Thoughts on tapered bricks

[Filthymutt]

I have found fire bricks, so many different sizes and shapes its hard to know what to go with.

I'm planning a low dome 42" Neo. And The "normal" fire bricks here are 4.5" x 9" x 2.55" So, in order to stay close to plan and the size of my stand I'm gonna need to do a little more than cut them in half. I'll need to whack a little extra off the halves I guess.

Now for the question. In my searching I have come accross tapered fire bricks. With varying levels of taper. All are 9" x 4.5" but the tapered dimensions all run 2.55" on the wide top and either 2.16/1.65/1.38" at the small end. Which do you suppose is best for my arch? To go with one of these tapers or use regular profile bricks?

For that matter, how about for the dome? Would I save a lot of mortar if I used tapered bricks throughout the dome? Which taper best for a 42" low dome with a high soldier course?

I'm not quite sure if I can use these tapered puppies for the dome yet anyway because they did not list the alumina content on the page. I'll have to e-mail them. But for the archway it shouldn't really matter to much eh?

Cheers,

Bob

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

Hi Bob,

There are three types of tapered brick Wedge and Arch and Key. wedge bricks are tapered on the long length of the brick and the Arch is tapered the on the shorter width of the brick. You wont want Key. For the dome I think you would want the arch brick. Normally listed as arch#1 -#2 -#3. If you put all the brick together on the wedge side it will form a perfect circle #1 will make a big circle and #3 a small circle respectively #1 a big arch and #3 a small arch. But there are ways to adjust the size with mortar or putting in some flat brick (not tapered). So you can do the math to figure out just how big of an arch it will make.

You can also use a standard brick. So for me it would depend on cost and availability. Either can work well.

Personally I would not worry about the alumina content, but others may disagree

Just to let you know I have a trailer full of wedge bricks for my next oven. So that is what I'll be using.

I recommend the arch brick for you( if you want to go that way) because it will lower your thermal mass for a standard oven. The wedge brick that I will use is for a bread oven that has a much higher thermal mass.

[Filthymutt]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

Thanks, I suppose since the tapered ones are 3 times the price of the regular ones I should just go regular. Appreciate the info as always!

I doubt that I will do much bread in this, if any at all. We hardly ever eat any bread here, maybe a few slices a week if that. Perhaps it will be different if it is home made. But for now all I want is pizza!

Bob

[Les]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

I doubt that I will do much bread in this

Bob - you will want the bread, and you will become a god among your neighbors. If you get the pizza down you may want to quit your day job. They really don't make good pizza over there and they could use the real deal.

[Filthymutt]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

Bob - you will want the bread, and you will become a god among your neighbors. If you get the pizza down you may want to quit your day job. They really don't make good pizza over there and they could use the real deal.

Nah, You forget I live in China. Bread just isn't something they care about much here. And the neighborhood I am in, while it has some foreigners it is still mainly Chinese. You may be right but I still have my doubts. For myself after 15 years here I hardly touch the stuff anymore. Guess I get my carb fix with rice & noodles!

But, regarding the pizza. You would be surprised! While that may be true in smaller cities like where I suffered down south in the land of bland (food) Canton for 13 years. Up here in the melting pot of Beijing there is lots of good pizza to be had. A few of the local restaurants having been started by foreigners and a couple have WFOs! In fact I was lucky that one near my home will share his would supply with me. He gets a delivery that is too big for his usage but he has no choice as the minimum order is the minimum order. So, he will gladly sell me the extra which is a container about 2.5' x 4' x 4.'
The is one pizzeria in town La Pizza started by an Italian. They've a Gas fired Brick oven (sacrilegious yes) but the pizza he turns out, OH GOD! It is sooo good that my only fear is that I can not equal his with my own oven! I spent 6 weeks in the Milan area on a training course a couple of years back and remember that pizza so well, I ate it pretty near every day, and what this guy turns out here is exactly the same, Magnificent!

So, just because it's China don't assume there is no pizza. I grew up on Long Island and was weaned on NY Pizza but I'd be hard pressed if I had to choose either NY Pizza or Beijing Pizza as a favorite one above the other...

For my own pizza I would really like to find a way to make a good fusion pizza. Imagine traditional thin crust, rich tomato sauce, mozzarella and a layer of sichuan pepper corns, ooo Ma La Pizza!

Oh, and I have no day job! I am an Independent Helicopter Industry Consultant otherwise known as Unemployed Pilot!

[Les]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

So, just because it's China don't assume there is no pizza.

We were in China last month, pizza wasn't that good. But as I mentioned in another post, after eating Chinese food 24/7 is was a nice break.

[Filthymutt]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

We were in China last month, pizza wasn't that good. But as I mentioned in another post, after eating Chinese food 24/7 is was a nice break.

It all depends on where you go. Like I said, down south and in smaller cities probably no good pizza to be found.
And then it's also personal taste. I'm from NY and NY pizza is what I like. But if I went to Chicago, even though those people rave about Chicago style pizza, for me I'd probably opt out for something else if offered pizza there.

Now having said that I'll be getting my wood from a local pizzeria with a wfo I realized I'd never tried their pizza. So, I decided to give it a try. In fact I am writing this in their parking lot.
All I can say is that having a wfo does not guarantee good pizza!
A simple pepperoni pie but the sauce was bland, the cheese likely imitation mozzerella and knowing how the locally run western restaurants operate, usually without a clue, I'm guessing the cooked it in a pan! I cannot believe the bottom of that pie was in contact with the cooking surface. It was a soggy mess. Yuk

[Laurentius]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

It all depends on where you go. Like I said, down south and in smaller cities probably no good pizza to be found.
And then it's also personal taste. I'm from NY and NY pizza is what I like. But if I went to Chicago, even though those people rave about Chicago style pizza, for me I'd probably opt out for something else if offered pizza there.

Now having said that I'll be getting my wood from a local pizzeria with a wfo I realized I'd never tried their pizza. So, I decided to give it a try. In fact I am writing this in their parking lot.
All I can say is that having a wfo does not guarantee good pizza!
A simple pepperoni pie but the sauce was bland, the cheese likely imitation mozzerella and knowing how the locally run western restaurants operate, usually without a clue, I'm guessing the cooked it in a pan! I cannot believe the bottom of that pie was in contact with the cooking surface. It was a soggy mess. Yuk

Hi Dirty Dog,

That's the way to cook them in a WFO, let the dough hit the bricks!

[Filthymutt]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

Hi Dirty Dog,

That's the way to cook them in a WFO, let the dough hit the bricks!

Yes of course that is the way. What I was saying is that I do not think that the locals who are running that restaurant know this.

The pizza they served me was soggy and the crust not even slightly browned. I'm sure they cooked it in a pan.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

Dirty Mutt,

As far as the alumina content, i used super duty ind fire bricks with 65% alumina content because they were surplus and cheap but they the sh$% to cut and really wear out diamond blades quicklybecause they are so hard. So if the bricks you are looking at are really high in alumina just be aware of the cutting issues. Good luck

[Filthymutt]

Re: Thoughts on tapered bricks

Yea I figured as much. These bricks were listed on TaoBao (China's answer to ebay) but not much detail about them was written. Only sizes.

I did however find fire brick there and it looks like the right kind of fire brick as they are labelled SK32 which I found to be a low to med duty brick and they are only one RMB a piece (US$0.16) So, I'll be ordering those this weekend.

My hearth has been poured but its a little uneven. So, I have some guys coming to fix it as I'd really like to lay the Calcium Silicate board on it by Sunday.