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Woods Bricks Made From Scrap Lumber
Larry and Steve Miller recycle wood scraps into 2-lb., 2 by 4 by 6 1/2-in. bricks for heating.
"They're more dense than logs. They won't float," says Larry Miller, a Shipshewana, Ind., entrepreneur who started production of GrenHeat bricks early this year with Steve.
There's a plentiful supply of hardwood
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Woods Bricks Made From Scrap Lumber 33-3-11 Larry and Steve Miller recycle wood scraps into 2-lb., 2 by 4 by 6 1/2-in. bricks for heating.
"They're more dense than logs. They won't float," says Larry Miller, a Shipshewana, Ind., entrepreneur who started production of GrenHeat bricks early this year with Steve.
There's a plentiful supply of hardwood scraps in the area from factories and other sources. The Millers started looking for a way to recycle them. They researched briquette machines and selected one from Ruf, a German company.
They buy hardwood chips and shavings.
"The finer the product, the more dense the bricks," Miller explains. The material is augered into the Ruf machine, where resins in the wood and 160 tons of pressure compress it into brick form.
"You can throw one onto cement and it won't break," Miller says.
Each brick puts out 17,000 btu's.
"These get extremely hot and are identical in size and dryness, from 5 to 8 percent moisture content," Miller says. "I have an add-on stove. I usually put in 12 bricks overnight, and in the morning I still have red coals," he says. Customers need to experiment what works best in their own stoves. It's important to be able to shut down or control the stove or furnace because they burn so hot.
The bricks can also be used in fireplaces, but they shouldn't be placed too close to glass doors as the bricks expand as they burn.
"It's a clean product," Miller notes. "They're all-natural, raw scrap wood material with no additives. It works great in fireplaces, campfires, and some restaurants use it for cooking."
The Millers sell skids of 1,000 bricks, which equal the btu's of a cord of wood. The skid of blocks is a lot smaller and can be placed in a garage or basement. There are no bugs and only 2 1/2 gallons of ash/skid.
The Millers wholesale wood bricks to dealers. The bricks retail for about $225 to $250 for 1,000 bricks. Dealers also sell smaller lots.
Call the Millers for dealers in the region or if you're interested in becoming a dealer.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Larry Miller or Steve Miller, GrenHeat, LLC, 1065 N. 625 W., Shipshewana, Ind. 46565 (ph 260 768-7519).
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