# Tried a new compressed-sawdust briquette product - "Eco Energy" Fuel Blocks



## spirilis (Dec 20, 2010)

http://www.eco-energyfuel.com/ -- Based out of South Shore, KY.

There's a hardwood flooring retailer and distributor near my new job which sells these products for about $300/skid (1 skid = 98 packs, 3 bricks per pack).
Each brick is listed at 7-8lb/piece, so it's probably like those Eco-brix(?) I've heard of which are bigger and heavier than biobricks and similar products.  I found out these guys carried sawdust bricks b/c they are still listed as a distributor for Chesapeake Biofuels' Liberty Bricks, which seems to be inaccurate.

Anyway, my typical firewood I use is WoodBrickFuel, which is a product similar to BioBricks in general disposition -- 2lb bricks, probably made using the RUF Gmbh wood briquetting machine from "kiln-dried hardwood sawdust".  The new product, called "Fuel Blocks", looks quite similar in shape (albeit MUCH larger) but a few noticeable differences--the new blocks seem to be generally cleaner and more consistent in form, don't seem to swell as much while burning, so I'm guessing they're actually compressed tighter than the WoodBrickFuel.  I know some people have commented on how some wood briquette products appear "denser" or more compressed than others, and I think that's a comparison I can note here.

According to the retailer where I bought them, they are made entirely with White and Red Oak sawdust, although the company's website above mentions they do Walnut flooring too so there may be some walnut sawdust included (my personal assumption).  The label mentions it's kiln-dried to 6-8% moisture content, claims 8500 BTU/lb and has the typical marketing crap you find for these compressed-sawdust products (claims "one 7-8lb fuel block equals approx. 14 lbs of cut firewood"!).  For those cordwood purists who snub their nose at these products, I buy them (despite their premium cost) for the convenience factor and the fact that it's always guaranteed to be seasoned.


Two of these fuel blocks produce a decent burn in my old smoke dragon and one characteristic I've noted is they are much slower to ignite and overall burn much slower than WoodBrickFuel.  This is probably a testament to the small size of the WoodBrickFuel and the greater airflow around the bricks--four of them with 1/4 supercedar and a short slat of pallet wood on top will get my old VC Defiant II cranking to 600F griddle-top temps for a short period of time (the peak of the burn), and more than 4 bricks will push into the 650-700F range depending on whether I have all the air inlets open.

These fuel blocks, if I put 2 of them leaning against one another long-ways with 1/4 supercedar and a couple charcoal briquettes (for good measure) plus a slat of pallet wood on top, might get the stove up to 450-500F if I'm lucky.  It seems adding more pallet wood on top of the mass gets it to higher temps, but burns through much faster.
The first experiment I tried with 2 Fuel Blocks + 1 slat of pallet wood and the aforementioned firestarter setup got my stove up to ~350-400F tops, but gave me a nearly overnight burn (a VERY RARE phenomenon with my setup--I always burn my Defiant in updraft mode to coax a hotter fire for less creosote) -- I lit the fire around 8PM, it took a while to get going (downdrafts from my large exterior chimney + the gusty winds outside caused some backpuffs into the room, and it really does take a while to get going) but the stove was around 120F on the griddle top by 6AM the next morning (heat pump was running though) and there were some visible coals leftover.  (I put 4 woodbrickfuel around those and 1/4 supercedar since I doubt the coals would ignite the woodbrickfuel by themselves in my crappy setup, and they fired up rather quickly since the chimney draft was still working and the firebox was already a bit warm)

3 of the fuel blocks together, two leaning against each other long-ways with one laying overtop, no pallet wood, took a while to get going but produced a raging fire that burned through very fast--the Defiant was stone cold by 6AM when I did that, and I'm guessing the house was very very warm (mid-80's) part of the night.  The heat pump was running when I awoke though.  I did catch the peak stovetop temp (before going to bed) to be around 750F with that setup.

When the fuel blocks are burning, they do not produce much of a large & lively yellow flame but a lot of short bluish-reddish/yellow flames.  I noticed often when I opened the Defiant's side door with it cranking at full temp that the sides of the blocks, even though they are not sitting close to any coals, would be blackened with blue flames coming off the entire mass.  I'm not sure if this is a function of the greater compression of the sawdust, or the species of wood (probably both), but it's very different from the typical behavior I see with WoodBrickFuel, which tends to either smolder or produce lively raging yellow flames.

I wanted to buy a skid full of them (as I felt my wood supply was a little insufficient, or at least it'd be running down to the wire come March...) but the retailer only had 2/3rds of a skid, so I took it--they sold their remaining 65 packs at the bulk price and I transported them home in my little Subaru Forester.  In retrospect, I should have pumped more air into my rear tires 'cause that thing was handling rather squirrelly on the way home   The owner said he'll have to order some more but it's only economical on freight for him to get them when he's also getting a full load of wood flooring from the manufacturer too, so who knows when they'll be stocked.

I will probably include a skid full of these in my wood strategy for next year.  For now my pattern is to use 2 fuel blocks with a slat or 2 of pallet wood on top for our nighttime fire, and a short burn of 4 woodbrickfuel with a short slat of pallet wood on top for the morning fire


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## spirilis (Dec 20, 2010)

Also on Ash production -- it behaves very similarly to the WoodBrickFuel, burning down to just ashes with a little bit of blackened sawdust (unburned miniature coals) mixed in, not a lot.  The amount of ash produced seems to be comparable to the amount of ash produced by WoodBrickFuel on a similar-weight basis for my woodstove, so no surprises there.


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## agartner (Dec 21, 2010)

Nice review of the product, and I got to give your  Forrester some creds - you were hauling about 1500 pounds there!

They sound very similar to the Envi-Logs that I've seen here and there.  I burned a half dozen last year it all sounds very familiar.  Couldn't find them in bulk though.


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## spirilis (Dec 21, 2010)

Man taking pictures of a live fire in a black woodstove is difficult... my SLR camera just couldn't stop itself from bleaching out the image from the fire!

anyway, here's some pics I took:

dsc_4184_sm.jpg
dsc_4185_sm.jpg

those are taken from the side with the side door wide open, looking at the burning fuel blocks with a lot of coals laying in the middle from the pallet wood I had on top.  Stove top is around ~400-450F there.


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## spirilis (Dec 21, 2010)

agartner said:
			
		

> Nice review of the product, and I got to give your  Forrester some creds - you were hauling about 1500 pounds there!
> 
> They sound very similar to the Envi-Logs that I've seen here and there.  I burned a half dozen last year it all sounds very familiar.  Couldn't find them in bulk though.


haha yeah that Forester was begging for mercy... I am pretty sure the rear shocks were bottomed out when it was sitting on a slight uphill incline, and it felt like the rear of the vehicle wanted to sway back and forth on the highway, had to go slow & cautious.  About 5 minutes into the drive home I kept thinking this is a very very bad idea... but nah it made it.  Would like to have seen how it handled if I pumped the rear tires to 40psi instead of 30, but the vehicle didn't seem to suffer any permanent damage because it's been handling just fine ever since that day.


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## Battenkiller (Dec 21, 2010)

Sounds like the Envi blocks to me as well.  The Regular Envi block weighs just a shade over 6 pounds, so if these new bricks are the same size, and do in fact weigh 7-8 pounds, they are definitely denser.

Can you carefully measure these bricks and weigh them, perhaps?  I calculated the density of both the WoodBrickFuel and the Envi-8 bricks to be basically the same at roughly 61 pounds/cu.ft. - very close to the density of water.  I'd be curious to know how these new bricks stack up against what I've been using.  Maybe I can get my local supplier to add these to the three brands he already carries.


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## Rockey (Dec 21, 2010)

Do you know if these are manufactured and sold in South Shore Ky? We ride 4 wheelers out close to there and i wouldnt mind checking them out.


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## spirilis (Dec 21, 2010)

Rockey said:
			
		

> Do you know if these are manufactured and sold in South Shore Ky? We ride 4 wheelers out close to there and i wouldnt mind checking them out.


They're definitely manufactured there, as the source of the sawdust is that same company, maybe give them a hollar and see if they sell retail out of their warehouse or any nearby distributors?  Check the website in my first post.


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## Fuelmaker (Jan 11, 2011)

I manufacture Liberty Bricks and can answer some of your questions.  The bricks are all compressed with the same pressure if they are using RUF machines, which Liberty Bricks, Envi-blocks, Bio-Bricks, and Wood Fuel Bricks all use.  Brick densities vary slightly depending on the type of raw materials used because if there isn't enough fine sawdust, there are little air voids in the finished bricks.  For example, if you make a brick with shavings from a moulder, you will get a brick that looks like particle board and will be rougher and less dense than a brick made from sawdust.

The size of the brick depends on the machine.  Most of us manufacture a brick with a mold that is 150mm x 60mm with rounded edges and produce a brick that is 1.8-2.2 pounds and varies in height and weight depending on the raw material and machine adjustments.  Smaller bricks can be used in a wider range of stoves and for both maximum heat if stacked loosely, or slow overnight heat if stacked together.  Larger bricks simulate logs, so are easier to sell as ambiance products, but do not start as easily and cannot be used for a small decorative fire.


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## kayakkeith (Jan 11, 2011)

so how much do these things cost - like whats a full skid cost - just looking for a idea


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## Fuelmaker (Jan 11, 2011)

Check out the fuel price report section.  Price to consumer varies dramatically depending on shipping distance.  For example, I had an inquiry from Maine and when I checked the price for shipping, it was over $100 per ton for a whole truckload.  Prices per ton are pretty close to price per ton for pellets if you are close to production sites.


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## spirilis (Jan 12, 2011)

Fuelmaker said:
			
		

> I manufacture Liberty Bricks and can answer some of your questions.  The bricks are all compressed with the same pressure if they are using RUF machines, which Liberty Bricks, Envi-blocks, Bio-Bricks, and Wood Fuel Bricks all use.  Brick densities vary slightly depending on the type of raw materials used because if there isn't enough fine sawdust, there are little air voids in the finished bricks.  For example, if you make a brick with shavings from a moulder, you will get a brick that looks like particle board and will be rougher and less dense than a brick made from sawdust.
> 
> The size of the brick depends on the machine.  Most of us manufacture a brick with a mold that is 150mm x 60mm with rounded edges and produce a brick that is 1.8-2.2 pounds and varies in height and weight depending on the raw material and machine adjustments.  Smaller bricks can be used in a wider range of stoves and for both maximum heat if stacked loosely, or slow overnight heat if stacked together.  Larger bricks simulate logs, so are easier to sell as ambiance products, but do not start as easily and cannot be used for a small decorative fire.


Good post--Thanks for clarifying this.  I've found in my old stove a combination of the two types works well--four small bricks in a teepee with a large one laying on top... gets things going hot very quickly but gives a long-tail burn that lasts a while after the bricks have long burned & collapsed but the large block is still crankin'

PS- If you have any distributors in the Frederick MD area, let me know, I'll give 'em a try


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## bboulier (Jan 12, 2011)

Spirilis,  Your photos look good.  I gather from the file number that you have a Sony or Minolta camera.  Is that correct?


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## spirilis (Jan 12, 2011)

bboulier said:
			
		

> Spirilis,  Your photos look good.  I gather from the file number that you have a Sony or Minolta camera.  Is that correct?


Nikon D80 digital SLR.  Love that camera!


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## ruserious2008 (Feb 16, 2011)

As an fyi - I use Ecobricks   www.ecobrick.net   Got them at Tractor Supply around Sept for 3 bucks an 8 pack- comes out to $270 per ton. They were on sale and sold out but got a raincheck. Wound up buying a total of a ton. The bricks are 9.5"x3"X3.25" and an 8 pack weighs 25lbs so about 3 lbs per brick. Last I saw Tractor Supply had them at $4 per 8 pack. Saw them at an Agway for the ridiculous price of something like $27 per 8 pack! The web site noted above has some graphs and other data on them if that helps folks make comparisons. I have a small stove and heat two rooms and one eco brick and one log will do me fine and for the night and about an 6 hour burn I can go with one eco brick and 2 or 3 logs.


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## Grossepellets (Mar 11, 2011)

Fuelmaker said:
			
		

> I manufacture Liberty Bricks and can answer some of your questions.  The bricks are all compressed with the same pressure if they are using RUF machines, which Liberty Bricks, Envi-blocks, Bio-Bricks, and Wood Fuel Bricks all use.  Brick densities vary slightly depending on the type of raw materials used because if there isn't enough fine sawdust, there are little air voids in the finished bricks.  For example, if you make a brick with shavings from a moulder, you will get a brick that looks like particle board and will be rougher and less dense than a brick made from sawdust.
> 
> The size of the brick depends on the machine.  Most of us manufacture a brick with a mold that is 150mm x 60mm with rounded edges and produce a brick that is 1.8-2.2 pounds and varies in height and weight depending on the raw material and machine adjustments.  Smaller bricks can be used in a wider range of stoves and for both maximum heat if stacked loosely, or slow overnight heat if stacked together.  Larger bricks simulate logs, so are easier to sell as ambiance products, but do not start as easily and cannot be used for a small decorative fire.



YODA is that you?


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## Fuelmaker (Mar 11, 2011)

Me it is


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## Grossepellets (Mar 11, 2011)

Fuelmaker said:
			
		

> Me it is



this is a nice forum


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## Mainely Saws (Mar 11, 2011)

I agree with RU serious 2008 . I use the same ECO bricks from Tractor Supply . I have an east/west stove so these bricks are perfect for my usage . I start with two long pieces of wrist wood going east/west , add three ECO bricks going north/south on top of that & finally add a large chunk or two of hardwood east/west on top of the bricks . I leave about an inch of space between the bricks to allow for expansion .Sometimes I'll use a firestarter to get things going & once the wrist wood catches the stove heats up quickly from there . With only a 1.7 cf firebox this method works well for maximum heat & the longest burn times . Once up to temp I can completely close the air inlet & still have flames & a hot fire . I think a combo of these or similar bricks with a supply of good seasoned wood is a perfect match ........


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## spirilis (Oct 8, 2011)

Rocking the same fuel this year, decided to go mostly Eco Energy Fuel Blocks with the Wood Brick Fuel as a starter "core" ... found a configuration in my Jotul 8 downstairs that heats the whole house pretty well for a good 12-14 hours, so I might be able to resolve my 2-stove-1-flue dilemma soon.  Bought 180 packages of it (the local dealer says they come 120/skid, which is something like ~1.44ton, 180 pkgs should be close to 2 ton) and taking delivery of ~30-40 of them each day.  Not weighing the Subaru down quite like last year ;-)

Also, last year using these with the WoodBrickFuel in the Defiant, hardly any creosote.  Had a little creosote to chip off the inside of the thimble but the chimney was pretty clean.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 8, 2011)

spirilis said:
			
		

> Rocking the same fuel this year, decided to go mostly Eco Energy Fuel Blocks with the Wood Brick Fuel as a starter "core" ... found a configuration in my Jotul 8 downstairs that heats the whole house pretty well for a good 12-14 hours, so I might be able to resolve my 2-stove-1-flue dilemma soon.  Bought 180 packages of it (the local dealer says they come 120/skid, which is something like ~1.44ton, 180 pkgs should be close to 2 ton) and taking delivery of ~30-40 of them each day.  Not weighing the Subaru down quite like last year ;-)
> 
> Also, last year using these with the WoodBrickFuel in the Defiant, hardly any creosote.  Had a little creosote to chip off the inside of the thimble but the chimney was pretty clean.



How much per ton?


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## spirilis (Oct 8, 2011)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> spirilis said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ends up being around $330/ton.  Not cheap.  Kinda wish competition would drive the prices of those darn things down like pellets...


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## BrotherBart (Oct 8, 2011)

That is insane pricing. Raw material doesn't cost them any more than it costs the pellet makers. In fact the brick guys keep getting caught sneaking plywood and counter top scraps into the bricks, and processing doesn't cost any more. And I laid in three tons of pellets for $187 a ton.

If they get it in gear I would give them a try. If they don't, they are just peeing in the wind and waiting to go broke. Every jake leg wood peddler in the world would love to get $300 for a half cord of oak. Which is weight equal to a ton of bricks.

Burn on. Hope ya like'em.


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## spirilis (Oct 8, 2011)

Yeah.  Knowing the downstairs stove can heat the whole house if necessary, I know I have options now for next year.  I have considered going pellet, either that or coal, but unless pellet prices move back up to the $300/ton range it'll probably be a large pellet stove.


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## ScotO (Oct 8, 2011)

BrotherBart said:
			
		

> That is insane pricing. Raw material doesn't cost them any more than it costs the pellet makers. In fact the brick guys keep getting caught sneaking plywood and counter top scraps into the bricks, and processing doesn't cost any more. And I laid in three tons of pellets for $187 a ton.
> 
> If they get it in gear I would give them a try. If they don't, they are just peeing in the wind and waiting to go broke. Every jake leg wood peddler in the world would love to get $300 for a half cord of oak. Which is weight equal to a ton of bricks.
> 
> Burn on. Hope ya like'em.



Brotherbart I agree 100%....one of the big reasons we started burning wood again was to get away from dependence of paying for heat.....nothing against those companies that are out there to make money, but like you said the raw materials, which were once GIVEN away, are leftovers.....plus I am assuming you have some sort of adhesive used in bonding those fuel bricks and pellets together...and we know that stuff isn't good to breath......either way, I'll stick to some hard work and excersize all summer, and when the snow's flyin I can look out of my warm house at my huge woodpile as I tip my coffee back with pride, knowing my hard work is keepin the tribe cozy all winter long.....and NO HEAT BILL WHATSOEVER!


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## MarkinNC (Oct 8, 2011)

In my climate with my house, I save about $5-$6 a day by not running the heat pump.  To be fair, the house is much warmer with wood heat, I would save even more if using the heat pump to heat to an average of 73 (like with the stove).    I can see using more than $180 worth of those bricks pretty quick and actually costing more than electricity for me.

On the other hand, I have friends and read posts on here also about folks with older houses that spends thousands of dollars annually to heat their homes.  It may be cheaper for them.  Like the other poster pointed out, I'll keep getting my fuel for the cost of bringing it home.


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## fredarm (Oct 8, 2011)

I mix bricks and wood about 50/50.  I can keep a ton of bricks in the garage, but I'd wouldn't feel comfortable keeping a cord of wood in there, plus a cord would take up more space.  I store my wood in racks out side.  I scrounge my wood so my net cost is maybe half of what it would be buying bricks only.  I usually burn a ton of bricks and a cord of wood per winter.


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## spirilis (Oct 9, 2011)

Yeah, for the most part I don't have a good place on my property to store cordwood (there's space in the backyard, but it's all on a hill), so my garage is my only option... Could do pellets, honestly I'm thinking about scoring a used pellet stove next year, but still the cost of a pellet stove on top of the fuel would require quite a few years to payoff vs. paying the premium for this stuff and using my existing woodstove.  I was only thinking I'd stay in this house maybe ~5-8 years, but with the housing market the way it is who knows... I may have to think long-term now so a pellet stove may be worth the investment.  FWIW that's how I rationalize paying for this stuff.
Oh yeah, and the convenience factor/guaranteed to be dry and seasoned as I stated in the first post of this thread   But no if I had a flat backyard I'd probably have stuffed it full of oak cords when I bought the house and this would be the last year burning the bricks since the oak would be seasoned... Just didn't work out that way.


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## ScotO (Oct 9, 2011)

don't get me wrong fellas, I am not bashing anybody for using these engineered firewood products (as a matter of fact I think it is a great way to recycle), my main complaint is the cost of the stuff, considering at one time it was all waste.....kinda like one of my favorite bar foods, hot wings.......at one time they threw that part of the chicken out, now they sell for a premium!.....lol...


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## spirilis (Oct 9, 2011)

Yeah, I agree, it's quite a premium they're charging for this stuff ... Capitalism at work though.  Until the market for these bricks grows competitive like pellets the price ain't going anywhere (but up, I bet).  Although it has been relatively steady the past 3 years now that I've used them (WoodBrickFuel, the one I found locally 3 years ago, went for a net of ~$300/ton delivered for the past 2 years)

The most direct competition is cordwood, but the bricks distinguish themselves by the cleanliness/convenience/dryness so they really carve out their own market.  Just need more suppliers competing.  Maybe that'll never happen though, since most folks will just trade the convenience and go with the cordwood.


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## Danno77 (Oct 9, 2011)

Flamegrower said:
			
		

> ...plus I am assuming you have some sort of adhesive used in bonding those fuel bricks and pellets together...and we know that stuff isn't good to breath...


It's my understanding that the only adhesive or glue or whatever that they need is the natural lignin found in the wood cells (or however you spell that) that "works" when extreme pressure (and subsequently heat) is applied to the wood fibers.

At least that's how I've stored it in my brain, probably off on a few details, but the concept is there.


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## spirilis (Oct 9, 2011)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> Flamegrower said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is correct, there is no glue/binder used.  Just like pellets, exactly like them in fact.  There's always a risk that some stuff got mixed in with the sawdust, and that would be the only real source of non-woodstuffs of concern.  My neighbors always comment on how it smells so good outside when I'm burning though, so I think it's mostly wood :D

This is the company that makes the brick compressors (Fuelmaker listed it earlier in this thread)- http://www.ruf-briquetter.com/
(UK site: http://www.briquetting.co.uk/)


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## fredarm (Oct 9, 2011)

I got my Eco Bricks for $240 a ton on sale at Tractor Supply.  Two trips in the minivan brought it all home.  The 25 pound packages are a little easier to handle than the 40 pound Bio Brick packages, which is nice when you're moving a ton of them.


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