DIY Briquette Press

Even with homemade briquettes, you can still be Master of the Grill.

While many people rely on charcoal as the source of their briquettes, you don't have to go to the store and buy a big bag to keep on hand. Several different sources of household waste are out there that you can convert into briquettes to start a fire on the grill. This particular example uses sawdust and paper, but many different options exist as far as materials. Not only will you be keeping that waste out of the landfill, but you won't be using a fossil fuel to cook your dinner. Does this Spark an idea?

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Metal tube, the size of a caulk tube, threaded at both ends
Threaded receptacle to fit tube
Piston to fit inside tube
Metal disk
Drill with metal bit
Trigger mechanism from caulking gun
Sawdust
Paper fragments
Water
Bucket

Instructions

- 1
  
  Drill holes with a one-eighth-inch bit into a metal disk. This disk should be the same size as one end of the metal tube. Drill eight to 10 holes in the disk, and then drill holes in the tube, in four straight lines down the length.
- 2
  
  Mix sawdust, paper fragments and water in a bucket. Stir the mixture so that the paper is soaked with water and starts blending with the sawdust.
- 3
  
  Thread one end of the metal tube into a receptacle that is solid. Slide the disk with holes into the tube. Then pour enough mixture to fill the tube about halfway up. Insert the piston and push down repeatedly. Some small fragments of sawdust and paper may leach out with the water that comes through the holes. Put a metal disk (without holes) into the tube. Then, add more of your mixture and another disk, and press down. Repeat this process until the piston is full.
- 4
  
  Attach the trigger mechanism to the other end of the tube. Press the trigger to push down all of the disks, with the mixture between, to create the briquets. Take the lid off the other threaded end and keep pushing the trigger to slide the briquets out the other end.