Papermasher bags? (Tried them. Post #31)

[beaucoup]

I hate shredding office documents. Just learned about this method of putting them in washing machine in these reusable bags. I am seriously thinking of buying them. Has anyone here used them? Results?

http://www.king5.com/news/consumer/Let-Jesse-Buy-It-The-Papermasher-186564221.html

Wondered if you found them at a store besides their website? Like maybe Bed Bath & Beyond? http://www.papermasher.com/

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Seems wasteful, a shredder uses very little energy compared to running a load of laundry counting the water usage and the fact you need to use hot water.

 

[beaucoup]

Seems wasteful, a shredder uses very little energy compared to running a load of laundry counting the water usage and the fact you need to use hot water.

I supposed that would depend on how much water you are putting in your washing machine. I have a HE machine that uses much less water than older top load machines.

I'm still interested. Baby sitting a shredder. It over heats. Waiting for it too cool down. Unclog it. Oil it. Sharpen it. Empty the multiple bags. Pick up spilled confetti.

Still interested.

 

[KennesawNemo]

I supposed that would depend on how much water you are putting in your washing machine. I have a HE machine that uses much less water than older top load machines.

I'm still interested. Baby sitting a shredder. It over heats. Waiting for it too cool down. Unclog it. Oil it. Sharpen it. Empty the multiple bags. Pick up spilled confetti.

Still interested.

We have a shredder for 5 years now. Except emptying it and pick up the confetti while emptying it, we never need to wait for it to cool down, unclog it or oil it.

We shred about 10 pages per day.

 

[ilovemk76]

We have a shredder for 5 years now. Except emptying it and pick up the confetti while emptying it, we never need to wait for it to cool down, unclog it or oil it.

We shred about 10 pages per day.

Same here.

I am not wasting my water and washer to save a few minutes for myself. Maybe a new shredder is what is needed.

 

[aprilgail2]

I supposed that would depend on how much water you are putting in your washing machine. I have a HE machine that uses much less water than older top load machines.

I'm still interested. Baby sitting a shredder. It over heats. Waiting for it too cool down. Unclog it. Oil it. Sharpen it. Empty the multiple bags. Pick up spilled confetti.

Still interested.

oil it? sharpen it?? What the heck are you shredding in that thing, sheet metal????? I have had one almost ten years and have NEVER done either of those things to it!

 

[beaucoup]

ROFL. Only the DIS experts can tell you that you are incorrectly following the owners manual of every shredder you have owned or used in an office.



Known fact that shredders require periodic oiling & sharpening to run at top performance. Oil sold specificially for this purpose. Sandpaper or foil run thru shredder to sharpen. And known fact that paper dulls blades terribly. Any paper crafter can tell you that that is why they have one pair of scissors for paper & another really sharp pair for ribbon & material. Also, shredders have built in safety feature to shut off & cool down when they are used too long & get too warm. At least everyone I ever have used has. And a little red light. Just like the safety feature on hair dryers. Explained in manual.

I know not everyone reads manuals, but that has been my experience with the 3 shredders I have owned at home, and the umpteen shredders my office has gone thru in years before going with a shredding service.

I really wasn't looking to have a conversation about shredder maintanence.

 

[beaucoup]

so to answer my original question, NO, none of you have used the bags. thank you for your replies.

 

[pixiewings71]

ROFL. Only the DIS experts can tell you that you are incorrectly following the owners manual of every shredder you have owned or used in an office.



Known fact that shredders require periodic oiling & sharpening to run at top performance. Oil sold specificially for this purpose. Sandpaper or foil run thru shredder to sharpen. And known fact that paper dulls blades terribly. Any paper crafter can tell you that that is why they have one pair of scissors for paper & another really sharp pair for ribbon & material. Also, shredders have built in safety feature to shut off & cool down when they are used too long & get too warm. At least everyone I ever have used has. And a little red light. Just like the safety feature on hair dryers. Explained in manual.

I know not everyone reads manuals, but that has been my experience with the 3 shredders I have owned at home, and the umpteen shredders my office has gone thru in years before going with a shredding service.

I really wasn't looking to have a conversation about shredder maintanence.

I have the owners manual for my shredder and it doesn't say I need to oil it, sharpen the blades or do any other maintenance on it. As for office documents, not my job but the companies I've worked for have hired professionals who have trucks with shredders on them to come in and shred the paperwork that needs to be destroyed. Mine does overheat because it isn't a big unit but it isn't a big deal to let it cool down, it doesn't take very long. I use the shredded paper for fire starting, it burns fast and hot and then it's gone

so to answer my original question, NO, none of you have used the bags. thank you for your replies.

No, I've never used the bags, and probably wouldn't, doesn't seem like something I'd want to use.

 

[HeatherH]

I hate shredding office documents. Just learned about this method of putting them in washing machine in these reusable bags. I am seriously thinking of buying them. Has anyone here used them? Results?

http://www.king5.com/news/consumer/Let-Jesse-Buy-It-The-Papermasher-186564221.html

Wondered if you found them at a store besides their website? Like maybe Bed Bath & Beyond? http://www.papermasher.com/

OP, I think this brilliant! I have tons of shredding that just doesn't get done in a timely basis, this would take care of big chunks of it easily. I love it and hope it shows in stores too, I would totally buy it. Love that the reporter tested it too. Thanks for the info!

 

[beaucoup]

When my husband was deployed last year to Afghanistan, they would shred the paper, but then used the shredded paper to turn into fuel donuts for the locals.

In soldiers spare time, the volunteered to make these. They put the shredded paper in barrels. Added water. Mashed it to pulp. Put the pulp into a tube. Pressed the water out. And put the fuel donut (about the size of a roll of tp) out to dry for days. Locals used them for heat & cooking. Soldiers gave them out while talking to locals & seeking info. Gave out care packages for children too.

Here is the process. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsT2XqQaG8w

Perhaps its what it reminded me of & why I was interested.

If pulping sensitive documents is good enough for the military in a war zone, it's probably good enough for our house.

Some uses for the mashed up paper. http://papermasher.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/ive-papermashed-whats-next/

 

[Schmeck]

I hate shredding office documents. Just learned about this method of putting them in washing machine in these reusable bags. I am seriously thinking of buying them. Has anyone here used them? Results?

http://www.king5.com/news/consumer/Let-Jesse-Buy-It-The-Papermasher-186564221.html

Wondered if you found them at a store besides their website? Like maybe Bed Bath & Beyond? http://www.papermasher.com/

What does it do to your washer? Any damage expected by the paper fibers that escape? If the bag explodes, what happens to your $$$$ washing machine?

I know it really messes up my machine when even one little slip of paper gets washed in a pocket. And then the time a tissue packet was in there...

 

[DaisyD]

ROFL. Only the DIS experts can tell you that you are incorrectly following the owners manual of every shredder you have owned or used in an office.



Known fact that shredders require periodic oiling & sharpening to run at top performance. Oil sold specificially for this purpose. Sandpaper or foil run thru shredder to sharpen. And known fact that paper dulls blades terribly. Any paper crafter can tell you that that is why they have one pair of scissors for paper & another really sharp pair for ribbon & material. Also, shredders have built in safety feature to shut off & cool down when they are used too long & get too warm. At least everyone I ever have used has. And a little red light. Just like the safety feature on hair dryers. Explained in manual.

I know not everyone reads manuals, but that has been my experience with the 3 shredders I have owned at home, and the umpteen shredders my office has gone thru in years before going with a shredding service.

I really wasn't looking to have a conversation about shredder maintanence.

Might not have been looking for maintenance advice but there is something wrong. We usually have a shredder for 5 years or more and shred way more then 10 pages a day. The only maintenance we have done is empty it. It has never shut off, needed oiled, nor had to be sharpened. Those trash bags seems like a huge waste of time and money. Just pulled out the old manual we have for ours and there is nothing in there about oiling or sharpening it.

 

[Robbi]

I hate shredding office documents. Just learned about this method of putting them in washing machine in these reusable bags. I am seriously thinking of buying them. Has anyone here used them? Results?

http://www.king5.com/news/consumer/Let-Jesse-Buy-It-The-Papermasher-186564221.html

Wondered if you found them at a store besides their website? Like maybe Bed Bath & Beyond? http://www.papermasher.com/

Sounds like a great idea! I'm off to look t the website. Thanks OP

 

[ksjayhawks]

I have done something similar to this when I needed to get rid of documents and a shredder was not available.

Simply filled a sink with hot water. Tore papers into smaller pieces and submersed in water. Moved them around to cover. Let sit til water cooled. Drained water. Smooshed papers together in small amounts. Let dry if posssible. Threw in trash or recycling bin.

 

[beaucoup]

Might not have been looking for maintenance advice but there is something wrong. We usually have a shredder for 5 years or more and shred way more then 10 pages a day. The only maintenance we have done is empty it. It has never shut off, needed oiled, nor had to be sharpened. Those trash bags seems like a huge waste of time and money. Just pulled out the old manual we have for ours and there is nothing in there about oiling or sharpening it.

they are not trash bags. You do not throw the bag away -- despite what is shown in the video. The washable bag is reusable.

Also, their facebook page says it has been redesigned with a zipper, not a drawstring closure.

 

[beaucoup]

I went ahead & ordered a set of 2. Its that time of year where I am cleaning out filing cabinet. And helping elderly parents make a clean up, so maybe they can use the other one.

Probably don't need to use it except maybe once a month after the great purge of 2013.

Fingers crossed it works well. Willing to spend a little money to try it out.

 

[aprilgail2]

Might not have been looking for maintenance advice but there is something wrong. We usually have a shredder for 5 years or more and shred way more then 10 pages a day. The only maintenance we have done is empty it. It has never shut off, needed oiled, nor had to be sharpened. Those trash bags seems like a huge waste of time and money. Just pulled out the old manual we have for ours and there is nothing in there about oiling or sharpening it.

The op must have some industrial shredder or something. Made me go search for owners manual for mine too and nothing in there about oiling or sharpening! I use mine every day and it's lasted for years. As I open the mail I shred what I don't want and as I sit at the computer and pay my bills I just shred them as I pay them so I don't get a big backlog of shredding to do.
As far as the bags I don't think I would be comfortable putting all that in my washing machine.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

I would make sure this doesn't void your washer's warranty.
There's also all the ink that is going to come off the paper. I don't think I would do a load of whites after washing a bunch of paper.

 

[MrsPete]

I've never heard of this product.

Do you have to run a separate load of laundry, or can this go in along with a small load of towels? If so, it wouldn't be wasteful at all.