Katoomba Area Local NewsStrengthening community, healing Country, and restoring the health of our planet.
Turning Sawdust into Gold: How a Blue Mountains Carpenter is Heating Homes and Reducing Waste
Briquettes made from sawdust at Against The Grain (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
When Dave Spees began making timber windows and doors out of his garage in 2006, he didn’t expect sawdust to become one of his biggest problems – or his most innovative solution.
Nearly two decades later, the Katoomba-based carpenter and founder of Against the Grain has turned the by-product of his craft into a sustainable, sought-after winter fuel. His compressed sawdust briquettes are now helping to heat homes across the Blue Mountains, all while dramatically reducing landfill waste.
Key Points:
Dave Spees transformed his carpentry business’s sawdust waste problem into a sustainable heating solution by creating compressed briquettes for Blue Mountains residents.
After initial challenges with a small press, a $200,000 German Weima machine now produces high-quality briquettes using only hydraulic pressure and premium timber sawdust.
The briquettes have become a popular winter fuel staple, with up to 40 tonnes stored annually and strong demand from local residents.
From Craftsmanship to Climate-Conscious Innovation
Spees, a long-time Mountains local who grew up in Springwood, has spent his life working with timber: first as a carpenter and joiner, then as a bespoke window maker. By 2009 his window-making business had taken off, as had his production of sawdust.
“We were filling 10 to 12 industrial bins of sawdust every month,” Spears recalls. “It was becoming a serious stress. It didn’t feel right to just keep dumping it into landfill.”
That waste stream eventually led him overseas, where a trade expo in Germany opened his eyes to how European manufacturers were compressing sawdust into heating briquettes. In fact, they were using the briquettes to heat the factories. Nothing, he noticed, was going to waste.
Dave Spees (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
A Machine with Muscle
Back home, Spees invested in a small German briquette press and reworked his factory’s dust extraction system to feed it. But early versions of the briquettes – small, soft discs – weren’t quite hitting the mark.
“People liked the idea, but not the product,” he says. “They’d fall apart too easily, especially in fireplaces. We solved our dust problem, but we hadn’t cracked the briquette.”
After a few years of trial and error, Spees applied for a NSW Bin Trim grant, a government initiative aimed at managing commercial waste. The grant allowed him to purchase a high-capacity $200,000 Weima press – far more powerful and sophisticated than his first.
It was a risk, especially for a small family business. But the investment paid off.
Vacuum chutes collecting sawdust to send to the press. (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
Collected sawdust fed into the press. (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
Briquettes fresh from the press dropping into the container(Photo: Saskia Everingham)
The new press creates dense, high-performance briquettes using only hydraulic pressure – no glue, no additives. It has an 800mm diameter pipe that sucks the dust from each workbench into a huge external hopper, from which the briquettes are then compressed.
The external hopper (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
The mix includes offcuts of premium Australian hardwoods and imported timbers like rosewood, cedar and blackbutt – leftovers from Spees’ custom window and door work.
“They’re dry, clean-burning, and incredibly efficient,” he says. “People are often surprised by how much heat they generate.”
The briquettes for sale at Against The Grain’s Katoomba showroom (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
From Waste to Winter Warmth
The briquettes are now a staple for many Blue Mountains residents, especially older locals who can no longer split firewood. Spees stores up to 40 tonnes each summer in preparation for winter, when demand surges.
“We have regulars who come in with boxes to fill up,” he says. “It’s all self-serve. We don’t really advertise anymore – word’s spread.”
So much so that during especially cold or wet seasons, the briquettes have occasionally sold out. In those cases, Spees and his team keep a waiting list, prioritising vulnerable or elderly customers.
The sawdust comes from a wide range of timber sources, and balancing the composition to keep the press running smoothly remains an ongoing challenge.
“One minute we’re machining soft pine, the next it’s dense ironbark,” Spees explains. “That can jam the machine if we’re not careful. It’s taken years to get the settings right, but the support from Weima’s team in Germany has been incredible.”
Designing for the Fire
The story comes full circle in Spees’ own Leura home, which he designed around a fireplace with hydronic radiators – a nod to European efficiency.
“I always wanted to be able to heat my own home with the material we produce,” he says. “And now I can. We’re not just keeping warm, we’re closing the loop.”
The project exemplifies how sustainable thinking, paired with craftsmanship and persistence, can reshape an industry from the inside out.
From discarded sawdust to winter staple, Spees’ briquettes are more than just an alternative fuel: they’re a local blueprint for what small businesses can do when sustainability becomes part of the design.
Against the Grain also supplies boxes of kindling (Photo: Saskia Everingham)
Interested in trying the briquettes?
Against the Grain offers self-serve pickup from their factory at Unit 24-26, Megalong St, Katoomba. Supplies are limited in winter: best to bring your own box and get in early!
We have a rare opportunity to learn about the newest and best possible ways to support family and community members struggling with mental health issues, at a free talk and afternoon tea provided by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 Nov. Hear from Peter Joseph AM, Chair of the Black Dog Institute, and Professor Helen Christensen AO, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and former Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Black Dog Institute. They`ll be in conversation with journalist Emma Rossi. Dr Christensen is a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
This Saturday Sherlie McMillan from Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be running a workshop on How to use a sewing machine from 9am at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Learn how to set up a machine, service it, troubleshoot when it`s not sewing correctly, and learn some basic sewing skills.
Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/how-to-use-your-sewing-machine
NB. This class is a prerequisite for our very popular Fashion Upcycling classes held once a month.
We`re thrilled to announce that Professor Helen Christensen, a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression, will be joining the conversation with Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute and journalist Emma Rossi at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 November. Helen was the Executive Director and Chief Scientist for the Black Dog Institute for 10 years and has now been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. This free event is being co-hosted by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Human composting is increasingly being legalised around the world. Read about it in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/legalising-human-composting/
If you’d like to see this option available in NSW you can now sign a live petition to the NSW Parliament here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/43QIHbz
Thanks to everyone who contributed to deliver a fantastic Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Family Day yesterday. @mark_greenhill_mayor opened the event at which we celebrated the 13th birthday of Betty the Asbestos Education House; @firecoat_au demonstrated and launched its range of fire retardant products that can help protect homes, gardens and even electricity poles; the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit was launched; Santa arrived and delighted young and old; and @plantinspired99 and Action for Animals fed us all with a delicious plant-based sausage sizzle. The day was filled with talks, workshops, stalls and the sharing of a huge amount of expertise to keep us, and the other species we share our planet with, safe and healthy! @southkatoomba.rfb @nswses @fireandrescuensw @nswrfs @redcrossleura @redcrossau @shelter.building.design @firehalo.au @asbestosawareness @amelie_ecology @bbagsbluemtns @wireswildliferescue @handsheartfeet
Our marquee is up and we`re excited about our Expo and Family Day tomorrow (Sat 22 Nov). There`s something for everyone from a free sausage sizzle, plants from Santa and drumming and pollinator workshops, to sessions on keeping you and our community safe from extreme weather events and hazardous substances like mould and asbestos. Learn how intumescent paints can slow the spread of fire and pick up a sample pot; check out all our emergency service organisations; learn how to dispose of hazardous materials; paint a native orchid, make some seed balls or sew a boomerang bag to give as plastic-free Christmas presents this year; enjoy coffee and locally made sweets; and get tips on how to retrofit your home safely and beautifully to be prepared for future extreme weather events. View the full program and register here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
There are so many new and innovative ways of doing things, like the new cooking techniques being explored by Michael from Good Fat Pastry, and the new fire protection methods being launched at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Check out Michael’s recent presentation at the Food Security Fair in our video here: https://bit.ly/4pnXbIg (link in profile) and come along to taste his delicious carrot cake and pastries at the Expo on Saturday. Check out the program and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
In 2006 Peter Joseph’s son Michael suicided after a 14-year episodic battle with mental illness. Peter is now the Chair of the Black Dog Institute which is working to achieve better outcomes for all those struggling with mental health issues. Journalist Emma Rossi will engage Peter in an intimate and moving conversation about a life of purpose and mental health advocacy. As a Rotary scholar Peter will also reflect on how Rotary helped shape his values and sense of purpose as a young man - and how those early lessons continue to guide his work today. This free event is being hosted by the Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary Club and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative on Saturday 29 November from 2-4pm at the Planetary Health Centre at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Learn about intumescent fire retardant paint and a range of other strategies to prepare for extreme weather events, and to manage hazardous materials, at the upcoming Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre on Sat 22 Nov. You can register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J We checked out how intumescent paint works in this video.
When temperatures reach a certain point the intumescent paint begins to swell and expand, often up to 50 times its original thickness. It forms a thick, carbonaceous "char" that acts as an insulating barrier. This layer slows the rate at which heat reaches the structural elements and buys valuable time for people to safely exit a building during a fire. It makes the structure safer for firefighters and rescue teams. #intumescentpaint #fireretardant #bushfire @firecoat_au...
Mould, lead paint, asbestos, silica dust from engineered stone bench tops and a wide range of chemicals, are amongst some of the many hazardous substances entering our environment and negatively impacting our health. Asbestos is found in over 3000 products including textured paints, moulded garden pots, brake pads and clutch linings in older cars, floor and ceiling tiles, lino, fibro, roofing, pipes and gutters, hot water systems, backing for switchboards and insulation boards in air-conditioning ducts, insulation, sealants, fillers, caulking and adhesives, gaskets for industrial and lab equipment and more. We’ll have information to take away and Blue Mountains City Council and the Asbestos and Hazardous Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) will be running free workshops on how to identify and manage these hazardous substances at the Planetary Health Centre`s Disaster Risk Awareness Expo in Katoomba on Sat 22 Nov. Find out more and register to attend here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
Are you ready for the next bushfire, heatwave or flood? Why not take steps to prepare at the Planetary Health Centre`s Expo and Family Day on Sat 22 Nov. Award-winning Hempcrete designer Kirstie Wulf from @shelter.building.design will share 10 steps to build or renovate for sustainability and resilience; engineer Mark Liebman will share how you can build a green roof to reduce stormwater runoff and cool your building; Dr Agnieszka Wujeska-Klause will share research results on the most appropriate actions to lower heat in summer and help you use a thermal imaging camera to identify which surfaces retain the most heat; Frank Inzitari will introduce you to the @firehalo.au which can help reduce ember attack; and a team from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) will work with you to use the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit to design your own personal bushfire plan. We`ll also be launching Firecoat`s new Bushfire Home Protection Kit. Learn more and register to attend here: https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
There are so many extraordinary volunteers keeping us and wildlife safe all year round! Come along and meet them at the Expo and Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on Saturday 22nd Nov. Learn what you can do to be ready for emergencies, and how you can volunteer or help in some other way. Together we can be more prepared and reduce the risk of disaster. There`ll be a free sausage sizzle so help give us an idea of numbers by registering here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nFrY1J
As global food insecurity increases, research suggests that the ‘planetary health diet’ is one solution. This calls for a shift towards a plant-based diet and more local food production. Local social enterprise Farm it Forward is showing how this can be done in school yards and one backyard after another.
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