops, tool companies, even sawmills... no luck
thanks in advance
vinny