Shredders

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ColleenKennedy

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
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148
Location
Colorado
I seem to have so much trash. Does anyone know of a shredder capable of handling mat board? I hate to spend time cutting up unuasable scrap.
 
Why do you need to cut it up? If it's too big for the garbage bag, give it to the local school. And if it's too small to give away, just chunk it.

I don't think anybody's gonna read your mats... ;)

Betty
 
There are lots of groups out there that want your scraps, but they don't know that you have scraps to give them unless you offer. I have given even the smallest foam core and mat board scraps to girl scout/brownie troops, preschools, and all grades in many school districts. The only hitch is that they have to pick it up. A neighboring shop, a desert store, takes small pieces for signs. On many occasions, cookies have arrived at my door when they have made extras!

In my travels in Vermont, I found a resale shop that was actually selling those little pieces. The shop specialized in selling stuff that companies were going to throw out. I am convinced that if you spread the word, there is someone out there that could use pieces even a few inches wide. With a little creativity really cool pins, magnets, and sculptures could be made.

Susan Gittlen
Whispering Woods Gallery
Holland PA
 
Colleen

Check with your local supermarket…..ask them who is supplying them with their shredder/compacter for the cardboard boxes…this way you will be assured of a strong and durable machine.

Rgs
 
There might be a problem that you have not considered by using a compactor to bail scrap paper, mat board, corrugated board. That is, the bails of board are extremely heavy. They can range from a few hundred pounds to a couple thousand pounds. In either case you will need heavy duty material handling equipment to move these bails and a ramp of some sort to get them into a truck. I would consult with a scrap dealer / recycler for their requirements.
 
The shredder you are looking for is going to cost into the thousand dollar range, I'm not so sure you are going to want it. Who knows though, your operation could be huge and you may need several. Giving away to worthy causes makes more sense, may also be a tax break for you.

John
 
I once framed a turn of the century photograph which showed a lumber mill almost buried in in sawdust and cutoffs. There are busy days when it feels like that around here.

We have a cadre of art teachers who pick mat scraps. We keep boxes by the mat sizing station and E-mail a list of teachers when they are full.

I subscribe to some wood working trade journals and have fantasized about installing one of the shredder/auger/boiler systems advertised for large furniture plants - throw the cardboard and mat scraps into a hopper where they are shredded, transported to a furnace and then used to heat the building.

Peter Bowe
Saline Picture Frame Co.
 
Originally posted by Peter Bowe:
fantasized about installing one of the shredder/auger/boiler systems advertised for large furniture plants - throw the cardboard and mat scraps into a hopper where they are shredded, transported to a furnace and then used to heat the building.
Click to expand...
There's a $250,000 gasification unit for sale for just a hundred grand in a mill that went under about 20 miles from us. They'd probably throw in the auger feed system. You'd still need the grinder (someone bought that at the auction), a bin for the shredded material, a boiler and a place to put it all...
 
A company I'm involved in, that makes hardwood doors, has a system like the one David described. They have a huge silo to store the wood chips before they're burned for heat. Periodically, a piece of hot metal gets thrown in there and they have spectacular fires. Thanks to new sprinkler systems and quick action, the last fire - late last year - only did $100,000 in damage.

There was a $100 shredder that they were demonstrating on tech TV the other day. It's made for grinding up CDs and computer disks, so I'm pretty sure it would handle mat board - if you pre-cut it into 5" squares.

I keep a paper grocery bag near my wall cutter. Anything smaller that about 12x16 goes in there and there are several teachers that come and pick it up. I rarely have more than 2 full bags sitting around.
 
I'm not sure why you want to shred it as it takes even more space when shredded (great for packaging and its not as messy as paper, also good "reuse" of scrap product), there are loads of shredders available that will handle the stuff and I would expect that anywhere from about US600 would get you a good starting point.
We also give away as much as possible to local schools etcetera.
 
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