Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

[Greenman]

Re: Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

I used volume measure and how long it stays workable depends on the environment. I made a significant mix of the dry ingredients and then mixed batches of mortar small enough that I used them in 10 minutes or so before it went off.

[huskerduck]

Re: Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

I used volume measure and how long it stays workable depends on the environment. I made a significant mix of the dry ingredients and then mixed batches of mortar small enough that I used them in 10 minutes or so before it went off.

Interesting on volume, we have been mixing our own concretes and mortars for a project and was talking to the people at Sakcrete about a 6 sack mix ....long story short there were a lot of 1:1:2:3 type scenarios on the ole interwebs that were talking "buckets" or "shovels" and the Sakcrete guy said it was weight and when we weighed our pails we used ( 2 gallon I think) a pail of Portland weighed 20.8 pounds and the concrete mix sand and aggregate weighed in at a whopping 29.2 pounds

Fortunately we always had 12 yards of mix delivered and 3 Pallets of Portland and kept track through the process and came out exact to 6 sacks per yard even after 36 yards, the strange thing we ran into was most certainly the water, we used a pitcher and it was amazing how the consistency would change drastically from one mixer load to the next, a cloud would cover the sun for 1 minute and you had soup, sun on the next mix and you had dry clumps, I'm guessing this mortar is the same scenario minus weight being the "volume"

[Tscarborough]

Re: Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

Ready-mix concrete plants weigh, but the weights they use are based on volumetric ratios. You should use volume for mixing mortar. That is how the BIA and ASTM both recommend and use in their specifications.

[Tscarborough]

Re: Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

That is why, for example, portland cement is packaged at 94#s +/-, and not 100#. 94# of cement = 1 CuFt.

It varies by manufacturer and area, for example here, Texas Lehigh Portland cement is 92.6#, Alamo Portland cement is 92.59 and Lehigh white portland is 94#.

[fornax hominus]

Re: Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

I made a drip onto the brick cut and it went way faster ..bur way messier .
Check out a hardware store with chinese imorts I buy 7'' blades on sale @ pricess auto

[scubadan77]

Re: Fire brick problem. PLEASE HELP!!

I've just done my floor and are about to a temp to build the dome.I am using a small angle grinder with a diamond disc that cost me ?3 from the Chinese shop and it is cutting the fire bricks like butter!!! good luck with your build