burning shavings

[martin baker]

Hi out there, has anyone tried to effectivley burn lathe shavings for wood heat? Thanks, Martin.

[John Keeton]

Martin, I would imagine it would work you to death trying to feed a shavings fire. Dry shavings would produce a lot of flame (lot of surface area) and so you would not be able to put much on, but they would burn up quickly. Just my thought.

I think compressing them somehow into logs/pellets, etc. is more the norm.

[Dan Hintz]

They'd work well as a fire starter, but as John says, compression into pellets for a pellet stove would be the better idea.

[Dick Wilson]

Martin, from what I understand from turners I know that have wood burners is that it burns way too hot.

[Terry Beadle]

Just an idea....

Build a small box out of scrap with a good bottom. Mix some glue with water into a watery paste.
Then pile in some shavings in the box. Spray each layer with a little of the watery paste as you go.
Put a piece of wax paper on the top of the box and apply a loose piece of 3/4 ply.
Put a U shaped mounted brace over the 3/4 ply with a short piece of threaded rod for a press screw.

Apply pressure for a 24 hour period.

Celebrate, you've made a very combustible pressed block suitably sized to match your stove/burner.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Martin, right now as I write this reply, I'm burning shavings. I put them in a plastic bag like the ones you get from grocery stores and put them in my wood burning stove/fireplace. The bag is stuffed with shavings, tied at the handles, and put into the stove with an already burning log... I did this about 45 minutes ago, and just now stirred the shavings. It does get hot.. If you don't already have something burning, or have a small fire, the shavings will just smolder and or snuff out your fire...... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Joe Cunningham]

I use plane shavings (and now turning shavings) to start my wood stove. Perfect fire starter, MUCH better than any of the commercial duraflame style fire starters. I put down a bed of shavings, put a few small off-cuts on top then the wood to burn. One match and it is a roaring fire.

Not sure it would make the best long-duration fire, it would burn hot, and you'd have to feed it about every 5 minutes.

[martin baker]

Thanks, but I dont like the glue bit, not too good for the air outside! same with the plastic bag method. I have experemented with sizable boxes & pressed the shavings in, I wonder what kind of pressure is needed to dry form a brick shape.

[Steve Vaughan]

Use 'em to start a fire here.

[David E Keller]

I seem to recall seeing a note somewhere about people using PVC pipe to compress the shavings into a log then wrapping the logs in newspaper for containment. I don't remember when or where I saw it. Seems like binder would be helpful... Wax comes to mind as a possibility, but I suppose with enough pressure you might not need much binder if any at all.

[Michael Menzli]

Burning plastic bags? Not a good idea for a number of reasons, especially indoors..those noxious fumes alone would scare me plus the build up of who knows what in your stove and chimney. Anyways..as others have said..as a fire starter shavings make sense...as a constant source youd work yourself to death.

[Greg Just]

Instead of using glue like Terry suggested, try using a mixture of flour and water as a binder.

[Ken Hill]

Mine mulch a hillside behind the shop. I usually keep 4 rubbermaid tubs full and dry that I use as litter for the chciken coop that gets changed weekly. The used shavings from the coop head to the compost pile or directly into the garden depending on time of year. The shavings have been scratched and soiled and make perfect fodder. The wood chips usually eat nitrogen and that balances the high potency chicken poo. I am no greenie weenie but waste not want not and the stores dont get any more of my money!

[Russell Neyman]

Not worth the bother.

[Ralph Lindberg]

We do the following: Give them to Potters for pit-firing pots. Use them to start campfires. We are going to try the following: Fill an egg-carton cup with chips, pour melted wax into this, and see if we can make fire-place starter