I’m thinking about putting a pellet burning boiler in my house. I would use it as the primary heating source but would keep my current propane set up in place as a back up. The reason I’m thinking of doing this is that I generate a pretty significant amount of hardwood sawdust, which just gets thrown in the dumpster. It seems to make sense to buy one of those portable pellet making units and turn what is now just waste into fuel. Instead of having to pay to dispose of the dust, I could be heating my house and not paying a huge propane bill. My question is, has anyone ever used one of the pellet making machines? Is this practical or will I be spending all of my time making pellets? I figured if I just take a few hours here and there to feed the machine year round, I will have plenty of supply to last through the winter. Am I dreaming or is this not only possible, but practical?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Skim-coating with joint compound covers texture, renews old drywall and plaster, and leaves smooth surfaces ready to paint.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
sounds good. let me know how you make out.
never saw a portable pellet maker. I generate a lot of sawdust too. I tractor mine into the woods
I tractor mine into the woods
Heard of gold mines, silver mines etc. Never knew you could mine for tractors. I sure need one but it would be a lot of digging.
http://www.biomasspelletmill.com/?hop=yeepage37
might get you started
Bruce and many other flooring manufactures started here (memphis) they invented the "presto logs" as a way to sell their sawdust... i know the old guy that built/serviced their machines... he told me.. nothing added just pure high pressure... the logs out of the press he said were so hot you could not touch them...
something like 100 tons to press em...
was interesting to hear about...
someone is make'n "log bricks" now they sell em by the pallet
P
Heated 5300 sq ft house with wood and scraps for 35 years, still could, but DW got tired of it <G>.
Sawdust went into free cardboard boxes from grocery and liquor stores and stomped down fairly compact - my pellets were the cardbaord boxes full of sawdust, big 'stove' could take 1/2 pallets inone piece so boxes of sawdust no problem
Reform your definition of 'pellet' to a little larger?
I used to make fire starters with sawdust and a little melted paraffin pressed into a 2" pipe with a home made press. It worked pretty good
you could probably set up a press and die fairly easily to make your own pellets or briquets or whatever you need. Seems like an interesting project.
then you can put flavored sugar into the machine and make candy like the Smarties people do.
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia