Paper Camping Bricks

Start saving all of the paper out of your shredder for a project that can help you when you go camping, fishing, or hiking. Shred old bills, envelopes, printer paper, and more, and you can easily turn them into useful bricks to burn when you're outdoors. Since the finished bricks are very lightweight, it's no problem to take along a bagful of them the next time you travel.

It does take a good bit of paper, and quite a bit of time, before you can actually produce a finished brick. However, most of that time is spent allowing the bricks to dry. Plus, the process is not at all difficult so you won't mind making a whole batch of them at a time.

After shredding paper, gather a bunch of it, and put it in your blender, or similar gadget. Make sure that all of the paper is regular; it shouldn't be foiled paper, wax paper, or plastic-coated. Add some water to the blender and start blending them together. It might be necessary to add more water - a little at a time - until you create a concoction with the consistency of a milk shake.

Pour the paper into a strainer and allow the excess water to drip. Leave it at least an hour. Every now and then, push on the wet paper, to help squeeze out the water. The mushy remains will soon become a paper brick.

A good mold for the brick is a loaf pan. Use ones you already have or make foil versions. Put a couple of layers of foil in the pan, fit it to the sides, then lift the foil pan out of the mold. Or, cover your pan with foil or plastic wrap to use it.

Allow the paper to sit in the mold, overnight, or longer. After you're certain the brick has dried a good bit, dump it out of the mold. Further dry the brick by leaving it out in the sun, or by setting it in a warm, airy place. Make many at a time and, as they're drying, don't stack them. However, when the drying process is finished, you can stack them until they're ready to use.

Take along a bag or pouch full of the paper bricks to start campfires, light an area where you're fishing, or have light or heat when out in the wild.