Jesse Stevens on thu 18 jan 07
My prayers have finally been answered!! I've found a source of used
firebrick only a couple hours away for .20/per. The catch is that these
intermediate duty hardbrick have seen some action in production salt fire
kilns, and I want to know whether anybody has had experiences re-using
salted bricks in woodkilns. The little sample batch of bricks I purchased
looked pretty clean; not much slag/salt buildup on them, but definately some
toasty/darker spots- might have been from the floor of one of the kilns,
like the second layer down. A few do have some accumulation off salt slag
on the small face. I was initially thinking that these would be good at
least for a chimney, but seeing how clean they are has got me thinking I
might try using them for more than that. I'm sure I'd be getting some salt
vapors in my firing from whatever these bricks have absorbed, I'm okay with
that, but I'd hate to build a kiln and see it melt at cone 10...
Maybe I could run a few through a c10 gas reduction firing to see what
happens- ideas, anyone?
Jesse
Vince Pitelka on thu 18 jan 07
> My prayers have finally been answered!! I've found a source of used
> firebrick only a couple hours away for .20/per. The catch is that these
> intermediate duty hardbrick have seen some action in production salt fire
> kilns, and I want to know whether anybody has had experiences re-using
> salted bricks in woodkilns.
Jesse -
I know of a number of instances of salted bricks subsequently used in wood
kilns, with no ill effects. Even if there is salt glaze on one or two
surfaces, if the brick is otherwise in good shape it should be no problem at
all. When possible, face the salt-glazed surface into the wall, rather than
the hotface.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Hank Murrow on thu 18 jan 07
On Jan 18, 2007, at 3:35 AM, Jesse Stevens wrote:
> My prayers have finally been answered!! I've found a source of used
> firebrick only a couple hours away for .20/per. The catch is that
> these
> intermediate duty hardbrick have seen some action in production salt
> fire
> kilns, and I want to know whether anybody has had experiences re-using
> salted bricks in woodkilns. The little sample batch of bricks I
> purchased
> looked pretty clean; not much slag/salt buildup on them, but
> definately some
> toasty/darker spots- might have been from the floor of one of the
> kilns,
> like the second layer down. A few do have some accumulation off salt
> slag
> on the small face. I was initially thinking that these would be good
> at
> least for a chimney, but seeing how clean they are has got me thinking
> I
> might try using them for more than that. I'm sure I'd be getting some
> salt
> vapors in my firing from whatever these bricks have absorbed, I'm okay
> with
> that, but I'd hate to build a kiln and see it melt at cone 10...
> Maybe I could run a few through a c10 gas reduction firing to see what
> happens- ideas, anyone?
Jesse;
I think you are on the right track with your idea of firing some of the
worst to see what happens. My experience would lead me to imagine that
there will be no out-gassing of sodium vapor from these bricks, but the
'slag' you mention might cause further melting if used in the hot face.
Good Luck and keep us posted,
Hank
www.murrow.biz/hank
lyla_kaplan on sun 21 jan 07
jesse,
are the bricks built up glossy or are they pretty dry? do you know
the temp they're rated to? my experience is that when they're
blemished and glossy you have to worry, but 'dry' looking ones should
be fine if they're rated to a high enough temp. i was able to
salvage just enough usuable brick (clippers and empires) from an old
113 c foot salt kiln to make a 20 c foot one (not woodfire). the old
kiln had always been dilligently kilnwashed, so of the bricks that
didn't have build up, i turned the old inside face out(along with a
lot of mortar and grinding to keep things level). i have subsequently
had a few small slag spots, but a chisel, AP green patching and kiln
wash are keeping my worries away. the only major slag i had was from
a very glossed shelf post (but somehow didn't lose the shelf). i
think new bricks should be used for the arch, posts, spy holes, flue
exit/entry, bag walls, etc. hopefully you can put these bricks to
good use!
lyla
In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Jesse Stevens wrote:
>
> My prayers have finally been answered!! I've found a source of used
> firebrick only a couple hours away for .20/per. The catch is that
these
> intermediate duty hardbrick have seen some action in production
salt fire
> kilns, and I want to know whether anybody has had experiences re-
using
> salted bricks in woodkilns. The little sample batch of bricks I
purchased
> looked pretty clean; not much slag/salt buildup on them, but
definately some
> toasty/darker spots- might have been from the floor of one of the
kilns,
> like the second layer down. A few do have some accumulation off
salt slag
> on the small face. I was initially thinking that these would be
good at
> least for a chimney, but seeing how clean they are has got me
thinking I
> might try using them for more than that. I'm sure I'd be getting
some salt
> vapors in my firing from whatever these bricks have absorbed, I'm
okay with
> that, but I'd hate to build a kiln and see it melt at cone 10...
> Maybe I could run a few through a c10 gas reduction firing to see
what
> happens- ideas, anyone?
>
> Jesse
>
>
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