Cat litter as hobo fuel?
- Thread starter LazySod
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Just a minor point - but isn't cat litter going to be too small?
We don't have a litter tray anymore so I'm not familiar with this particular product (we used to use the clay based stuff), but the granules were all fairly small, say around 2-3mm diametre.
If the rest of you are like me (which judging from the various write-ups is a good guess) then the hobo is made from an ikea / woolworths cutlery drainer with a fair numbers of holes around 6mm diametre.
So unless I'm missing something, isn't the fuel going to end up spilling out?
I am, however, very interested to hear about the spark test decorum (as this would be significantly cheaper than maya dust !!!
We don't have a litter tray anymore so I'm not familiar with this particular product (we used to use the clay based stuff), but the granules were all fairly small, say around 2-3mm diametre.
If the rest of you are like me (which judging from the various write-ups is a good guess) then the hobo is made from an ikea / woolworths cutlery drainer with a fair numbers of holes around 6mm diametre.
So unless I'm missing something, isn't the fuel going to end up spilling out?
I am, however, very interested to hear about the spark test decorum (as this would be significantly cheaper than maya dust !!!
The pellets, as mentioned, are bigger. The approximated diameter is 5mm (0.2") but, due to the manner if their composition (basically it's compressed wood dust), the length varies from less than the diameter to almost 25mm (1").
Man you guys really do recycle everything in the UK good on ya to find a use for that used cat litter....LOL....
lol you think they'll give you a cat after you tell them your going to set their litter tray on fire
I had a bit of an experiment this afternoon.
The results aren't at all promising for using these pellets as a tinder.
Having powdered a small number of pellets I set to with a ferro rod. The powdered pellets will smoulder - but only for a very short period of time and I couldn't get the smoulder to spread. So not good a solo tinder!
From a previous short experiment I know that these pellets will burn if exposed to a more significant heat source, so I changed tack.
I left the small pile of powder where it was and fetched a cotton wool ball. I pulled about a quarter of the ball away and placed it next to the pile (after checking wind direction), sparked the cotton wool and awaited a small inferno
... which completely failed to happen - the cotton had completely burned though. So not showing encouraging signs as a mixed tinder either. So, time to change tack ... again.
This time I make a small nest from the remainder of the cotton wool ball and put as much of the now, slightly, charred pile into it as I could scrape up ...
This time success!
You must be kidding - the powder had insulated and stopped the cotton wool from burning
. Now, I know that this stuff WILL and, indeed, does burn. But I have a feeling that a much more significant heat source is required to get it going ... and more importantly keep it that way.
I really don't rate this stuff as a way to get a fire qoing - solo or combo. Oh, well
. I didn't even bother trying lo-tech
.I'm still going to have a play at the weekend though
.
Was wondering, is that stuff just compressed saw dust or does it have some noxious additives to make it stick together? That may not be very healthy if you try to cook your sausages with it
Was wondering, is that stuff just compressed saw dust or does it have some noxious additives to make it stick together? That may not be very healthy if you try to cook your sausages with it
There's no absolute information about binders on the bag; that being the case I'd err on the side of caution.
The 'ingredients' are '100% natural wood', 'Natural pine fragrance' and 'Dust free' - What wood is it? If it were pine, would it need 'natural pine fragrance'? Is the fragrance from pine or is it that it smells like pine - that line doesn't actually mean much does it!
My original though (way back ...) was, if I can get it to burn properly, that I'd consider using it as an initial 'drystuff ' to bulk out or dry locally sourced fuel - which would negate the possible problem of chemical nasties.
No, quite, it does not mean much. I don't have much faith in anything manufacturers peddle anyway, even less if they tell me it's 100% natural! on something that's supposed to be, like wood! I'll folllow Wayland and stick to pine cones too!!
I've tried it in all manner of wood stoves, I think its too small and uniform, it packs tightly so theres not enough air space around the pellets. The only stoves I've got it to work effeciently in is forced draft ones, ie ones with a powered fan, like the woodland stove or DIY pyrolysis stoves.
I believe however there are home heating stoves that work with wood pellets, (dont know what size pellets) but its a measured feeder system, for an optimum burn rate, not exactly something achievable camping.
My opinion, from a couple of experiments, take or leave as you see fit
Heres the link to some experiments I did with pyrolysis type stoves last year, about half way down I tried the stove with cat litter pellets.
Stephen
I believe however there are home heating stoves that work with wood pellets, (dont know what size pellets) but its a measured feeder system, for an optimum burn rate, not exactly something achievable camping.
My opinion, from a couple of experiments, take or leave as you see fit
Heres the link to some experiments I did with pyrolysis type stoves last year, about half way down I tried the stove with cat litter pellets.
Stephen
I had a feeling that a pyrolosis type effecft might be needed:
and I'm beginning to have a feeling that this stuff may be more effort than is worthwhile
.
I don't see it as a complete failure. The idea was sound, but practically it doesn't appear to work. Fair enough, but it may be just that push needed for others to start thinking laterally about everyday items that would make good clean solid fuel, maybe just for a bit of practice in the back yard where there aren't many trees or pine cones.
Thanks for bringing the subject up, at least we know at the end of the world not to bother trying to burn cat litter!
Thanks for bringing the subject up, at least we know at the end of the world not to bother trying to burn cat litter!
its not a failure, it was an experiment, you had some fun and we all learned a bit more. That's worth doing it.:You_Rock_
It ain't dead ... yet. I may just have a cunning plan
.Yup, I see it the same way. It may not be an ideal fuel - but there's still at least one thing I can try; the inspiration for which comes from Gailainne and jojo.
Disclaimer: Due to what I've got to do over the weekend it's possible that I may not get time to set it up - even then it may be an overly complicated 'pie in the sky' idea
.
Oh, good, I like cunning plans I provided some inspiration? Well, I am glad of that I'll be waiting with bated breath!
I provided some inspiration? Well, I am glad of that I'll be waiting with bated breath!Similar threads
