How to tell if you've got the right bricks

[Filthymutt]

Ok, I'm in China building my first oven. Hard to find what I need here. Well, I found a couple of places by the road side selling cement blocks and bricks and the like, also I got my point across that I need firebrick.
Problem is out of the three guys that could get me fire bricks not one could tell me what kind they were, high, med or low duty, what percent alumina, if they were for insulating or what.
So, I took home two samples. One is smaller and dark weighing about 2.1 kg or 4.7 pounds. The other bigger 3.4 kg but its got a couple corners knocked off so I'm figuring 3.5 kg or 7.7 pounds.
I remember reading a typical fire brick should be around 8 pounds.
Anyway, I'm attaching a photo. Please anyone tell me if you think either is the right thing, Thanks
BC

[Tscarborough]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

Either one should work, but the smaller one looks to be fired a little higher, I would probably go with the larger one.

[Les]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

The big one looks closer to what I used. Are there any markings indicating the manufacture? Also, considering where you are at and not wanting product shipped to you, you may have to settle for what you can get.

BTW - we just got back from China a few weeks ago, very interesting country.

[Filthymutt]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

The big one is stamped SK- 32 on the outside. I'll try and search. Actually there are a lot of firebrick manufacturers in China listed on Alibaba.com I could probably order them. I've sent a couple inquiries to the ones showing that they will sell small quantities. Some are only selling by lots of 20 Tons!
I'm hoping the price when I get through with the shipping won't be too bad. Thus far what I've bought, which is only the cinder blocks, seems cheaper than what I am reading the costs are in the states. The cinder block I ordered yesterday were 63 cents each.

As for China, interesting, yes. By the time I complete this build it will mark the end of my 15th year here.

Bob

[Filthymutt]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

Found it! Did a search and came up with a company in a neighboring province. Actually it seems I found one company with several variations on their name, Zibo Bunge or Zibo Jiuding. Anyway it seems these bricks will do the trick
Now the problem is that they list a min order of 10 ton. But I got this sample from the road side brick people so ill go back to them today

[mrchipster]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

Found it! Did a search and came up with a company in a neighboring province. Actually it seems I found one company with several variations on their name, Zibo Bunge or Zibo Jiuding. Anyway it seems these bricks will do the trick
Now the problem is that they list a min order of 10 ton. But I got this sample from the road side brick people so ill go back to them today

They may be able to give you seconds from their discard pile as you will be cutting them in half anyway.

You could build a lot of ovens with 10 tons...

Chip

[Filthymutt]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

Actually it's worked out ok. They will agree to just one Ton which works out to about 258 bricks so we are good to go! I'll have them next weekend. Plus they have refractory cement!
But I'm losing something in translation it seems they don't differentiate words between Mortar & Cement so I hope I get the right stuff.

[Tscarborough]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

Cement=cementitious material (glue).
Mortar mix=cementitious materials+aggregate.
Mortar=cementitious materials+aggregate+water.

So ask for glue for firebrick, and you will probably get refractory mortar mix.

[Filthymutt]

Re: How to tell if you've got the right bricks

Cement=cementitious material (glue).
Mortar mix=cementitious materials+aggregate.
Mortar=cementitious materials+aggregate+water.

So ask for glue for firebrick, and you will probably get refractory mortar mix.

Ok, I'm a little slow this morning. What they are telling me at the Chinese version of a brickyard, is that they have Refractory Cement and that I can make my own mortar. So, I should take what they are giving me (I'm guessing a dry powdered refractory cement) Then mix it with an aggregate (sand or vermiculite?) and water yes? Cool

And the only place I will need this will be in the construction of my dome? For the hearth I can use regular cement?

What is REGULAR cement by the way? I see so many references to Portland cement on this site. Portland being a Brand Name for the same kind of thing (cement) as I will likely find anywhere (like here in China) or is there something special about it?

To compicate things further I find a Chinese supplier selling Refractory Mortar (dry powder) See attached screen shots:

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/memb...hot-1-2013.png

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/memb...hot-2-2013.png

But of course they only sell by the tons. And if yopu look at the screen shots it says it is Alumina Cement???

Thanks for your patience...