# Paper Logs ???



## mrsliberty (Nov 9, 2010)

Hi,
My Kotula's Paper log Maker just arrived.
On the box it says for outdoor fires and wood burning stoves? Can I not use them in my indoor fireplace?
I plan to make them with cardboard and newspaper and junk mail. Should I change what I use to make them for inside??

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Ronald Reagan on Honesty
"We've been blessed with the opportunity to stand for something-for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to."


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Is your fireplace open?

I think that they may be CYA. We were told not to use cardboard inside and I definitely wouldn't use junk mail envelopes with clear windows especially because of possible toxins from the plastic. I don't use any slick paper.

Now what I am mentioning is for starting a fire in my wood stove, I've not made any bricks or logs myself. That's just what comes to mind.


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## GaryS (Nov 15, 2011)

Newspaper logs work great in either a stove or fireplace, but when you see the hours of work in making one burned up in a few minutes, you'll soon be out looking for firewood.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

This is one thing I am going to investigate further. Thank you


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Oops, I thought paper logs were just for getting a fire started.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I'd go with newspapers only for indoors. Any kind of paper for outdoors.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

GaryS said:


> Newspaper logs work great in either a stove or fireplace, but when you see the hours of work in making one burned up in a few minutes, you'll soon be out looking for firewood.


I use them to get the fire started until my DH brings in the fire wood. Plus it doesn't take much work for me to make them. I save my junk mail for a few weeks then run them through the paper shredder. Soak for a week then press. Its not much of a chore since Roo enjoys playing with the shredded paper.


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## mrsliberty (Nov 9, 2010)

My fireplace is the everyday regular with glass doors and the screen. House built 1993. 
I planned on using them for just starting the fire. Then adding wood. I just thought what a good use for junk mail, cardboard and newspaper. 
Now, I am afraid to use them inside? 
I can't find anything that says your can't use them inside except the box the log maker came in?
Maybe it is CYA by the maker? 
Thanks for any information you find : )


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

I may be wrong, but I believe the thought is that, as the paper log burns, some of the ashes will be hot and potentially still on fire. If you have a large amount of soot built up in your chimney, the potential for a flue fire is magnified. But then, this is just a wild guess...lol


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## GaryS (Nov 15, 2011)

Startingout-Blair said:


> I may be wrong, but I believe the thought is that, as the paper log burns, some of the ashes will be hot and potentially still on fire. If you have a large amount of soot built up in your chimney, the potential for a flue fire is magnified. But then, this is just a wild guess...lol


The logs I made from newspapers were as solid as wood and burned like wood, but it took a lot of newspapers and a lot of time to make a log.

I heated my house for over twenty years with a wood burning stove, but the last few years I used mostly Presto logs instead of wood. When the government quit letting us clean up downed logs in clear cuttings within the national forest, wood became too expensive to buy.

If you have a wood burning stove, you have to keep it clean by burning properly, and by monitoring soot buildup, and then cleaning with a brush when required. I experienced two chimney fires during that time, and both happened before I learned how to burn correctly.


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

Grimm said:


> I use them to get the fire started until my DH brings in the fire wood. Plus it doesn't take much work for me to make them. I save my junk mail for a few weeks then run them through the paper shredder. Soak for a week then press. Its not much of a chore since Roo enjoys playing with the shredded paper.


Grimm, somewhere you had detailed instructions to make the bricks. I have searched and can't find it. Could you please post again?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

SouthCentralUS said:


> Grimm, somewhere you had detailed instructions to make the bricks. I have searched and can't find it. Could you please post again?


http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/whats-everybody-canning-today-9781/index104.html#post181806


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

Grimm said:


> http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/whats-everybody-canning-today-9781/index104.html#post181806


AH!!! In the canning thread. 

Thank you so much.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Cool glad you mentioned this I was just thinking about the paper log rollers the other day. I remember when they were a new idea and being sold on tv in commercials. Was wondering if they still made em had decided to watch the yard sales for one.


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## stanb999 (Nov 14, 2011)

I have one of the newspaper log rollers.

It is a plain waste of time. IMHO. The paper burns as a smoky mess and It makes a pile of ash. The ash tends to clog the wood fire so it doesn't burn well. Paper is best disposed of in the burn barrel or trash.

For fire starting indoors I use a propane torch. It's cheap, effective and doesn't have any of the draw backs of paper.










You could have issues if you need to establish draft tho. If you do read up on starting and Upside down fire.

http://www.woodheat.org/top-down-steps.html

For outdoors I use a weed burner. Works so well you'd never use anything else.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

stanb999 said:


> I have one of the newspaper log rollers.
> 
> It is a plain waste of time. IMHO. The paper burns as a smoky mess and It makes a pile of ash. The ash tends to clog the wood fire so it doesn't burn well. Paper is best disposed of in the burn barrel or trash.


I have never had any issues with the paper bricks smoking. If you steer clear of shiney or glossy paper it can reduce the smoke factor. I mainly use the newsprint sale ads and egg cartons made from paper mash. Plus the longer you 'cure' your bricks the drier they will be.


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## Indiana_Jones (Nov 15, 2011)

Here is a handy chart for firewood heat output ratings. Rolled newspaper would not even make it onto any of these charts. Newsprint paper contains lots of clay which is non-combustable, (that's why paper logs leave such large quantity of ash) and the type of wood used in paper is a very low BTU output type of wood. As a result, the rolled newspaper logs really are a waste of time when it comes to providing warmth to your home. Sure they burn OK and it is a way to get rid of old papers but not a very good heat source.
BTU ratings for firewood types


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