I write this as Im sat next to a nice warm fire in the Chiminea, enjoying a well earned glass of wine. Next door but one are having a BBQ on their big, shiney, americanesque GAS "BBQ". I sit here enjoying the warmnth and beauty of a real fire wondering why people bother having a gas bbq!? Surely its just an outside grill?? Why not just run an extension lead out and use the george foremen!!
Anyway enough of that. Had another productive day, a trip to B&Q yesterday inspired me to make a storage box (not sure what to use it for yet though!) I will make a few of these so that they will stack on top of each other and help solve the usual problem of storage. These will be made out of "scrap" wood and will be alot cheaper and alot more attractive than the overpriced B&Q version. The total cost for making the one I have already made was 28 nails and a cup full of olive oil (for preserving the wood) and the cost of approx 10 minutes of electricity.
Anyway enough of that. Had another productive day, a trip to B&Q yesterday inspired me to make a storage box (not sure what to use it for yet though!) I will make a few of these so that they will stack on top of each other and help solve the usual problem of storage. These will be made out of "scrap" wood and will be alot cheaper and alot more attractive than the overpriced B&Q version. The total cost for making the one I have already made was 28 nails and a cup full of olive oil (for preserving the wood) and the cost of approx 10 minutes of electricity.
Yesterday saw the design and completion of another little project I have been meaning to do for a while, a waste paper fuel block maker/fruit press. I was inspired to start making paper fuel blocks after almost running out of wood scraps to burn on the Chinimea, I was burning old reciepts and waste paper and remembered that my grandad used to make these little paper mache blocks to burn on his truburn. The idea is simple, simply soak waste paper and cardboard in water untill its mushy then with the aid of a press squash them into blocks and allow to dry. A good idea of how to use waste paper and provide heat for free! I am also going to experiment with putting waste sawdust into them and see how this works. Just another example of turning "waste" into something you can use!
The press will also double up as a fruit press for wine making! I will post updates on how the wine is coming along and some recipies soon. (Forgot to mension earlier on in my intro that Alcohol is number 5 on the most important things!)Anthony.
I've done all this 'make newspaper into fire' stuff and it's a great way of gettng rid of all those newspapers that one's wife insists on buying... but they can take several months to dry out!
ReplyDeleteKen.
true: plus if you get "bored" of doing them or run out of places to storage when drying, you just end up with masses of slightly sogging paper and block kit everywhere! Ours is still in the attic now!!! Though in new "big" house possibly storage and drying space would be easier ..... :-)
ReplyDeleteooh and sorry meant to also add:
ReplyDeleteI agree some of these gas BBQs look like outdoor kitchens - really necessary in a country like ours? - but I believe the overall general benefit of the gas bbq is the controlability of the heat: and the fact that anything can be cooked on it. Something which takes quite a degree of skill on a charcoal / wood one.
Ah - but the fun is in developing the skill! ;-)
ReplyDeleteSx
I believe Rik would agree with you....... :-)
ReplyDelete