Hi Folks, I'm looking to make a smaller forge for some backyard smithing (forge will be stored in a metal garage-like building and only outside when being used) but I want to only use brick (combination of soft and hard, also there will be metal involved, I just mean the only refractory would be bricks). I made this choice as I assume it will last longer, and with less maintenance, than one made with wool and cast-able refractory. Realistically, with light to moderate "weekend warrior" type use, how long should the bricks in an all brick forge last (the ones I'm looking at are 3000-3200 rated, not the cheaper 2000 ones sold at the box stores)? I see in a lot of the K-Wool threads it seems like there is a bit more maintenance involved with the wool to the point where I've even seen it listed as a consumable. I'm not a professional, and have no intentions of becoming one but I do want to make the forge out of something that will last for hopefully a few years before I need to start replacing the "guts" of it.
Thanks,Adam