Question about firebricks

[Dieseldog]

After two hours researching the difference in light firebricks and dense ones, I admit to being totally confused. If you are knowledgeable about the different densities available, I would appreciate hearing which you think I should buy for my evaporator and why. Thank you.

[Bucket Head]

I've never heard of light and dense one's, but I've never heard of a lot of things. I've only heard of (and have used) full and half bricks- the half bricks are often called "splits". They are 1" thick, versus the 2" full bricks. Some sort of insulation should be installed first, then put in the fire bricks. The bricks themselves offer no insulation value. They only protect the insulation from being damaged when loading wood. I used splits in my current arch. There was no need to take up firebox space with the full ones. They also weigh less and are less expensive. Hope this helps.

Steve

[Dieseldog]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, they do make light, medium and dense firebricks. The light ones apparently have air trapped inside making them lighter and better at insulating perhaps. Maybe the dense ones reflect the heat back better. There must be a reason for the different densities.

[jmayerl]

I got a great deal on a pallet of light bricks for almost free. They can't handle the abuse of a arch real well, each year I replace a few. They are really meant for kilns. I only have about $.15 into each so for me it's no big deal but I would buy the dense ones meant for a arch

[Bucket Head]

Thats interesting. Not to hijack this thread, but what temperature does a pottery kiln get up to? I know some art schools have wood-fired kilns. I would think they could acheive close to the same temperatures as a natural draft arch.

Steve

[bees1st]

high fired pottery is around 2100 degrees. I once built a wood fired kiln that got to those temps. easily.

[upsmapleman]

The abuse is not from the heat but from throwing wood in.

[red maples]

correct I have actually seen the price of the split bricks go up to the same price as the full bricks and the splits are actaully denser than the full bricks. some people don't but I would also add brick to the entire arch its just makes clean up SOOO much easier when you are vacuuming out ash at the end of the season or brushing the bottoms of your pans during the season the brush can tear up the insulation.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

I sure knew when I cut some Bascom bricks after using hardware store bricks the year before. I posted this thread last year on the subject, and nobody replied!

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?22038-Fire-Brick-is-not-created-equal.-Hard-vs.-Soft.-Watch-what-you-buy.

[Swampmapleman]

The ones I picked up from bascoms a couple weeks ago are awful hard. Destroyed 3 diamond blades on my 4 1/2 grinder and worm drive circular saw. But density is not listed.

Matt

[DoubleBrookMaple]

The ones I picked up from bascoms a couple weeks ago are awful hard. Destroyed 3 diamond blades on my 4 1/2 grinder and worm drive circular saw. But density is not listed.

MattInteresting... Last year the Bascom's I got were very easy to cut. I have pics on my post..
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?22038-Fire-Brick-is-not-created-equal.-Hard-vs.-Soft.-Watch-what-you-buy

[Swampmapleman]

I have cut alot of brick and concrete but nothing ever tore up my blades like that. But work pays for em anyhow. I have never cut firebrick until this past week so im new to it.

[Dieseldog]

If the diamond blade got destroyed then I guess my plan to cut the bricks with karate chops won't work. Since I also have to fire brick a fireplace insert and have thrown the same question out on Hearth.com, I think that I will make a few calls to the stove manufacturers and hope I have it figured out after that.

Jim

[nymapleguy607]

When I bricked my arch I bought a circular saw for cutting tile. It came with the hook up so I could run water on the blade while cutting and that made a huge difference. I was cutting the full size tan colored fire brick. The saw was less than $100 at lowes so to me it was a worth while investment.

[red maples]

I still recommend renting a tile wet saw. cost me $30. it was quick no clamping no lost fingers worked GREAT!!! easy quick and didn;t get my circular saw full of stone dust and ruin it!!!

[DoubleBrookMaple]

I still recommend renting a tile wet saw. cost me $30. it was quick no clamping no lost fingers worked GREAT!!! easy quick and didn;t get my circular saw full of stone dust and ruin it!!!No doubt easiest with tile wet saw, but if you are a long way from rentals, and couldn't imagine doing it in one day. I used what I had on hand. My Craftsman Industrial, 13A worm drive circular with a masonry blade, and a water feed system is a must. No toxic dust, and saves the blade. Honestly, it would have been impossible to do without the water. I tried, and sparks, dust, and lots of heat generated burning through blades like mad!

9915

[Waynehere]

I use an old chop saw with a diamond blade. Cuts through almost like butter. Never needed water. Little dusty is all...

[Biz]

Harbor Freight sells a small tile saw for like $60. The diamond blades are smaller and cheaper, about $10 I think. I just cut halfway through the brick and flipped over and did the other side. Worked fine for me for my 18x48" CDL.
Biz

[Marvel26]

The ones I picked up from bascoms a couple weeks ago are awful hard. Destroyed 3 diamond blades on my 4 1/2 grinder and worm drive circular saw. But density is not listed.

Matt

I have been searching the net for info on firebrick and I read on one of the sites that if you soak high density brick for 5 min or more in water they'll cut easier. Just spewing what i read on the internet so take it with a grain of salt

Rob

[red maples]

You can rent a wet saw for $35- $55 depending the size you get ( I think give or take ) for 4 hrs and return it. I used a medium wet tile saw( I think it was $35-$40 total. easy cheap and they work good and you don't get your saw full of stone dust, don't go through diamond blades. no hassle no clamping down bricks. not cutting off of fingers. Have all your bricks laid out measured marked ready to go. I cut and dry fit all my bricks for my 2x6 in about 2 hrs didn;t reck my own tools. Just saying I would do it again in a heart beat.

[handtapper]

I'm paying a mason to brick my rig. I was quoted a few hundred bucks. I would have to go and rent the tools or ruin my saw/grinder, blades, mess up a few bricks, return tools etc... I'd rather work a day or two and be done with it. It will also be professionaly done which I could not do

[Cake O' Maple]

After two hours researching the difference in light firebricks and dense ones, I admit to being totally confused. If you are knowledgeable about the different densities available, I would appreciate hearing which you think I should buy for my evaporator and why. Thank you.

I'll admit up front I don't know much about firebrick, but have done some research once I heard about insulating firebrick. IFB is the lighter brick; it's easier to cut, much lighter to lift and move, and the air pockets insulate from the heat better. The dense firebrick is intended to hold heat (as you would want for a pizza oven, for example), so while it will help keep heat from dissipating into the general area, you lose a lot of energy heating them up instead of that heat being kept inside your arch. I have NO idea how much heat energy wastes, if it negligible or not.

The dense bricks will insulate, but my opinion is the IFB insulate better. They are much more fragile. They don't like to be dropped, or knocked off a stack by raccoons (d*** raccons). I used "used" firebrick, a combo of (most of them) dense and (a few) IFB the first year I boiled by myself, and then found a pallet of IFB at an auction and re-built the walls. I use 2 propane jet burners, on a floor of firebrick, surrounded by firebrick, with hotel pans on top, as my homemade arch. Late last spring some curious raccoons knocked several bricks off the top row of the walls, busting them. Snarl. Glad I had plenty from that pallet leftover.