Refractory Cement Curing Time?

[briansickler]

How long do you have to keep the temperature above freezing to cure the refractory cement after bricking? Also, how soon can you fire it for the first time? Thanks.

Brian

[whalems]

I have the same question. I will be bricking the arch this week hopefully

[briansickler]

What? Nobody Knows? I'm going to guess 24 hour cure time. Let me know if I'm Wrong....Or right.:twisted:

[stoweski]

Only my second year - not sure if this was the correct way to do it but here's what I did...

First, I didn't have to rebrick. I only added a few that fell out during transportation. I had a few 3/8" gaps that I filled with cement and then the cracks from jumping around on the trailer.

I put an electric heater set to 60 degrees in the evap and covered it with a few pieces of insulation to keep in the heat. Left that for 24hrs.

Checked it a couple of times to see if it had dried. The gap that I filled was hard as a rock after 24 hrs.

Removed the fan, put my pans on, filled with water, and started a small fire. Kept the fire going by adding a stick at a time, gradually increasing the flame. After an hour of building up the fire I had the water in the pans at 180. At that point I let the fire die out. 2 hrs after that the firebrick was still warm to touch but it looked like the refractory cement had cured.

I won't start it again until I get some sap. We'll see how it holds.
Good luck!
Keith

[maple flats]

I did similar to stoweski but used a heat lamp for about 18 hrs. Then I put water in the pans and built a real small fire, let it go out, re did about every 60-90 minutes making a new fire for 6-7 reps, each time I just used some kindling and 2 wrist size pieces of wood to start. About the third time I added 1 more piece and again the 5th and again on the last. With each I just let it get going and then shut the draft to almost nothing. After the last firing, I drained the pans and let it set until the next day. The next morning I could still feel the bricks were slightly warmer than air temp but do not know if they were above freezing, but I think they were. I relit the second day but kept a real small fire all day, each time adding about 3 more wrist size pieces before the fire went out. At my last firing that second day I put in about half a firebox full and let it burn out. When all but a very few coals were left I spread them out and drained the pans. The next time I fired was with sap but the first 2 or 3 hrs I ran fairly slow. After that it was run full force. I don't know if this was all needed but when I asked the same question I got far too much variation in the answers. This was what I came up with. I think the main thing is that you need to slowly drive out any moisture before it can freeze. You might even get by doing this for just one day and make the last fire bigger. Just be sure you drain the pans after the fire burns out or you will damage the pans.
After that my refractory and bricking was in good condition.

[whalems]

thanks I will give it a try:)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Here's some help for you guys.

http://www.rutland.com/back/tds/document_23.pdf

[briansickler]

Thanks for the input. The buckets of refractory cement didn't have much detail in the instructions. Mainly how you should apply it. I did read on the Rutland Refractory site to let it dry for 24 hrs. Then you are supposed to cure it at 500 degrees for an hour. The cement I bought from my Leader dealer is not Rutland brand but I'm sure it is very similar. I think the small fires to get the moisture out is a great idea. Thanks again.

Brian