Pressed wood/logs

[corey21]

I thought about buying some eco bricks but decided not to.

 

[StayingWarmInNJ]

We burned the Eco Bricks from TSC in our wood insert last winter. They were pretty good, especially since our cordwood was questionable that year (our first).

Does anyone know of any other sources for wood bricks in central NJ? The TSC around here won't deliver. We were hoping for a pallet to supplement our 2 cords of wood.

 

[spirilis]

I use the "wood brick fuel" that's got bad reviews in this thread... for short fires or starter fuel, frankly. I feel more or less that I've put in enough time with them to know how to tame them, and maybe tighter compressed bricks would work better but I haven't found any others (in the 2lb size) locally. What does work great for me is Eco Energy Fuel Blocks, they're very tightly compressed 8lb all-oak blocks that I use on the reload for extended burns... they actually "coal" up for real, burning far more like regular oak firewood than the wood brick fuel.

 

[Sprinter]

That a good demo of what I found. It's even more dramatic in good woodstove that efficiently captures that heat. If you want a good long burn, get the premium, highly densified pressed logs.

Begreen, what is available in this area and where is a good place to get them?

 

[Treacherous]

Sprinter-I'll step in and give you some info as well. I can't speak for locations down where you live but check out the following--->

http://www.northidahoenergylogs.com/

http://www.homefirelogs.com/

There is a dealer locator on each page.

 

[begreen]

I see our local True Value just started carrying HomeFires. That's good news. Their competitor has the cheaper, softer Tacoma logs that don't impress me.

 

[clemsonfor]

We burned the Eco Bricks from TSC in our wood insert last winter. They were pretty good, especially since our cordwood was questionable that year (our first).

Does anyone know of any other sources for wood bricks in central NJ? The TSC around here won't deliver. We were hoping for a pallet to supplement our 2 cords of wood.

load up your truck or car 400-500lbs at the time, just get a load each time your near there.You will have it faster than you think. Notsure how big th boxes are but i prolly can fit an easy 20 boxes or more in my saturn of those duralog things and i cant immagine these being any differnt in box ize.

 

[Sprinter]

Treacherous and BG, thanks. Interesting that the North Idaho Energy Logs are the good old Prest-o-logs I've used in the past.

Based on the reviews that BG did, both of these put out about 16.5 million btu per pallet (roughly a ton). Alder, for example, is about 18 million btu/cord dry (anywhere from 14 to 20 depending on who you choose to believe). Despite North Idaho's claim of being equivalent to 1.5 - 2 cords of wood, 16.5 million BTU per pallet is less than a cord of most wood except maybe cottonwood or something. The point is, I'd take such comparisons with a grain of salt.

But even if the cost of these logs is twice whatever cordwood you have to buy, their advantages of consistency, space (about 1/3 the space), easy availability, etc, should be worth a lot, especially if you only want it to supplement your supply, help burn less-than-seasoned wood, etc. Sounds like it's worth trying.

 

[Elderthewelder]

Begreen, what is available in this area and where is a good place to get them?

Cenex Co Op has the North Idaho's on sale for $1.15ea and the Homefires for .88 cents, of course cheaper if you buy a pallet. (broken link removed to http://www.co-opsupplyinc.com/about.html)

Also Thomas from NW Fuels in Mukilteo sells the North Idahos

Homefire 's manufacturing plant is located in Ferndale and every year in May through July they sell there "factory Seconds" to the public. Here is a excerpt from a email I got from them and a pic

Next springs prices may not bee the same so keep that in mind

Prices last spring/summer were 6 barrels for $100.00 and 2 totes for $200.00 . Barrels weigh approximately 300 lb each and totes are 1800-2400 lb each.The totes vary in size because they are recycled from a local cold storage.

 

[Treacherous]

Mid '86 and earlier they were known as the old Presto Logs.

Treacherous and BG, thanks. Interesting that the North Idaho Energy Logs are the good old Prest-o-logs I've used in the past.

 

[Treacherous]

That's a really good buy on those factory seconds.

Prices last spring/summer were 6 barrels for $100.00 and 2 totes for $200.00 . Barrels weigh approximately 300 lb each and totes are 1800-2400 lb each.The totes vary in size because they are recycled from a local cold storage.

 

[Elderthewelder]

That's a really good buy on those factory seconds.

Yeah, I think so as well, It is just that Ferndale is kinda far to go for them, I would really like only 1 tote not 2 but do not think they well sell only one, and my truck aint going to haul 4000+ pounds

 

[Treacherous]

Yeah, I think so as well, It is just that Ferndale is kinda far to go for them, I would really like only 1 tote not 2 but do not think they well sell only one, and my truck aint going to haul 4000+ pounds

I hear ya... my trailer could only handle one of the toters. I could probably get 6 of the barrels in my trailer though.

 

[WellSeasoned]

We used ecobricks last year, got consistant day long (@12 hr) burns when packed well and mixed with splits. Gotta pack them right. I'd say grab a few packs and experiment. We also found wood brick fuel disapointing, it was barely compressed and just fell apart. Hard to keep burning. Smelled like pine.

I was reviewing this thread and it got me thinking about at least buying this pack at tsc, just to see how they work. I'm a wood man but the curiosity is killing me. So I go on tsc website to read the reviews of the eco bricks and the one reviews talks about stacking wood 1 year +, and I thought to myself, thats got to be someone on hearth.com. Sure enough it was you eclecticcottage!

Thanks for your reviews here and at tsc!

 

[dafattkidd]

I was reviewing this thread and it got me thinking about at least buying this pack at tsc, just to see how they work. I'm a wood man but the curiosity is killing me. So I go on tsc website to read the reviews of the eco bricks and the one reviews talks about stacking wood 1 year +, and I thought to myself, thats got to be someone on hearth.com. Sure enough it was you eclecticcottage!

Thanks for your reviews here and at tsc!

Ha. That's funny. I was youtubing splitting wood and found a video pf Carbonliberator's kid splitting pine with his fiskars. I knew who it was because of the amazing woodshed in the background. Back on topic: I will definitely pick up some sort pressed log this year. I'm just curious. I will probably post a review when I do get them.

 

[olddawgsrule]

Finally my TSC got there load in. I've been there with bricks and get the idea, but blocks are what I'm interested in learning about.
Fuel Block is what My Local TSC is carying.
1/3 bigger than the CanWick I tried.
Packaged better than the CanWick.
Just as dense, if not better... no cracks shown in the Blocks.
CanWick has openings in the packaging that allows humidity.
Fuel Block is sealed, or at least by the best I can see.

Put one on about 3:30pm.
Small split built first.
With TS Sandy coming our way, I'd like to see enough coals in the AM to throw another in and keep it cooking.
That would make it a 12 hour burn.
That would impress me!

Update later... Sandy's coming to dinner and I have to get ready...

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