petersenj20

I'm still letting my last assembly dry out a bit to see if it will work. I can make an angle iron frame if need be. The little sucker is a lot heavier than I expected it to be. This does make me curious though. I have been to an old pre-civil war furnace at Red Top Mountain here in Kennesaw. It is about 4 stories high and the center is lined with what looks like standard sized firbricks. Makes me wonder how they have stood the test of time with no one servicing the thing over the last 130 or so years. Granted rock it does have a limestone outer shell, but I wonder what the adhesive for the bricks was.

I have decided to try the build again, and am hoping that if I leave it alone for a few days it will air cure. (Maybe I was just rushing things). I made it up last night around 11:00. It is killing me to leave it alone. I looked at it a little while ago and it doesn't seem to have dried at all, but will wait and see. I used 1 part cement, 2 parts fireclay, and 3 parts sand. I read elsewhere to use straight fireclay and water. Add enough water to get the consistency of pancake batter. Dip the brick in it and lay as normal. Make joints that are 1/8 thick. It doesn't seem like this would have any strength though. Will try if this recent one fails.

I am building a small furnace for casting Al and brass. I also frequent backyardmetalcasting. I am looking for your help because they don't seem to want me to use anything but perilite or castable. I want a square firebrick furnace. The bricks won't degrade and now I have a better reason. Because people seem to tell me it can't be done. I found a refractory mortar on the net- Heat stop. Looked at the list of suppliers here in Atlanta and what do you know they show Boral Brick where I bought the bricks. I called back and they keep offering fireclay. Apparently they don't carry heatstop and someone should tell the website. The first time I called they said I need to talk to a brick mason. Here is what I have done that hasn't worked. I bought Quickrete Type N masonry cement at Home Depot. Followed the instructions 1 part cement, 3 parts sand. I built the furnace with about 1/4 inch joints. (This next part may be the problem) I am using a Reil burner and fired up to cure. It crumbled. The second time I used 1 cement, 2 fireclay, 3 sand like another stone supplier said. Same problem. Did heating instead of letting air cure cause the problem? The last furnace I made was rammed fireclay and sand and was cured by firing and sintering. Long story short, does anyone have suggestions for what to assemble the brick with. At this point I am not real worried about the endurance of the joint, I just want it to have strength. Thanks

That twisted copper wire handle is beautiful.