burning paper

[jerseydevil]

I get a lot of cataloges and junk mail. What is ok to burn and how much is too much? I figure newspaper is ok but worry about the glossy catalog stuff. I don't know wh but I do. I figure throwing all of that paper away takes up space in the landfills. I am also throwing away free fuel. I also burn a bit of paper shopping bags and egg cartons or cup holders made from the same material as egg cartons.l What do yall think on this subject? Thanks.umpkin2:

 

[sawinredneck]

Tear out the pages and crumple, makes great fire starter, I guess catalog will burn ok once its going good. I don't like using the glossy stuff, it's just to hard to get going, supposed to be something wrong with burning anything colored?

 

[Big Woody]

The glossy colored stuff has a lot of ink and dyes in it. I guess more toxic fumes. Thats why it burns those nice colors. Supposed to be bad if you run the smoke/fumes through a catalytic combuster since it can react with the catalytic material according to my VC manual.

 

[chowdozer]

I get a lot of cataloges and junk mail. What is ok to burn and how much is too much? I figure newspaper is ok but worry about the glossy catalog stuff. I don't know wh but I do. I figure throwing all of that paper away takes up space in the landfills. I am also throwing away free fuel. I also burn a bit of paper shopping bags and egg cartons or cup holders made from the same material as egg cartons.l What do yall think on this subject? Thanks.umpkin2:

Burning paper is a real good way to start a chimney fire.

 

[osb_mail]

I don't think burning little hurts anything . Yes colored paper is harder to burn . I don t you want to use to it everyday . Just like whiskey in moderation it is OK .

 

[windthrown]

Burn it all...

I burn all our junk mail, newspaper, cardboard and milk cartons in our OWB here. I burn pretty much any and all paper trash, rather than take it to the dump.

 

[buckwheat]

I will actually go through our wastebaskets and pull out paper to burn. Less trash, more heat, less chance of identity theft. Pizza boxes, junk mail, old phone books; if the fire is hot enough and you stir the coals periodically, it will all burn.

I once brought home a bag of shredded paper from our office thinking it would be good for starting fires, but not so. One "poof" and that's pretty much it.

 

[mga]

i use only newspapers to start a fire. it creates high heat and leaves very little ashes. any of those glossy supplements go in the trash. they don't burn quite as well and leave a ton of ashes.

another is cardboard. i rip small pieces up and toss them in there to start a fire. once going, they burn nice and hot...gets them logs going quick.

 

[jerseydevil]

From the responses, I see just about everyone does it like I do. I guess I will keep doing the same way, just a little at a time. I don't get any newspapers delivered, but there is always a bit in the mail or accidently left on the lawn. I will continue to experiment with the amount. I did see the post about chimney fires and I agree though I do keep the stovepipe pretty clean but one must be sensible and cautious, Also, the response about the ash amount. That isn't a problem though, unless of course the ash from glossy paper harms the crappy lawn I spread them on but that is half dead weeds anyways. That makes me wonder about our well and such but I doubt I pollute as much as my neibors and the rest of the civilized world.

 

[olyman]

also--heard of one guy--rolled the nespapers into a log--tied them with a very small wire--then had a pipe split lengthwise--with the ends capped--laid that news log in the pipe--then poured the pipe near full of waste engine oil--a bit messy--but said theyd burn for a long time---dont remember how long he soaked them to get the oil all the way thru--

 

[livewire]

Burning paper is a real good way to start a chimney fire.

I have to agree here. To each his own but I don't like to see embers making it out of the cap.

 

[windthrown]

Do not burn oil in a fireplace!

also--heard of one guy--rolled the nespapers into a log--tied them with a very small wire--then had a pipe split lengthwise--with the ends capped--laid that news log in the pipe--then poured the pipe near full of waste engine oil--a bit messy--but said theyd burn for a long time---dont remember how long he soaked them to get the oil all the way thru--

DON'T burn waste engine oil in an open fire!!! It is full of metals, additives and contaminants, and it will not burn completely in a fireplace, boiler or wood stove. It will also pollute grossly. You do not want to be anywhere near that smoke or residue. Carcinogenic. Poison. Bad stuff.

You can make a waste oil heater specifically for burning motor oil. There are several plans online, and you can also find plans for them in places like Mother Earth News. They burn hot and completely enough to break down all the pollutants and do not smoke very much when they are adjusted right.

 

[Patrick62]

stuff I burn in my woodstove

I am prepared to get for this post!!!

Wood, mostly. However, once in awhile some other "stuff" finds it's way in the fire. First one must get the fire going, so I rake the remaining coals up into a nice pile amount the ashes. Then add a liberal amount of used motor oil, and ignite it. Toss some larger pieces on it, and away we go. My defense for this act of gross polution is that my pickups burn more oil than this.

If the fire is running hot enough, I have been known to toss a few plastic soda bottles in there. When incinerated at HIGH temperature, they burn reasonably clean.

Other not so great stuff...
used up grease rags. Oil filters (full of oil), pieces of gasket material, card board boxes, odd bits of paper, anything else that would burn and not create a huge stink in the process. Hamburger wrappers, french fries, remains of take out taco's. Oh, one time only, my old shoes :jawdrop:

-Pat

 

[livewire]

I am prepared to get blob2 for this post!!!

Wood, mostly. However, once in awhile some other "stuff" finds it's way in the fire. First one must get the fire going, so I rake the remaining coals up into a nice pile amount the ashes. Then add a liberal amount of used motor oil, and ignite it. Toss some larger pieces on it, and away we go. My defense for this act of gross polution is that my pickups burn more oil than this.

If the fire is running hot enough, I have been known to toss a few plastic soda bottles in there. When incinerated at HIGH temperature, they burn reasonably clean.

Other not so great stuff...
used up grease rags. Oil filters (full of oil), pieces of gasket material, card board boxes, odd bits of paper, anything else that would burn and not create a huge stink in the process. Hamburger wrappers, french fries, remains of take out taco's. Oh, one time only, my old shoes

-Pat

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

 

[olyman]

windthrown--i told of one guy doing it--want to incarcerate me??? or incinerate me--which??? and--i wonder what happens to all these metals and other contaminates you speak of--in a waste oil burner--they just disintegrate to nothing--right????????? no ash, no residue, no nothing to go in the landfill--right?????? as one said--his truck uses more oil than what he burns--wonder what happens to that--o right----it goes into the air we breathe--anyone dead yet----tree huggers delight----

 

[turnkey4099]

I used to use a burn barrel for everything. Then the state started a 'fink your neighbor off' ad campaign. I now recycle all newspaper and cardboard. Not a big deal as the dumping is free and is right in town. I keep one big box for the paper and another for the carboard. Time to dump, just pick up two boxes and empty them on my next trip in town. I would recycle other stuff but there is no reasonable way to do it where I am.

I do burn anything that has personal information, credit card applications, bank statements, etc, use two sheets of newsprint to start a fire, but that is about it for 'in the stove'.

Never tried burning magazines or catalogs in the stove. I know they didnt' burn for crap in a burn barrel.

Harry K

 

[begleytree]

Why not use some paper to get the fire going, and recycle the rest? Most paper products don't go to a landfillanyway, right? and even if they do, they decompose quite quickly, unlike plastics.
-Ralph

 

[Yellowdog]

also--heard of one guy--rolled the nespapers into a log--tied them with a very small wire--then had a pipe split lengthwise--with the ends capped--laid that news log in the pipe--then poured the pipe near full of waste engine oil--a bit messy--but said theyd burn for a long time---dont remember how long he soaked them to get the oil all the way thru--

sounds like it would be smoky and smell bad. I had an oil fire once in a barrel and it stunk to high heaven.

 

[04superduty]

Why not use some paper to get the fire going, and recycle the rest? Most paper products don't go to a landfillanyway, right? and even if they do, they decompose quite quickly, unlike plastics.
-Ralph

not long ago there was a show on landfills,explaining how the work etc. they went over the fact that things dont decompose, everything so thightly packed that nothing really happens. they were digging up part of an old landfill and found newspapers from WWII looking like they were just read the day before.

The wife and I try to recycle everything we can, paper, card board, cans, plastic. its free when you drop it off at the local transfer station.

 

[windthrown]

Brain dead...

I'm glad you do not live anywhere near me... man, get a lobotomy or something and stop burning all that crap!

I am prepared to get for this post!!!

Wood, mostly. However, once in awhile some other "stuff" finds it's way in the fire. First one must get the fire going, so I rake the remaining coals up into a nice pile amount the ashes. Then add a liberal amount of used motor oil, and ignite it. Toss some larger pieces on it, and away we go. My defense for this act of gross polution is that my pickups burn more oil than this.

If the fire is running hot enough, I have been known to toss a few plastic soda bottles in there. When incinerated at HIGH temperature, they burn reasonably clean.

Other not so great stuff...
used up grease rags. Oil filters (full of oil), pieces of gasket material, card board boxes, odd bits of paper, anything else that would burn and not create a huge stink in the process. Hamburger wrappers, french fries, remains of take out taco's. Oh, one time only, my old shoes :jawdrop:

-Pat