Firebricks, differences from one to the next ?

[KsWoodsMan]

I've got a PE Summit that has some cracked brick...

Maybe it was mentioned, does one need to switch out all the brick after so long? Or, just replace cracked ones?

I've seen other posts stating that if the bricks are only cracked yet otherwise intact their replacement is only a matter of cosmetics.

If it seems like the bricks are cracking or deteriorating in certain areas from the heat you might consider upgraded replacements in that area only. Otherwise I'd move them to a spot they didn't show and check them periodically. If they are holding up I see no reason to replace something that isn't broken . YMMV , I'm jut a hack, what I do works for me but might not for someone placed in my position.

 

[Justsaws]

Castable refractory bags were from Vesuvius. They have an office in Carnegie PA.

The blanket material was KaoWoal, excellent insulator but is not impact or errosion stable after firing. It is a good filler behind the hard brick and much easier to fit than soft brick.

Boxes of soft brick(previously called "pumice") are labeled Vulcan. I am sure that they are rebranded for the electric kiln brand Vulcan. Again these brick are soft and should not be impacted or in an errosive enviroment. They will abrade in a draft. They are much easier to fit and provide an excellent thermo barrier but would need to be faced with hard brick.

There was no marking on the new hard brick but if memory serves it was purchased from a concrete building product supply company. They sold culverts, red brick, roofing tiles, etc..

Cinder block will not hold up to a wood fire.

Castable refractories can be made from Portland, silca sand, frit, vermiculite, etc. Lots of formulas out there. If you have access to a decent library, there will be formulas in books about backyard casting and foundry works as well as kiln building. Portland use to have a formula book as well. Remember that you want formulas for drafted wood, coal, coke fires and not for electric smelters, kilns, furnance and forges. You need a stable hard face with enough insulating value to protect the metal at a particular cycle temp, that will help determine how thick and what type of castable refractory to use. $$$$ will determine the rest. If you can get brick cheap enough then that will probably be the best bet, there are reasons why it is the typical install.

If you do not need much brick than a ceramics or pottery supply house might be able to source some. They may also have used ones or bits.

Becareful putting a sharp edge on the brick as it will degrade quickly and can lead to cracking. Think of it in terms of beveling the sharp corners. Fitting hard brick in a circle they were often beveled enough to fit them and then back filled with something else, for instance the side being cut at an angle would only have the angle cut as deep as was needed to fit the bricks in the circle, 1/2 way for instance. Ending up with a 8 sided block instead of a 6 sided block.

 

[wdchuck]

I was having a similar line of thought but looking for different information or maybe conclusion.

My furnace is made by DAKA...Menards is the distributor.

Menards also sells fire brick.

What is the difference between what the two offer and what does it mean to the consumer when they are replacing cracked bricks?

Is the Menards retailed brick the same quality as the Menards distributed but DAKA manufactured brick? What is the realized difference to the consumer?


Simple question.

 

[Justsaws]

I was having a similar line of thought but looking for different information or maybe conclusion.

My furnace is made by DAKA...Menards is the distributor.

Menards also sells fire brick.

What is the difference between what the two offer and what does it mean to the consumer when they are replacing cracked bricks?

Is the Menards retailed brick the same quality as the Menards distributed but DAKA manufactured brick? What is the realized difference to the consumer?


Simple question.

The people you want to answer that question is Daka and Menards. It would be nice to believe that Menards was selling the correct product of the same quality for the brand of furnance they distribute but I would not gamble on it. Menards does some scary stuff every now and again.

Hopefully someone more familar with consumer heating appliances can help you.

 

[dingeryote]

Just picked up a six pack of Bricks at Menards. "Vogelzang" is what the local joint carries.

I assume they are OK for woodfired stuff...but I use the word "Assume".
Any chance they are trash.?

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Thanks,

Got a tile saw, and probably havn't been scoring deep enough before going to flint knapping on the brick.LOL!

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

Are you supporting the ends and whacking the brick with chisel in the center of the score or letting the waste end hang out there and trying to knock it off? seems whacking it in the score with the ends supported was what worked best . Been to long.

6 in a pack ... is more practice.

The vogelzang bricks I seen on menards website said they were rated to 2200. If I didn't find any better for about that price I initially thought I'd give them a go 'round.

 

[dingeryote]

I'm using the dowel on each side and a cold chisel. Gotta narrow a couple down, and shorten 4.

I'll run the cut a LOT deeper and a smidge wider this time, as I think the chisel is part of the issue.
Darn things flake a lot easier than pavers.

I hear ya on price. Good thing they don't wear out easy or fast.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Justsaws]

As long as the firebrick is branded in some way that you can look up some specs on it that would go a long way towards making me me comfortable using it.

In terms of cutting them. Score them as deep as possible if you cannot cut all the way through. If you are doing simple straight cuts do it from both sides. Firebrick will fracture under a chisel and the fractures will grow with heat and cooling cycles.

I always snapped them in my hands or big pieces were done on a large chunk of furniture foam.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

In the spirit of K.I.S.S. I'm gonna go with the cheap ones to start with. My local Orschlens has the Vogezang bricks cheap enough. The packaging says they are good to 2200 degrees. If they don't hold up I'll worry with that later.

28 of them will give me a 22.5" tall firebox about 15.5" in diameter. It will burn 24" wood easily enough. 2.5 cubic feet should be plenty of volume for a fire box. With secondary air and plenty of radiator surface I'll get plenty of heat and sufficient burn time.

More on this later and Thanks guys for the input.

 

[dingeryote]

Ended up just cutting the things freehand on the tile saw. 3/4 of the way through on one side, flip 'em and finish it. No whacking or chisel involved.

Not bad, just messy without the guard in place.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[4seasons]

I just cut some firebrick for my stove 2 weeks ago.
I used a 7 in masonry/ abrasive blade ( the cheapest one they sell at home depot) on a circular saw.
You will need some sort of clamp/ jig to hold the brick while you cut. It is slow and very dusty, took 15 minutes to cut 3 brick but by cutting 3/4 of the way thru then flipping to finish the cut I got perfect square cuts with no worry of cracked/ busted bricks from the score and whack it method.