Lightweight Firebrick?

[CastorMaple]

Almost finished my new evaporator. I'm looking for the best deal on firebrick so I can get that started. Any thoughts on the lightweight firebricks? They say they're rated to 2000 deg. Personally, I'd rather use the dense bricks if I could get a good deal. Lightweight splits are going for 2.79 ea locally. I'll keep looking, but thought I'd ask...

Pete

[Ecnerwal]

You can get lightweight rated higher than that, perhaps not from where you are looking. 2300, 2600 and 2800 are offered at my supplier, but the price goes up each time, so over-buying is inadvisable.

Lightweight are (IMHO) better than hard where you don't have physical abuse (wood, other impacts) because they insulate better for the same thickness. So the rig heats up faster and loses less heat where it shouldn't. They are utterly unsuitable for anyplace where a stick of wood will hit them, as they will crush easily and soon be gone. They can be used behind a facing of hard brick, but arches more typically use the wool products or archboard in that position.

I don't know where you are shopping, but look for ceramics supply places if you have not. Locally that is my best source of refractory materials without a lot of shipping costs that make the non-local sources more expensive. Not that it matters since they are not in easy driving range for you, but hard firebrick costs less from my local ceramics supplier than soft brick of the same temperature rating and size. Also, soft brick can be easily cut with a handsaw - if you make a simple jig you can save money by buying full bricks and sawing your own splits from them - not practical with hard brick.

Castable refractory is another option worth a look. Think of it as a sackfull of free-form brick.

[sugar ED]

My local -cement / block, componey is where I found mine 1/2 brick $1.99 whole $2.49
haft the cost ,of local hadrware /fire place stores and the same brick !

[CastorMaple]

Thanks for the info. I'll keep looking, but my local block company won't sell to a non commercial customer, and not for 100 bricks either. I'd have to buy a few pallets! Everything north of the border is more expensive it would seem. I'd drive down to Ogdensburg NY if there was anything close to there. Maybe I'll start looking south.

As for the lightweight brick, that's good info too. I could use them on the ramp, etc. And find some heavy bricks for the firebox.

I'm getting closer!