Can't Find Insulated Fire Brick!!!!

B

Bwomp

Joined
Jan 13, 2009
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Hello everyone I am new to this site and I'm trying to get started in bladesmithing but I'm having a difficult time trying to locate insulated fire brick in the Akron, OH area. I have found some in Cleveland but I really don't want to drive up there and besides their hours for pickup are horrible 7:30-3:30 M-F which happens to be when I'm at work. So I'm looking for a little help in locating something in the area or something online with very reasonable shipping. The company in Cleveland said it would be about $100 to ship 1 carton of 12 bricks to Akron and the carton of bricks only costs $33 so that's out of the question. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Just a thought here but I know our local tractor supply sells 1"thick hard fire bricks, you could see if you have one close by that has something you can use...also if there is a place that sells wood burners or fireplaces...they usually sell replacement bricks that you might be able to use.
 
I can't help with your specific location, but here in Colorado Springs there's a 'Sand and Gravel' place. I wouldn't expect to find firebrick here, but among their stacks of landscaping blocks, facing brick and natural stone, they happen to have firebrick. It's for firepits and uninsulated, but they may also have the stuff you're looking for to be used for outdoor grills, etc., where you want people protected from a hot chimney.

Might give a few of your local 'Akron Sand and Gravel' type places a call.
 
It may be that you are describing them wrong. Check the local refractory suppliers or boiler relining companies. They are called "soft fire brick". If you just say fire brick or insulation fire brick they may sell you hard fire brick, which is a different animal.
Darren Ellis has them,too.
http://home.comcast.net/~eellis2/EllisCustomKnifeworks/firebricks.html

Stacy
 
It's near impossible to find soft firebrick here as well. I've tried three brickyards. I just happen to know a guy that has some he got surplus. The hard firebricks won't insulate like the soft ones do. If you just need a few, I agree with the Darren Ellis suggestion. If you need a good deal of them, you might have to talk some place into ordering a palette.
 
Check for local pottery or potters supply places they use soft fire brick all the time.
Click to expand...
This is what I was going to recommend. There are a couple pottery places here in Columbus that sell them.
 
I have found that brickyards here don't know what an insulating (soft) firebrick is

Try searching for pottery and ceramic supplies dealers. They carry them here as kiln replacement parts.
 
Steven Penner said:
I have found that brickyards here don't know what an insulating (soft) firebrick is QUOTE]

I agree with this statement. They don't have a clue of what soft or insulated fire brick is, all they know is fire brick. I did find one that knew what it is but had no clue of where to get it.

The suggestions to check local pottery and ceramics suppliers is a good idea, I was also told to check those places from a co-worker. Thanks for the rapid responses. I'm getting antsy and want to start producing some sort of results.
Click to expand...
 
i found a place close to me that has firebrick for $1.35 each. the guy said they would work for a forge since these are used in gas ovens. email me for info.
 
Look for a company that does industrial furnaces and heaters. Check under refractory. I work in a refinery and they haul this stuff in by the pallet loads.
Yellow pages for refractory in Akron got me this

ETS Schaefer Corporation
8050 Highland Pointe Parkway, Macedonia, Ohio 44056
Phone: 330-468-6600

http://www.etsschaefer.com/Commodity.html
 
If there are any furnace/kiln/refractory suppliers in your area (there's only one I know of in Lubbock), they will be listed in the yellow pages under refractories. I bought a case from my local supplier. As others suggested, pottery supply stores may have some to sell. Don't go to a brick yard. What you are looking for won't be there. They sell structural and fireplace bricks.

--nathan
 
Search: "insulating brick", "kiln brick", "ceramic supply"...

If you can find folks in your area who have ceramic kilns, they will have brick or can tell you all about getting it. You can probably get to them through local ceramic suppliers. 2300F, 2450F, 2600F is what you are looking for. I use 2300F if I can get it and 2450F after that. The higher the temp. rating the less it insulates...

Mike
 
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Call some of these places...I typed in Pottery under a yahoo yellow pages search for DIAMOND, OHIO

Modern China Co
(330) 938-2044 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 368 E Vermont Ave
Sebring, OH Map 11.8

Americana Art China Co
(330) 938-6133 356 E Maryland Ave
Sebring, OH Map 12.1

Thermal Ceramics
(330) 562-8190 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 10380 State Route 43
Streetsboro, OH Map 20.8

Holland Manufacturing Corp
(330) 482-3020 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 102 N Main St
Columbiana, OH Map 22.4

Lebo Ceramic Inc
(330) 499-3106 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 6323 Promway Ave NW
North Canton, OH Map 26.3

Workshops Of Gerald E Henn
(330) 457-2371 Web Site 3672 Silliman St
New Waterford, OH Map 27.2

Maxwell China Inc
(330) 426-4720 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 49799 State Route 14
East Palestine, OH Map 29.1

Performance Ceramics Co
(330) 657-2884 Web Site See reviews on Yahoo! Local 2346 Major Rd
Peninsula, OH Map 30.4

E R Advanced Ceramics Inc
(330) 426-9433 600 E Clark St
East Palestine, OH Map 31.5

Morgan Electro Ceramics
(440) 232-8604 232 Forbes Rd
Cleveland, OH Map 32.0

Elegant Ceramic Mold Inc
(216) 283-7109 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 3983 E 183rd St
Cleveland, OH Map 36.7

Pioneer Pottery Inc
(330) 385-4293 761 Dresden Ave
East Liverpool, OH Map 40.2

Homer Laughlin China Co
(304) 387-1300 Web Site 672 Fiesta Dr
Newell, WV Map 40.3


** Distances are in Miles from the center of Diamond, OH 44412
Sort by:NameDistanceShowing 1-13 of 22 | Previous | Next A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z all
 
Leu Custom said:
Call some of these places...I typed in Pottery under a yahoo yellow pages search for DIAMOND, OHIO

Modern China Co
(330) 938-2044 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 368 E Vermont Ave
Sebring, OH Map 11.8

Americana Art China Co
(330) 938-6133 356 E Maryland Ave
Sebring, OH Map 12.1

Thermal Ceramics
(330) 562-8190 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 10380 State Route 43
Streetsboro, OH Map 20.8

Holland Manufacturing Corp
(330) 482-3020 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 102 N Main St
Columbiana, OH Map 22.4

Lebo Ceramic Inc
(330) 499-3106 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 6323 Promway Ave NW
North Canton, OH Map 26.3

Workshops Of Gerald E Henn
(330) 457-2371 Web Site 3672 Silliman St
New Waterford, OH Map 27.2

Maxwell China Inc
(330) 426-4720 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 49799 State Route 14
East Palestine, OH Map 29.1

Performance Ceramics Co
(330) 657-2884 Web Site See reviews on Yahoo! Local 2346 Major Rd
Peninsula, OH Map 30.4

E R Advanced Ceramics Inc
(330) 426-9433 600 E Clark St
East Palestine, OH Map 31.5

Morgan Electro Ceramics
(440) 232-8604 232 Forbes Rd
Cleveland, OH Map 32.0

Elegant Ceramic Mold Inc
(216) 283-7109 See reviews on Yahoo! Local 3983 E 183rd St
Cleveland, OH Map 36.7

Pioneer Pottery Inc
(330) 385-4293 761 Dresden Ave
East Liverpool, OH Map 40.2

Homer Laughlin China Co
(304) 387-1300 Web Site 672 Fiesta Dr
Newell, WV Map 40.3


** Distances are in Miles from the center of Diamond, OH 44412
Sort by:NameDistanceShowing 1-13 of 22 | Previous | Next A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z all
Click to expand...


Thanks for the recommendation and I did do that search and also called several of the listed companies and they were either out of business or were not suppliers. One of the companies did have some brick but it was grooved for a kiln which would definately work except the guy wanted $8.00/brick. A bit too much for my wallet.
 
ib2v4u said:
Look for a company that does industrial furnaces and heaters. Check under refractory. I work in a refinery and they haul this stuff in by the pallet loads.
Yellow pages for refractory in Akron got me this

ETS Schaefer Corporation
8050 Highland Pointe Parkway, Macedonia, Ohio 44056
Phone: 330-468-6600

http://www.etsschaefer.com/Commodity.html
Click to expand...

I did the search for refractory per your recommendation using Yahoo yellow pages and called the first company on the list and they are a major refractory supplier in my area and after describing what I needed they are able to help me though the gentleman that I spoke to gave a little chuckle when I told him the amount I needed. Probably not used to such a small order but since they were the only ones in the area able to help me I said that I would just buy a case of 20 which he is going to sell to me for $40 and he's even going to give me the cement for free since the stuff they sell comes in 55 gallon drums. Here's their link, very friendly people so far.
http://www.onexconstruction.com/refractories.html

Thanks again to everyone that responded to my question. I know for sure that I will have many more questions on bladesmithing.
 
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