Briquette trials.. (Composted) Game changer Over 2 hours burning.. that's longer than Wood.

[@kinbolluck476]

Free the coffee spirits from their coporeal prisons

[@AbellTo]

What an impressive result

[@twcmaker]

Hi Darren. Yes it's working out really well. 10 different batches so far. And trials will continue every month or so for comparison. While everyone else is working on how fast they can make these things, I'm looking at how patience gives a better return.

[@nevillelake1403]

Always good to see how your comparisons go with your briquettes.

[@twcmaker]

Thank you. I'm finding it really interesting. Amazing what you can do by being a little inventive and patient.

[@twcmaker]

Hi. You commented on my last briquettes video. Well I've made another huge step forward. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKO4dmR-qJ1ln7M Let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you. Jamie

[@jammywesty91]

Really quite impressive how long those composted ones go for. I think you're definitely onto something here mate.

[@twcmaker]

Thanks James. It definitely makes a difference. Just how long do I leave to decompose?

[@jammywesty91]

@@twcmaker That will be the tricky part. Finding that sweet spot before you're getting diminishing returns.

[@twcmaker]

Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Is that how it goes?

[@DebraSands-i7s]

Awesome video

[@twcmaker]

Glad you enjoyed it? Have you subscribed? It helps me grow my channel and share the knowledge with others. Jamie

[@DebraSands-i7s]

@@twcmaker yes!!!! I have!!!

[@twcmaker]

Thank you. It'd great to have a growing female audience. Currently at 18% females. It was 3%only a few months ago. Welcome 👍 & thank you Jamie

[@PyramidPrana]

I would like to see separate batch brick load comparison with same weight of bricks, measuring temperature and time of burn. Use similar starting methods. Comparing side by side brick burning really is not telling me that much, as the wood can burn at different rates underneath, and the increase in temperature can cause spontaneous combustion of adjacent materials.

[@twcmaker]

I totally get you. And I could send some out to someone who could do this. It would be brilliant. But I'm doing this in my home, with family around, not in a science lab. So, no side by side comparisons? Which means that you and the other 3 who have mentioned it are the only people who would watch the videos. So lots more effort put in to get a lot less back. Sorry, it does need to work for me too. 97% of my viewers watch one of my videos and don't return. Have you watched more than one of them? And have you subscribed? Jamie

[@PyramidPrana]

Hi. Yes, I happily subscribed. I really like your experiments, and I’m thinking about getting sawdust and coffe grounds to make these, as I have a tiny house and a cubic mini Grizzly stove and looking forward to a Vermont winter. I might be unexpectedly living in the tiny house having to move from my warm apartment. I’m trying to figure out if I can make these and have them dry and work for me, as I have not prepared with tiny logs, as I did not expect to be living there this winter. I’m only trying to help in my suggestions. I would also use a hygrometer in a closed box to measure humidity in the bricks to test optimal drying before burn. If I make any tests, I try to video then and reference your work to bring more people to your channel. Love your videos.

[@twcmaker]

Thank you 👍 ​ Have a wonderful day Jamie

[@DisisI_M_6514]

I really enjoy following your briquetting, it's sort of both informative and relaxing. I haven't seen you trying any softwood bark, but my guess is that it behaves similar to the coffee grounds but with some extra work of shredding. One thing I read in a briquetting pdf (not sure if it only applies when using industrial pressure though) is to keep the pressure applied for 30-40 seconds after pressing, although letting them dry for a while under pressure like you do might actually be better than that. Your idea (haven't seen it elsewhere) of slightly composting really seems to make a big difference. Best of luck!

[@twcmaker]

Thank you. Its very slightly addictive 🙈 trying out methods. I don't get softwood bark..So I doubt I'll be trialling that. Composted is the way forward. Batch 9 will be interesting as 12kg of Coffee grounds with 3" of sawdust should be a good mix. I'm leaving it about 6 weeks too. Some has composted in less than 3 weeks. So it will be like soil. Weird but fascinating. 6 weeks might be too long too. I know 4 weeks is amazing. But to trial it properly I need to go over that, just to see if it fails.

[@DisisI_M_6514]

Seems we opposite problems, to me softwood bark is easier to get than coffee grounds, although I've been trying to get my wife to increase her consumption ;) I have a pile of pine bark that's just been sitting around for a few years, think I'll see if I can grind some up and see how it works out. I still believe that your idea of slighty composting should be beneficial. I've also been thinking of trying shredded leaves, studies seem to indicate well washed leaves add to the energy content, so my thinking is that the leaves starting to come out now from under the snow should be very well washed and slightly composted. One other thing that I've been thinking about is the composting itself, if it is beneficial for all ingredients or only some, would be sort of interesting to see of there's a difference using composted vs regular sawdust, all else being equal. Of course I've also started wondering how the process would affect paper and cardboard. The list is endless and my mind keeps coming up with new outlandish ideas to try. Seems that I'll run out of buckets long before ideas... Not to mention getting the briquettes pressed, labelled (somehow) and stored. It really is an endless, but interesting, journey, and I really enjoy your relaxed approach :)

[@twcmaker]

Thank you so much. Oh blimey yes, the composted wood (takes longer without coffee grounds) burns so much longer than virgin shavings. I know I won't go back to just shavings. Imo it's not worth it now. Be patient and let it stew. Brown cardboard could be shredded (or rip up as small as possible. I wonder if there could be a mixture of some kind of accelerator that you could pour over to help speed up the compost process?

[@DisisI_M_6514]

Thanks for your reply. I wonder of it's like sour dough, that you can simply save the last 10% and add to the next barrel, and that would improve the composting process? Would be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison, pressing maybe 2 bricks from each barrel each week to use for combustion comparison. I suppose that could also help when it comes to dialing in the perfect state of composting. When it comes to other accelerators I would guess trying one of those bottles of liquid used for composting toilets might work, if I recall correctly they contain bacteria that aid the process. Then you could also have the workshop smelling like Sea Breeze, Lemon Sunshine or some other fancy thing 😁

[@twcmaker]

You're on the same wavelength 👍 I mentioned sour dough to someone. It dies work and is in one of my batches. My notepad is in the workshop so I can't check. But the batch that I make, I squeeze the press over the next new batch. I think it makes a huge difference to the speed of the decomposition.

[@ashleyhoward8926]

Your's is a multi-fuel stove, with a grate to allow the burning of coal/smokeless fuel. Dedicated wood burners have no grate, just a flat plate, as wood burns best on a bed of it's own ashes & as ash falls through your grate, such a bed never develops. All stoves run best, not on tick-over, but revved up a bit, say, over 50% throttle or more but that also depends on your flue design. Morso stoves ( Denmark) do not recommend overnight burning, as it is simply so inefficient. It gives off little heat & the blackened glass is warning you that the flue lining is in the same state. Hotter burning means a cleaner flue & more efficient system altogether. It also avoids chimney fires. In my experience, commercially produced briquettes burn better faster, not so well slowly. It's like sticks as opposed to hardwood logs. That said, I'm going to make some here too. Thanks.

[@twcmaker]

Thanks for that Ashley. Maybe I'll clean the stove out over the Summer and try it without the grate. Hmm.. 🤔 something to think about. I do use some Coalite occasionally. Thanks again Jamie

[@ashleyhoward8926]

@@twcmaker I would stick to using your stove as it was designed. Take a look at Scandinavian cast iron stoves in particular though. I have a very popular Danish Morso squirrel multi-fuel which has a grate. My previous Jotul No 3 (pron. Yertel) wood burner simply has a heavy flat cast iron bed for burning wood. Both are top quality & get the best out of the fuel. I knew a lady who ran a wood working shop & the produced their own fuel. She told me that at high pressure in the hydraulic press, the lignum n the timber was released & caused the briquettes to bind together. Keep up the good work !

[@ashleyhoward8926]

After a month composting, I just pressed my first batch of coffee/shavings briquettes, using a borrowed press. If I'f known what they would smell like, I could simply have followed the dog around the lawn, scooping up. They are drying, but crumbling too. I have lots of fine bandsaw dust now to mix with next batch which may help with integrity. Either way, I'll have plenty to play with by the autumn. Thanks.

[@twcmaker]

@ashleyhoward8926 this is great news. Yes, that fine dust really helps hold it together, if it's not sticky enough. Another 2/3 weeks would help hold together and burn longer too. 👍 Jamie

[@twcmaker]

I forgot yo ask. Is it holding together when you grip it? Or is it expanding? If its expanding, I'd leave it a bit longer.

[@michaelhanna2603]

Great video, have you tried using grass clippings. Ive often wondered if grass clippings where composted and formed into briquette would it make a good log 🤔

[@twcmaker]

Blimey Michael. I've not tried it but now I've got the same thoughts as you 🙈. I suppose, now I'm using more of a composted mix. It should work, but depends on how long it's left to decompose before making the briquette.

[@twcmaker]

You commented on my last briquettes video. Well I've made another huge step forward. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKO4dmR-qJ1ln7M Let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you. Jamie

[@dansw0rkshop]

I thought maybe the briquettes were for something special like blacksmithing... but just burning in the stove? Maybe wood burns only half as long, but the briquettes take 20x (just guessing... may be more) the time and effort to obtain.

[@twcmaker]

A goal. To be able to use for Blacksmithing 👍👍👍

[@twcmaker]

Dan, you're way off with 20x effort. Say a couple if minutes each, for the whole time I come in contact with the mixing, turning, pressing and drying out. Then storage. Compare that to cutting logs. And these briquettes burn over 2 hours. It's well worth the effort.

[@AlexTopping-b4g]

Good morning , I commented on another video but then couldn’t find it again 🙈, I have bought a multi-mate briquette maker , I’ve been using the saw/chippings from when I cut logs with my chainsaw it’s a bit corse but with enough coffee it binds really well , the first batch I made had very little mould come on it , the. Second batch I made is covered in mould , I have let the mix sit in the bucket for around 4 weeks mixing it every other day , pressed then they dry on a rack in my conservatory , could you advise on why you think the second batch got covered in mould ??

[@twcmaker]

This sounds great user-zm6n. The mould is from the Coffee grounds, that stuff goes mouldy within a day of being used. It makes no difference to the drying or the burn. To me it just shows how much live organic waste is there. I'm going to say can you dry it somewhere other than the conservatory. Reason being I know live spores can come off it at a certain stages of drying off. I've looked into it and some people say wear a mask. I had a cough for a couple of days and wondered if it was just a cough I picked up or because of the mould. Can you put them outside in full Sun on hot days. They will dry so fast and get through that period of 'uncertainty' quicker. Hope this helps, let me now how you get on. I'm making batch 11 today. Might even film it. All the best Jamie

[@AlexTopping-b4g]

Thankyou so much for the speedy reply , unfortunately I have a greedy Labrador x springer spaniel that likes to eat most things so I fear I may end up with some less if I put them outside 🙈I’ve currently made 172 over the past few weeks and can’t wait to start using them this winter , do you keep your mixes dry up until pressing ? I’ve tried leaving my mixes wet for around 4-5 weeks (admittedly not out of choice I got a bit giddy when mixing my buckets and did 5 in one go , I realised it needs a lot of coffee to bind with my saw dust/chippings being quite corse , luckily I have 2 Starbucks near me ( other coffee shops are available) , I’m going to set a bit of a challenge to see how long through the season I can get before I have to start using my log stockpiles ! I think it’s great ! We’re preventing so much coffee going to landfill and heating our homes from waste ! Great videos by the way ! We need to get more people on the band wagon !!! Have you tried making briquettes out of pure coffee grinds ?

[@twcmaker]

Right.. Yes I've tried pure coffee. They collapse as soon as you try to remove from the press. I think batch 5 was very wet. I'll be posting burn videos as I start using them.

[@twcmaker]

No, I wet the mix at the start to help the decomposition process, because I have no idea how long it will sit there. By the way the part composted burn at least twice as long. So there's always something new to learn. 176 is a great start but try not to let the pooches eat them.

[@AlexTopping-b4g]

How do you get to that composted stage ? I think my mixes might be a bit wet

[@tommyroche6913]

Great video. Do you think you could do 100% coffee? I’m looking to do some and just add pva as I don’t have sawdust and I used paper but it wasn’t a particularly clean burn. Thanks

[@twcmaker]

Thanks for asking. Unfortunately I don't think this type of press would be that successful at producing 100% Coffee briquettes. Getting them out of the press would be the problem. They wouldn't keep their shape. You could add the waste from a vacuum cleaner, or uncooked kitchen waste. It's worth a try.

[@twcmaker]

You commented on my last briquettes video. Well I've made another huge step forward. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKO4dmR-qJ1ln7M Let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you. Jamie

[@diy-mitri9737]

Possibly a dumb question... But if you were to make mini version of these, would it be ok to grill with them? On a charcoal grill? Like a Weber.

[@twcmaker]

Not a dumb question at all. Have a look at these. Made in the hands, to be smaller and dry out quicker. With the Coffee grounds content too, they will burn up to 30% hotter.

[@diy-mitri9737]

@@twcmaker Fascinating! I wonder how the coffee smoke would affect the flavor of what you cook. I'll have to give it a go!

[@twcmaker]

That might be really cool. 👍 Let me know how you get on. Jamie

[@twcmaker]

You commented on my last briquettes video. Well I've made another huge step forward. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKO4dmR-qJ1ln7M Let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you. Jamie

[@sunwu101]

What's a good ratio of coffee to sawdust?

[@twcmaker]

I'm still working on that. I've a playlist with making the briquettes. Some ideas of ratio are in those videos.

[@sunwu101]

I just saw a video about the heat output of coffee pellets vs wood pellets. Apparently coffee pellets realest 5.8 kWh/kg & wood releases 4.8kwh/kg. Also, common sense in hindsight, coffee grounds are high in oil content. Think I might try this with pine needles ( bane of my existence)!

[@twcmaker]

You commented on my last briquettes video. Well I've made another huge step forward. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKO4dmR-qJ1ln7M Let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you. Jamie

[@ashleyhoward8926]

@@sunwu101 Retired UK fire officer here. Excuse me for butting in, but be prepared for chimney fires due to resin in those pine needles condensing within the upper, cooler portion of the flue ! Yes, they certainly burn.

[@johnneufeld9539]

Hello. I'm from the middle of Canada and ive just recently come across your videos. Im playing with the idea of making actual logs from cardboard, wood shaving, and coffee. I can't find anyone making logs, is there a reason why? I want to achieve this with hydraulic power, 60mm dia by 375mm long. Any advice?

[@twcmaker]

I think you should watch my last few videos. The reason I say that is that I believe compression is almost too much. Watch the coffee logs review. In that they expand on heat and burn quicker than mine. I think that if you watch the composted ones you'll see that I don't put anywhere near maximum pressure. Because it squeezes out the liquid too much. Let them get sticky and messy and they will shrink as they dry. That way they are more solid, and in turn burn much longer. Watch the vids. Ask below that video so that we all learn and grow this community. Thank you. Jamie

[@twcmaker]

You commented on my last briquettes video. Well I've made another huge step forward. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKO4dmR-qJ1ln7M Let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you. Jamie

[@tikkidaddy]

I'm wondering if they repel mosquitoes as they burn since I've seen people talking about burning old, unbrewed coffee for that. Camping? You talk about handy!😂

[@twcmaker]

Sounds perfect Tikki 👌