David Jenkins on fri 13 apr 01
I am getting ready to rebuild our old kiln as a car kiln and will probably
need to replace about 1200 bricks. I have been getting prices on different
bricks and am now fairly confused, especially about quality versus price.
These are the bricks and prices;
New Castle "CORUNDITES" 2300 $1.52
New Castle "CORUNDITES" 2600 $1.87
Thermal Ceramics 2300 $2.60
Thermal Ceramics 2600 $2.90
BNZ 2300 $2.35
BNZ 2600 $2.60
AP Green "Greenlite" 2300 $2.96
AP Green "Greenlite" 2600 $3.30
Hardbrick
CLIPPERS 1.94 (super duty)
EMPIRES 1.29 (hi-duty)
J.H. FRANCE "FNS" 1.57
MT. SAVAGE 2.00 (superduty)
MARYLAND .93 (medium duty)
ROCKSPAR 2.25 (superduty)
We regularly fire to cone 11. I am thinking of using the 2600 bricks
in the firebox and other high heat areas and then using the 2300 bricks in
the rest of the kiln to get the better insulating value of the 2300 bricks.
Does that make sense?
The hardbrick would be used for the floor, bagwall, and possibly around
the jamb. I have a chance to get some used MARYLANDS which I would only use
in the chimney
Obviously I would like to use the cheapest brick that will do the job.
Has anyone heard anything bad about the corundite brick?
I am also asking anyone who has built a car kiln: What are the best
things and what are the worst things you did? Any help would be greatly
appreciated. Thank you. David Jenkins, Maine
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Garret D. Bonnema on sat 14 apr 01
Hi David,
Three years ago we took down our old walk-in arch kiln and built a modified
MFT car kiln. I used as many of the old bricks as I could salvage, but I
bought New Castle Corundite 2300's for the inside walls and Thermal Ceramic
3x4.5x9 --2300's for the flat roof.
We fire cone 9/10 reduction (-.65 on an oxyprobe), and do 18-19 glaze loads
a year and maybe 10-12 bisques. So the kiln is used fairly heavily.
After three years I am not pleased with how the New Castles are wearing.
There has been shrinking and cracking and the bricks seem brittle on the hot
face. The Thermals seem to have fared much better. If I had it to do over I
would have "sprung" for Thermals for the walls too.
We live in Bethel Maine, and I see you are from Maine. Come and take a look.
I love the car kiln for loading, and I like the flat roof. Our kiln is 63"
wide inside (plus 9" each side for walls, 81" all told) and we had to
rebuild the roof a year ago. I am not sure if the flat roof design works
well on this wide of a span.
As far a building the car, a really level floor and a well made cart seem to
be the ingredients, along with the tapered fit that Nils designed, that make
for easy construction. Our kiln is fairly tall, so the door is 69" high and
I find it is a little wobbly, even with the angle braces.
Please contact me if I can be of any help.
Garret Bonnema
146 Main Street
Bethel, ME 04217
207-824-2821
David Jenkins on mon 23 apr 01
I would like to repost this message since I sent it over Easter weekend
and only got one response:
I am getting ready to rebuild our old kiln as a car kiln and will probably
need to replace about 1200 bricks. I have been getting prices on different
bricks and am now fairly confused, especially about quality versus price.
These are the bricks and prices;
New Castle "CORUNDITES" 2300 $1.52
New Castle "CORUNDITES" 2600 $1.87
Thermal Ceramics 2300 $2.60
Thermal Ceramics 2600 $2.90
BNZ 2300 $2.35
BNZ 2600 $2.60
AP Green "Greenlite" 2300 $2.96
AP Green "Greenlite" 2600 $3.30
Hardbrick
CLIPPERS 1.94 (super duty)
EMPIRES 1.29 (hi-duty)
J.H. FRANCE "FNS" 1.57
MT. SAVAGE 2.00 (superduty)
MARYLAND .93 (medium duty)
ROCKSPAR 2.25 (superduty)
We regularly fire to cone 11. I am thinking of using the 2600 bricks
in the firebox and other high heat areas and then using the 2300 bricks in
the rest of the kiln to get the better insulating value of the 2300 bricks.
Does that make sense?
The hardbrick would be used for the floor, bagwall, and possibly around
the jamb. I have a chance to get some used MARYLANDS which I would only use
in the chimney
Obviously I would like to use the cheapest brick that will do the job.
Has anyone heard anything bad about the corundite brick?
I am also asking anyone who has built a car kiln: What are the best
things and what are the worst things you did? Any help would be greatly
appreciated. Thank you. David Jenkins, Maine
_________________________________________________________________
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