Where to find firebrick

I'm going to build myself a 2 brick forge and stick to what it'll handle for now. I just need to know where I can go about locating said brick. Are they available at home improvement stores, or could my brick mason father-in-law possibly scrounge some up? I remember us having fire brick when I worked for a building supply company, but I can't remember if we had soft ones. Or, are they more of a "specialty" item that I'll have to order?

While I'm on the subject, I see a lot of people use MAP torches to heat these forges. Would I be better off going that route, or can I get by using the propane torch I've got?

Get in contact with Wayne Coe if you can't access it locally.

You want the insulating (soft) firebrick.

As to torches, I can't give a recommendation on MAPP vs. your current propane torch (never built the 1-2 brick forge). But I would say there's gotta be a reason why others are using the MAPP torch.:les:

http://knifedogs.com/showthread.php?13587-Motors-VFDs-Forge-Supplies-etc.

The reason that some use MAPP gas is probably that it burns hotter than propane.

You should also coat the inside of the brick forge with a refractory or a high temperature mortar, something like Satanite. Darren Ellis at www.elliscustomknifeworks.com sell soft fire brick and the Satinite in small quantities. He and his wife have had some family problems that slowed down their business for a while but I think they should be back to a near regular schedual. The soft fire brick is really an insulator rather than a structural material and needs to be handled with a little, but not a lot, of care. It works easy with hand tools and the last two brick forge that I built I cut out the groves for the fire chamber with a half round rasp.

Doug

You can build the 1-2 brick forge with or without coating the inside with refractory. I used mine as is after mortaring it together. Rutland brand furnace cement (in a tube like caulk) works great to join the two bricks. As mentioned, a propane torch will work, but the MAPP gas will work hotter (and less expensive if you already have the propane torch).

If you want to get real creative, you can use three bricks and build a pass thru forge by cutting the chamber all the way thru one brick before mortaring together and then use the third brick to close off the back when working on something smaller.

Thanks Murph. I do have the soft fire brick for $3.00 each in various shapes. I also have Plistix, an infrared reflective product for $10.00 per pint. It certainly would not hurt to coat the bricks with a castable refractory such as my Kast-0-Lite and coating with the Plistix would help the heating and maybe help with the strength of the soft brick.

I got my brick from a local refractory, but I needed about 30 or 40 for an oven, and it would have been prohibitive to have that many shipped.

Check your local yellow pages for a refractory, refractory supply, or sometimes even pottery suppliers will carry them. Also, if you have any local steel mills or industrial facilities, they MIGHT use fire brick for furnaces, kilns, or other types of ovens.

That being said, if you need one or two, you may be better off to get them from someone like Wayne Coe for just a few extra bucks.

Thanks guys. I looked in the yellow pages, but the nearest refractory I could find is 30 miles away or so, and I'm never in that area during business hours. Might just have to order a few.