Green Warehouse The Green Logmaker

...I purchased was The Original Green Log Maker so we could recycle some of our general rubbish too.

What does it look like?

Well it will be helpful for the purposes of this description if you look at the picture at the top of the review and the ones that I have now posted at the bottom as it is going to be quite difficult to describe adequately.

It is made from heavyweight plastic and consists of two parts. ...
...of the use of the Green Log Maker.

What can you use to make the logs?

Obviously the range of things you can use is limited, for instance you cannot use plastics, plastic coated cardboard, rubber or pressure coated or treated wood - in fact the same things that you can't burn in your multi fuel burner anyway.

The things you CAN use are paper, newspaper, junk mail, paper shreddings, wrappings, cardboard, ... more

As you all know we have moved into a cottage and have purchased a multi fuel burner - a Hunter Herald Slimline 5 if you are interested - and it is brilliant! I'll post a review as soon as I can get the category set up.

We are now sourcing logs to burn on our new fire and I also spotted a couple of interesting things on EBay with which to make your own logs.

One was a metal contraption which makes briquettes from newspaper. I have written a review on this one if you are interested in finding out more about it.

The other thing I purchased was The Original Green Log Maker so we could recycle some of our general rubbish too.

What does it look like?

Well it will be helpful for the purposes of this description if you look at the picture at the top of the review and the ones that I have now posted at the bottom as it is going to be quite difficult to describe adequately.

It is made from heavyweight plastic and consists of two parts. There is an outer sleeve which is 32 cm long and 6.5cm in diameter. This is tubular in shape and has a lip around the top edge. The second part is a plunger, with a flat top, which is 36 cm long and 6 cm in diameter and has two graduations one is 14cm from the bottom of the plunger and the other is 26cm from the bottom.

The plunger fits inside the outer sleeve for storage and this is also the basic principle of the use of the Green Log Maker.

What can you use to make the logs?

Obviously the range of things you can use is limited, for instance you cannot use plastics, plastic coated cardboard, rubber or pressure coated or treated wood - in fact the same things that you can't burn in your multi fuel burner anyway.

The things you CAN use are paper, newspaper, junk mail, paper shreddings, wrappings, cardboard, wood chippings, sawdust, dry leaves, twigs, coal dust, tea bags, fruit and olive stones etc. Obviously thing need to be small enough to fit into the tube so cardboard needs to be ripped for example.

You can also add a few drops of essential oil, bits remaining after you have burned perfumed candles (or indeed any candles) rosemary or lavender cuttings or a couple of cinnamon sticks to create a nice fragrance as the log burns.

So how do you make logs?

This is where the description is far more complicated than the actual process, which is dead easy! I am not the worlds best at explaining things so bear with me as I have a go. When I first read the instructions I thought it sounded a bit of a faff but, once I had tried it, I realised that it was really easy.

I have put the website address at the bottom of this review and there are pictures there to show exactly what I mean

First you remove the inner plunger from the outer sleeve.

You then lay a sheet of newspaper on your work surface and place the outer sleeve on it so that the top lip is about 3cm or so above the line of the edge of the newspaper.

Then you wrap the sheet of newspaper around the sleeve so that the sleeve is covered with two or three layers of newspaper. The newspaper should be longer than the sleeve so that you then push the loose paper up into the open end of the bottom of the sleeve. I hope you're still with me!

You then stand the sleeve upright and push the plunger down into it. This has the effect of flattening the loose newspaper at the bottom on the sleeve thus making a base for your log. You then remove the plunger.

All you then do is add the bits and pieces that you have sorted out ready to burn a bit at a time, forcing the plunger into the sleeve after each addition to compact the waste and make the log more solid so that it will burn for longer.

This is where the two graduations on the plunger come in. If you fill your log maker until the first graduation is level with the lop of the sleeve when the plunger is inside you will have a short log of about 14cm long and if you fill it to the second graduation you will have a longer log of about 26cm long.

Once you are happy with the size of your log (if you'll pardon the expression) you then push the plunger down hard whilst gripping the top lip of the outer sleeve so that you effectively push the log and its contents out of the sleeve.

The outer sleeve slides out from between the newspaper and the contents of the log so you are left with a tube of waste wrapped in newspaper. You then twist the open end of the newspaper to finish your log and there you are.

Hints for use

It says in the instructions that you can use tea bags either wet or dry but I would advise drying them out first or you will have difficulty burning the resulting log. It also says that you can dampen paper and cardboard if you find that makes it easier to insert but I don't do this for the same reason.

I make mine with paper tissues, kitchen roll, dry leaves from the garden, tea bags, sawdust from where hubby has sawn logs and any other general bits of paper that happen to be lying around.

Burning

To burn the logs you just put them on the fire in the same way as you would put logs of wood on the fire. They burn well and last quite well but obviously not as long as wood!

They can be used on Chimneas, open fires, camp fires, barbeques, kitchen ranges or log burning stoves.

Other uses

You can use your log maker to make biodegradable seed pots too. Just use a smaller piece of newspaper, follow the instructions for making the outer casing of the log and then carefully push it off the sleeve using the plunger. Turn the edge of the top over to make a neat line and then you can fill it with compost, plant your seeds in it and then plant the whole thing into the garden when the seedlings are ready to go outside.

Where can I buy one and how much are they?

Well there is a website at http://www.logmaker.org.uk/index.html where you can buy a Log Maker for £24.95 plus £2.95 p & p. For that you get your log maker with instructions including photographs!

There are plenty of other 'green' sites that also sell them and. As I say I got mine from EBay where they are currently £22.99 plus £2.95 p & p.

In conclusion

I think it is great! As I say I burn all our used tea bags (and when hubby is at home we get through a fair few of those I can tell you!) together with plenty of paper and some of our garden waste too.

So, after the initial cost of the Log Maker, we are heating our room for free and putting out less rubbish to be collected and recycled on chucked in land fill sites.

This review has also been posted on Dooyoo.

Why Ciao have seen fit to post this under gardening tools heaven knows! The other one that makes the bricks is under Energy Systems which is much more logical and where I asked for this to be put too! 

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