Cindy Morley on tue 15 sep 98
I was told recently that an inexpensive way to get posts for my kiln was to
go to a hardware store and buy fireplace bricks. My questions are: Will
these really work, How high can I fire them and What is the best/easiest
way to cut them. Thanks
Cindy Morley
Fayetteville AR
Marcia Selsor on wed 16 sep 98
Fire place bricks should be fire bricks. To cut, get a 4" mason's chisel, chip
each edge then score on each side with a whack from the chisel. Then, (on a
bag of clay or sand, lay the brick down and really whack it hard on the score
lines. Keep rotating until it breaks on yopur score lines. This is easy for
cutting a brick the short dimension
as in half bricks. For precision cutting, take them to a monument (tombstones)
maker.
Marcia in Montana
Cindy Morley wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was told recently that an inexpensive way to get posts for my kiln was to
> go to a hardware store and buy fireplace bricks. My questions are: Will
> these really work, How high can I fire them and What is the best/easiest
> way to cut them. Thanks
> Cindy Morley
> Fayetteville AR
Louis Katz on wed 16 sep 98
My experience with fireplace bricks is that they slump at cone 10. Of course
this is dependent on the material used to make the bricks.
Cuting them for stilts should be done on a brick saw. You can rent one. Wether
this saves money is a real question. IMHO, For electric kilns buy your stilts.
Do the same for small to dedium sized gas kilns, larger gas kilns are muche
easier to make stabel stacks in with 2.5 inch square footprint stilts. Cut
these from High Duty Fire Fire Bricks for Cone ten.
If you want to test your fireplace bricks take a one inch square piece and
stack 6 or 7 hard brick on it lieing down, fire the stack and see if there is
any sign of slumping. It may not be a completely conclusive test but it is
better than no test.
Louis
Cindy Morley wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was told recently that an inexpensive way to get posts for my kiln was to
> go to a hardware store and buy fireplace bricks. My questions are: Will
> these really work, How high can I fire them and What is the best/easiest
> way to cut them. Thanks
> Cindy Morley
> Fayetteville AR
Earl Brunner on wed 16 sep 98
There is a brick shape called a "soap" that would be a fairly good shelf
support and it could be cut into shorter lengths. any other ones would be more
trouble and expense then they are worth I would think. I have not noticed
that shelf supports were that prohibitively expensive, probably no more so
than the firebrick, maybe less.
Earl Brunner
Craig Martell on wed 16 sep 98
>I was told recently that an inexpensive way to get posts for my kiln was to
>go to a hardware store and buy fireplace bricks. My questions are: Will
>these really work, How high can I fire them and What is the best/easiest
>way to cut them.
Hello Cindy:
If the folks at the hardware store can't tell you the temp rating of the
bricks, don't buy them.
I don't know what kind of kiln you are talking about or how high you are
stacking the setting, or what your end temperature is so I don't know
exactly what to tell you. Posts for a kiln should have a temp rating that
is much higher than the cone you fire to. The posts have to withstand heat
AND load so they need to be refractory. If you go to cone 6 and above, I
would get super duty hard firebrick which go to 3300 F. I think.
You spend a lot of time and energy making pots. You don't want to find them
as rubble in the bottom of your kiln because you wanted to save a few bucks.
I use a 10" tile wet saw to cut posts and hard firebrick. The cuts are very
straight and smooth and no dust because of the water jet on the blade. You
can rent these saws at tile stores and places that rent tools and
construction stuff. I usually pay about $25 a day for one of these saws.
It's pretty cost effective.
regards, Craig Martell-Oregon USA
Fred Paget on wed 16 sep 98
The bricks they sell around here at the material yard for fireplace
construction (called fire bricks by the trade) are low duty fire bricks. I
called the manufacturer and that is what they called them. Said they were
for use only up to 1800 degrees. I used a layer of them on the bottom of my
kiln next to the steel frame. They only get up to about 500 or 600 degrees
there on the hotter face. They cost 80 cents each. Super duty A.P. Green
Clipper hard bricks, good to 3000 degrees F., are about $2.00 each. I cut
up three of the Clippers using a 10 inch Carborundum masonry blade in a 40
year old Sears bench saw. Do this outside and wear a good mask if you try
it. (A. P. Green recommends against cutting their bricks as they say the
dust is a suspected carcinogen.) They sell a half brick cut the long way
called a soap. These cost the same as a whole brick but you don't have to
cut them.
From the 1800 deg. F. figure I got, I would not trust the low duty bricks
to hold up a load at cone 10. They would be way beyond their guaranteed
rating and might be starting to melt.
Fred Paget
>I was told recently that an inexpensive way to get posts for my kiln was to
>go to a hardware store and buy fireplace bricks. My questions are: Will
>these really work, How high can I fire them and What is the best/easiest
>way to cut them. Thanks
>Cindy Morley
>Fayetteville AR
From Fred Paget, in marvelous Marin County, California, USA
Sarah Barnes on thu 17 sep 98
Can fireplace bricks really be used? Does anyone have a source for used
or cheap firebrick within about 10 hours of Maryland. Some students at
the Maryland Institute are getting together to build a kiln, without
school support and we are looking for hardbrick straights. if any body
can help please let us know.
thank you
Sarah
in humid baltimore waiting for fall
sbarnes@mica.edu
Mo and Les Beardsley on thu 17 sep 98
Cindy Morley wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I was told recently that an inexpensive way to get posts for my kiln was to
> go to a hardware store and buy fireplace bricks. My questions are: Will
> these really work, How high can I fire them and What is the best/easiest
> way to cut them. Thanks
> Cindy Morley
> Fayetteville AR
Hi...
The Tozan Cultural Society uses fire brick for posts in the wood kiln
in the back chamber where is doesn't get as hot. If you are firing to
cone 8 they are okay. Hi fire brick is safer but probally more
expensive than kiln furniture. Les has had a half a fire brick melt in
the gas kiln but not a whole brick. However whole bricks take up a lot
of room so are likely not to be economical. Anyway to cut them use a
masonery saw which can be rented.
Regards
Maureen Beardsley
Cindy Morley on fri 18 sep 98
I wanted to say thank you to everyone who replied to my query about cutting
bricks. There was little doubt in my mind that these bricks would work
(since we use them in the salt kiln at the university), the main thing I
really wanted to know was about cutting them. I think I will try a masonry
blade on my saw and if that doesn't work, I'll go rent one of those wet/dry
saws... One person asked for a source of cheap or used firebrick... The
person who told me about fireplace bricks told me NOT to get used ones
because they are extremely difficult to cut. I got mine from the local
lumber yard for .97 each. In color and texture they very much resemble the
bricks that are in my little electric kiln. I'm not sure how they would
hold up to building an entire kiln out of them though... Anyone else have
experience with these??
Thanks again for all the suggestions.
Cindy Morley
Fayetteville AR
At 08:14 AM 9/17/98 , you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Can fireplace bricks really be used? Does anyone have a source for used
>or cheap firebrick within about 10 hours of Maryland. Some students at
>the Maryland Institute are getting together to build a kiln, without
>school support and we are looking for hardbrick straights. if any body
>can help please let us know.
>
>thank you
>Sarah
>in humid baltimore waiting for fall
>sbarnes@mica.edu
>
Richard Ramirez on fri 18 sep 98
Sarah,
Good for you! I'm a teacher out here in Calif. reading the clayart news
(drinking some good red wine) after some bad news about changing students
without consulting the teacher! Now I ask you (sorry to go off on my thing,
but shit happens and it landed in your yard), aren't schools primarily made up
of two groups of people? Students and teachers, and everyone else are to be a
support group for those two groups??? Too many chiefs, not enough Indians!
That's why I'm glad your doing this on your own! Sometimes, you have to grab
the bull by the b_ _ _ s, and say I'm doing it my way like it or not! Yet
being prepared to take the hard lumps, if it comes your way.
Again, good for you guys. If there's any way I can help. Info, (sorry I'm so
far away), ideas, or just encouragement, I'm here to lend a hand.
Sincerely yours, R12396, "The Clay Stalker " Richard Ramirez
Zoe Paddy Johnson on sat 6 sep 03
I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks. My boss
says they are the toughest he has seen. My glass/rock saw cut them very
slowly and since it is not a big rock saw (4 inch blade), it only cuts
about 3/4 of an inch in. Cutting all the way around the brick and
attempting to finish with a crack hammer and chisel just result in
shattered bricks. The other way we have tried is cutting a groove all the
way around with an angle grinder and then attempting to crack it with the
chisel and crack hammer. Again, shattered bricks. So what should I try?
What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there some cool tool
best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
ZoeJ
leo on sun 7 sep 03
i use my 4.5" angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut bricks. it was about $40 at lowe's.
leo
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Louis Katz on sun 7 sep 03
It is hard to cut used brick with a hammer If scoring the sides with
your saw does not make it easy to split you need other bricks. I would
say buy new hard brick for this. And consider buying soaps for some
sizes.
Louis
Paul Herman on sun 7 sep 03
Hello Zoe,
I wonder what kind of bricks you have. Bricks aren't just bricks.
What you need is a mason's bricksaw. They have a 12-14 inch diamond
blade and squirt water on the blade as they cut.
Try to find a well equipped mason or masonry supply business, and they
may be able to make a few cuts for you.
If you were closer to Doyle, I would do it. There's a big Iron saw, a 3
HP Clipper, in the backyard. It cuts Silicon Carbide shelves just like
butter.
Good bricks,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
423-725 Scott Road
Doyle, California 96109 US
potter@psln.com
----------
>From: Zoe Paddy Johnson
> I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
> kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks. My boss
> says they are the toughest he has seen. My glass/rock saw cut them very
> slowly and since it is not a big rock saw (4 inch blade), it only cuts
> about 3/4 of an inch in. Cutting all the way around the brick and
> attempting to finish with a crack hammer and chisel just result in
> shattered bricks. The other way we have tried is cutting a groove all the
> way around with an angle grinder and then attempting to crack it with the
> chisel and crack hammer. Again, shattered bricks. So what should I try?
> What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there some cool tool
> best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
> ZoeJ
Dave Finkelnburg on sun 7 sep 03
Dear Zoe,
You are on the right track. You just need a larger diameter diamond saw
blade. Since such blades are quite expensive, it may be most cost effective
to contact an industrial brick-laying contractor who already has the saw and
pay them to cut the bricks.
Regards,
Dave Finkelnburg
----- Original Message -----
From: "Zoe Paddy Johnson"
> I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
> kiln at work.
> What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there some cool tool
> best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
Hollis Engley on sun 7 sep 03
----- Original Message -----
From: Zoe Paddy Johnson
To:
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 11:17 PM
Subject: cutting bricks
> I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
> kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks. My boss
> says they are the toughest he has seen
Hey, Zoe: Heavy duty, water-cooled brick saw rented from your local
tool-rental people is what I've used a number of times. Works great. But
it's a heavy, table-mounted thing, so it's awkward. But it cuts right
through them.
Hollis
Hatchville Pottery
Falmouth, Mass.
hengley@cape.com
Gene and Dolita Dohrman on sun 7 sep 03
We are cutting concrete blocks as I write this to take down a wall for my
new studio. It is a concrete wet saw with a diamond blade. We have rented
it from RSC (look on line for one close to you). It cost us about $58 for
the saw and $65 for the 12" blade (rental). However, this may be a bit of
an overkill for fire brick. You still should be able to rent something or,
as Dave said below, take it to a brick layer and have them cut it.
Dolita in Louisville, KY
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Finkelnburg
To:
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2003 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: cutting bricks
> Dear Zoe,
> You are on the right track. You just need a larger diameter diamond
saw
> blade. Since such blades are quite expensive, it may be most cost
effective
> to contact an industrial brick-laying contractor who already has the saw
and
> pay them to cut the bricks.
> Regards,
> Dave Finkelnburg
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Zoe Paddy Johnson"
> > I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a
soda
> > kiln at work.
> > What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there some cool
tool
> > best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Donn Buchfinck on sun 7 sep 03
cutting silicon carbide shelves is like cutting butter compared to some of
the hard bricks out there.
there are a couple of points I can make.
go to your local hardware store and buy some cheap blades to go on your hand
held skill saw.
cut the bricks in small depths and then get deaper.
what I found is that the bricks are easier cut along the length but difficult
around the middle.
take a chisle that will fit into the grove and tap it, do not hit it hard, a
crack hammer?
less is more, you should be able to split the brick along the seam you have
cut into the brick.
Wear a good quality respirator and eye protection.
Or go to a masonary place and pay and have them cut your bricks.
depends what your time is worth.
Donn Buchfinck
Snail Scott on sun 7 sep 03
At 09:17 PM 9/6/03 -0600, you wrote:
>I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
>kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks...
Can you rent a masonry saw at a resonable price?
If not, perhaps you could find a contractor to
cut your bricks for you.
-Snail
Marcia Selsor on sun 7 sep 03
Dear Zoe,
I have cut fire bricks with a mason chisel by scoring all four sides and
giving it a good whack! I do this on a bed of sand or grog. It works for
cutting halves, but not real precise if you wanted to get 9" x 1".
Marcia Selsor
Dave Finkelnburg wrote:
> Dear Zoe,
> You are on the right track. You just need a larger diameter diamond saw
> blade. Since such blades are quite expensive, it may be most cost effective
> to contact an industrial brick-laying contractor who already has the saw and
> pay them to cut the bricks.
> Regards,
> Dave Finkelnburg
Marcia Selsor on sun 7 sep 03
PS, I also notch the corners with the chisel before whacking.
Marcia
Zoe Paddy Johnson wrote:
> I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
> kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks. My boss
> says they are the toughest he has seen. My glass/rock saw cut them very
> slowly and since it is not a big rock saw (4 inch blade), it only cuts
> about 3/4 of an inch in. Cutting all the way around the brick and
> attempting to finish with a crack hammer and chisel just result in
> shattered bricks. The other way we have tried is cutting a groove all the
> way around with an angle grinder and then attempting to crack it with the
> chisel and crack hammer. Again, shattered bricks. So what should I try?
> What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there some cool tool
> best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
> ZoeJ
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
martin schiller on sun 7 sep 03
a msg from pjohnso@UNM.EDU on 9/6/03 8:17 PM included ...
>I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
Most good tool rental shops will have a brick saw. They rent for
reasonable daily rates plus blade usage which in my experience cutting
hard brick was negligible. Take a brick with you when you go to the store
and have them demonstrate the saw for you. I have on occasion run into
blades that did not run true and can cause binding while cutting - an
uncomfortable experience.
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on sun 7 sep 03
Hi Zoe,
Maybe find a pal as has a Water cooled Tile Saw...
Or a pal as can do the same with an Abrasive Blade in a
larger size 'Skill Saw' and a tricle of Water, and knows how
to do it without 'electrical' regrets...several Bricks can
then be lined up on some table or other, flooded with Water,
and a long cut made as cleve them...a little messy, but
accurite and nice enough if one has the knack.
Phil
Las Vegas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Zoe Paddy Johnson"
To:
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 8:17 PM
Subject: cutting bricks
> I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf
supports for a soda
> kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough
bricks. My boss
> says they are the toughest he has seen. My glass/rock saw
cut them very
> slowly and since it is not a big rock saw (4 inch blade),
it only cuts
> about 3/4 of an inch in. Cutting all the way around the
brick and
> attempting to finish with a crack hammer and chisel just
result in
> shattered bricks. The other way we have tried is cutting
a groove all the
> way around with an angle grinder and then attempting to
crack it with the
> chisel and crack hammer. Again, shattered bricks. So
what should I try?
> What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there
some cool tool
> best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
> ZoeJ
>
>
____________________________________________________________
__________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached
at melpots@pclink.com.
piedpotterhamelin@COMCAST.NET on sun 7 sep 03
Zoe
Why not keep your hard firebricks and buy some standard duty bricks which
should be easier to cut and cheaper than buyer the diamond blade? Of course,
perhaps you are requiring these bricks because of salting, but if not, keep
them for fireboxes and other hot areas that will periodically need replacement
brick.
Rick
> Dear Zoe,
> You are on the right track. You just need a larger diameter diamond saw
> blade. Since such blades are quite expensive, it may be most cost effective
> to contact an industrial brick-laying contractor who already has the saw and
> pay them to cut the bricks.
> Regards,
> Dave Finkelnburg
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Zoe Paddy Johnson"
> > I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a soda
> > kiln at work.
> > What is the best tool and method for doing this? Is there some cool tool
> > best acquired at harbor freight or walmart?
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Lee Love on mon 8 sep 03
I bought Bosch diamond blades for my angle grinder on close-out sale for
about $12.00 each (I bought the 3 the hardware store had left.) I cut all
the hardbrick when I built my wood kin, with the angle grinder and one blade
that is still has some use left in it. I wetted the brick with water from
a pitcher where I made the cut. The diamond blades I bought were small, so
I have to cut all around the brick, but I can't complain because it was a
really inexpensive way to go.
Lee In Mashiko
Interested in Wood Firing?
Join the WoodKiln list: Send email to:
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Klyf Brown on mon 8 sep 03
Zoe
if you have a regular skill saw (7or 7.5") blade size, get a segmented
diamond saw blade. The best blades at the cheapest price comes
from John at Dustmuzzle.com, about $40usd. Get one listed for cured
concrete use. I have cut bunches of hardbrick with mine and barely
touched the diamonds, and it cuts the brick very quickly.
If you have to go with the score and fracture method, support the
brick with something (wood) very near the score and use a carpet
chisle, it is about 4" wide and dull, most hardware stores carry them
for 4-5 bucks us. Give it a sharp wack with a malette and it should
give you a fairly clean break
Often when cutting very hard material the blade will dull out. You can
determine this by running your finger around the diamond part. If you
can no longer feel little diamond bits protruding from the matrix the
blade is dull. It can be sharpened in most cases by cutting something
softer like a house brick or soft concrete.
If you are running a dry blade it will heat up, this will eat diamonds
and the matrix more quickly. Periodically (30 seconds) stop pushing
and allow the blade to run in the cut for 20-30 seconds to cool it. This
will keep it sharper longer and eat less diamonds per cut. The best
method for longer blade life and faster cuts involves water cooling. If
you can direct a stream of water at the area of the cut safely (not
getting in the motor and electrical parts) then go with that.
Never leave a diamond blade in the saw when not in use. It is too
easy to get whacked out of true and when you fire it up it may loose
the diamond segments and convert them to flying shrapnel.
Always use respirator, eye protection and ear protection too.
Klyf in New Mexico usa
>I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a
soda
>kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks. My
boss
>says they are the toughest he has seen. My glass/rock saw cut them
very
>slowly and since it is not a big rock saw (4 inch blade), it only cuts
>about 3/4 of an inch in. Cutting all the way around the brick and
>attempting to finish with a crack hammer and chisel just result in
>shattered bricks.
Russel Fouts on tue 9 sep 03
Klyf,
>> If you have to go with the score and fracture method, support the brick with something (wood) very near the score and use a carpet chisle, it is about 4" wide and dull, most hardware stores carry them for 4-5 bucks us. Give it a sharp wack with a malette and it should give you a fairly clean break <<
What do you use to score with this method?
Russel
--
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Marcia Selsor on wed 10 sep 03
Dear Russel and Klyf,
I use a three inch Mason's chisel which I have had for 30+ years
(much cheaper and longer lasting than any circular saws with carbides
blades. Score along the desired circumference of the potential cut, nick
each edge/corner of the brick and then give it a good whack sometimes
needed on both sides.
Marcia Selsor
two more days before we head East!
Tuscany 2004
http://home.bresnan.net/~m.selsor/Tuscany2004.html
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on wed 10 sep 03
Hi Klyf,
The blades you refer to (below) as 'Carbide' are known as
'Abrasive', or maybe sometimes Silicon Carbide Abrasive
Blades, but I have never heard them called that, rather thay
are in my experience merely called Abrasive or sometimes
"Masonary" Blades.
They typically are a solid dark color and are resin
reinforced fabric with Abrasive grabules in the matrix.
"Carbide" Blades, when not further qualified, refer to
Tungsten Carbide tips having been brazed or silver-soldered
to the Teeth, they are tempered Steel Saw Blades as have
teeth tips of Tungsten Carbide.
Silicon Carbide is never, in practice, called
'Carbide'...whilst Tungsten Carbide is.
One would not be happy getting these confused..!
Best wishes!
Phil
Las Vegas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Klyf Brown"
> Russel,
> Scoring can be done with a cold chisle and hammer, if you
are really
> good at hitting your mark it can even be done with a
prospectors
> hammer (pointy end) alone, that is the lowest teck method,
next is a
> carbide (mason not steel) bit for a regular circular saw.
The carbides
> are cheap but do not last long, then there are diamond
saws, more
> expensive per blade but far cheaper per cut. One diamond
blade is
> worth about 100 carbides of cutting, so if you have a lot
of cutting to
> do the diamonds are far cheaper. I like the carpet chisle
because of
> the wide blade, it distributes the blow across the entire
cleavage cut.
> If you are using a diamond there is no need for scoring
and whacking,
> the diamond will cut all the way through the brick very
quickly. If it
> cuts slowly the best thing to do is shorten the depth of
the cut and
> make several passes.
>Klyf,
Klyf Brown on wed 10 sep 03
Russel,
Scoring can be done with a cold chisle and hammer, if you are really
good at hitting your mark it can even be done with a prospectors
hammer (pointy end) alone, that is the lowest teck method, next is a
carbide (mason not steel) bit for a regular circular saw. The carbides
are cheap but do not last long, then there are diamond saws, more
expensive per blade but far cheaper per cut. One diamond blade is
worth about 100 carbides of cutting, so if you have a lot of cutting to
do the diamonds are far cheaper. I like the carpet chisle because of
the wide blade, it distributes the blow across the entire cleavage cut.
If you are using a diamond there is no need for scoring and whacking,
the diamond will cut all the way through the brick very quickly. If it
cuts slowly the best thing to do is shorten the depth of the cut and
make several passes.
9/8/03 11:20:33 PM, Russel Fouts
wrote:
>What do you use to score with this method?
>
>Russel
>Klyf,
>
>>> If you have to go with the score and fracture method, support
the brick with something (wood) very near the score and use a carpet
chisle, it is about 4" wide and dull, most hardware stores carry them
for 4-5 bucks us. Give it a sharp wack with a malette and it should
give you a fairly clean break <<
>
Eleanora Eden on wed 24 sep 03
I have been meaning for awhile to alert the list to a wonderful plastic wet
saw from Woodworkers Warehouse that we got for about $100 several years
ago. All it says on it is PLASPLUGS Diamond Wheel wet saw and it came with
a video. Cuts anything like butter, we can cut kiln shelves or glass or
anything else easy as pie.
BTW, I noticed this mail addressed to: clayartmail@zianet.com am
I missing something?
Eleanora
At 10:37 AM 9/7/02 -0600, you wrote:
>Zoe
>if you have a regular skill saw (7or 7.5") blade size, get a segmented
>diamond saw blade. The best blades at the cheapest price comes
>from John at Dustmuzzle.com, about $40usd. Get one listed for cured
>concrete use. I have cut bunches of hardbrick with mine and barely
>touched the diamonds, and it cuts the brick very quickly.
> If you have to go with the score and fracture method, support the
>brick with something (wood) very near the score and use a carpet
>chisle, it is about 4" wide and dull, most hardware stores carry them
>for 4-5 bucks us. Give it a sharp wack with a malette and it should
>give you a fairly clean break
>Often when cutting very hard material the blade will dull out. You can
>determine this by running your finger around the diamond part. If you
>can no longer feel little diamond bits protruding from the matrix the
>blade is dull. It can be sharpened in most cases by cutting something
>softer like a house brick or soft concrete.
>If you are running a dry blade it will heat up, this will eat diamonds
>and the matrix more quickly. Periodically (30 seconds) stop pushing
>and allow the blade to run in the cut for 20-30 seconds to cool it. This
>will keep it sharper longer and eat less diamonds per cut. The best
>method for longer blade life and faster cuts involves water cooling. If
>you can direct a stream of water at the area of the cut safely (not
>getting in the motor and electrical parts) then go with that.
>Never leave a diamond blade in the saw when not in use. It is too
>easy to get whacked out of true and when you fire it up it may loose
>the diamond segments and convert them to flying shrapnel.
>Always use respirator, eye protection and ear protection too.
>Klyf in New Mexico usa
>
> >I need to cut up a bunch of fire bricks to make shelf supports for a
>soda
> >kiln at work. The problem is that these are really tough bricks. My
>boss
> >says they are the toughest he has seen. My glass/rock saw cut them
>very
> >slowly and since it is not a big rock saw (4 inch blade), it only cuts
> >about 3/4 of an inch in. Cutting all the way around the brick and
> >attempting to finish with a crack hammer and chisel just result in
> >shattered bricks.
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
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>
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Eleanora Eden 802 869-2003
Paradise Hill Road eeden@vermontel.net
Bellows Falls, VT 05101 www.eleanoraeden.com
Klyf Brown on thu 25 sep 03
Eleanora,
The address below is where i get my clayart mail, to distinguish it from
my business address of epoxyman. I closed that mailbox a couple of
days ago as the spam climbed to 235 a day, but the clayartmail box is
relativly free of spam, for now. We need Californias law fining these
spammers a million bucks for each spam.
Klyf in New Mexico, usa
9/24/03 2:54:47 AM, Eleanora Eden
wrote:
>BTW, I noticed this mail addressed to: clayartmail@zianet.com
am
>I missing something?
>
>Eleanora
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