Has anyone out there tried rolled up newspaper logs to supplement wood in a woodburning stove? I've heard conflicting reports on doing this. Right now I'm rolling newspapers tightly and binding with a light gauge wire. These logs don't put out a lot of heat, but seem to adequately supplement wood logs. Does anyone know if this is good or bad for the stove. If I'm wasting my time doing this, I'd just as soon put the papers into the recycling bin. I'd love your opinion, please.

Thanks for reading.

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), May 29, 2001

Answers

I've tried newspaper logs several times and have found them more trouble than they're worth for the heat that you get out of them. Don't like the idea of the residues they leave in my ashes either since I use them for several purposes.

={(Oak)-

-- LiveOak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), May 29, 2001.

It will work if you bind them tightly. These use to be a "machine" to roll them for you. Last time I saw them was in the 70's. I have heard some people using small rolls soaked in kero as starter logs. If you plan to use the ashes for gardens you may want to check with the newspaper as to what type(s) of ink they use. If its a soy or patolium based. Soy would be ok, other questionsable.

Generally the BTU's for amount of time for newspaper logs isnt worth it. Dump them in a burn barrel or better yet take them to a recycling center.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), May 29, 2001.

We tried this once, it was a lot of work and of dubious return. To be even partially sucessfull the paper muse be broken down by tearing up and soaking in water. Then compressed into shape and dried which might take most of summer. The heavier the finished 'log' the better it will be, a light-weight log produces only ash and burns in no time at all. You can add combustable stuff like saw dust and coal dust to the wet mix.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), May 29, 2001.

Think about it paper is wood!No it's not going to hurt not much heat thought.

-- Norm R. (scanner13069@hotmail.com), November 02, 2001.

I've used straight newspaper - just big slabs of paper. It's OK now environmentally - not like it used to be when they used lead type and cadmium ink. Still a bit dubious with coloured gloss paper. However, this only just burned - smouldered, gave a slow smoky fire (not good in town), and left a lot of ash. OK if you just wanted to keep a fire ticking over and keep a hot water system warm, but certainly no good for working up a hot fire.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), November 02, 2001.