Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

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sierevello
Posts: 92
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 3:24 am

Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

Post by sierevello »

I am planning on using firebrick for the interior of my furnace. I want to use propane and am just making sure that this will hold up to the intense heat inside of the furnace. Refractory will be rammed in behind the fire brick and it will be enclosed in furnace duct. If it will hold up, the next problem is getting the height that I need. I assume I will need more height than what the firebrick stood on end can provide. I assume I can just stack them on top of each other w/ some refractory in between to act as mortar??? Will this work? Thanks, Steve
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Harold_V
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Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

Post by Harold_V »

Steve,
Firebrick is available made from various refractory materials, so there's a brick out there that will withstand pretty much anything you can throw at it. Stacking them is acceptable, and you can even do it without any kind of bonding agent if desired, especially if they are restrained in a container that prevents them from shifting. I think you can see that if you install wedge shaped firebrick standing on end, they would have no choice but to remain where they were placed.

While that may work for you, I think I'd encourage you to think about using a castable or rammable refractory instead, though. You don't have to worry about trying to hold particular dimensions so the brick will fit, which leaves the design of your furnace completely up to you. Either of these are easy to work with and require no special tools. I've built a few furnaces over the years and I wouldn't even consider using fire brick for one. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif"%20alt="[/img] Just a thought!

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
philinmt
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 7:57 pm
Location: missoula, montana

Re: Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

Post by philinmt »

I plan to build a large furnace, something that will hold 200 lbs of brass or so. The only consider to use firebrick is that it is very cheap when it is sold a auctions( I bought 24,000 lbs for 200.00 this summer) I would like info on buying the rammable refractory . Things are a little hard to find here in montana...Thanks Phil in mT
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Harold_V
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Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

Post by Harold_V »

Hi Phil,
I thought I was going to give you an easy route, but things have changed significantly since my last inquiry. I sold the gold refining business in '94 and have not kept current. Turns out the entire refractory industry has undergone some drastic changes, including the buyout of A.P. Green, which was the source of the material I used to buy. They are still represented by the new owners, but they may no longer have a store in Billings. The old pocket catalog I have shows them at the location, but the link to the new web site does not. At any rate, here's a link that may be helpful. Sorry I can't be of more service, but it's been ten years since I last built or relined a furnace. You might check your yellow pages to see if there's anyone selling refractory materials locally. I used several types and manufacturers through the years, all seemed to work fine for my limited applications.

http://www.hwr.com/

You really did good on the fire brick. Too bad you're so far away. One reason you may have gotten the deal you did is that depending on the formulation of the brick, it can be considered hazardous waste. You may have saved a company large bucks taking it off their hands. I recall a large cleanup project in Utah, the result of old brick being disposed at a cement plant, where the bricks from furnaces that roasted the stone that made cement had been dumped illegally. I don't recall the composition, but bricks are made in a lot of configurations, some including chromium, which I believe was in these. Interesting!

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
philinmt
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 7:57 pm
Location: missoula, montana

Re: Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

Post by philinmt »

Most of the brick is white and light....but there is a skid of black brick that is very heavy( aurex 90) This came from ASRCO in Helena, Mt. I have the data sheets on all of it..It looks like the black brick is the best for high temp, but the size's arnt as handy to use. This will be this summers project, I thought I would weld up a steel box the right size so the brick will stack without falling apart and then coat it with the mixed up refractory . With the air laws here I will use propane to fire it...Any thing I shoud know befor I dive in????...Phil in mt
jpfalt
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Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 12:55 pm

Re: Firebrick for Metalcasting Propane Furnace

Post by jpfalt »

The different brick types are for different uses in the furnace. The heavy black bricks are facing that is directly exposed to heat source and melted metal. The light, white brick is insulating brick and is installed behind the facing.

In a former employment I did designs for furnace rebuilds. We used to use some large tiles, 18 X 24 x 3" thick from Empire and put up to three feet of the 25# per cu ft insulating brick behind it. The facing didn't insualte worth a darn and the insulating brick wont stand up to banging around or exposure to metal or ash.

The rammable stuff is nice, but doesn't insulate nearly as well as that light brick you have.
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