Englander Firebricks - Something to Keep In Mind

[BrotherBart]

Took a look in the six year old 30-NC and noticed that one of the firebricks in the back was broken. No biggie. I have lots of firebricks. Well, these I don't. Standard ceramic firebrick is 9" X 4.5" X 1.25". The ones in the stove are 9" X 4" X 1.25". I have no clue where ya get these things from except ESW. A brick is less than three bucks there but $12.50 to ship it is a big tad rich.

Used one out of the new 30 in the basement that isn't installed yet while I contemplate this.

Just an FYI for ESW stove owners so you don't get surprised.

 

[velvetfoot]

I cut a few firebricks with an abrasive blade in an old table saw. That was width-wise, but I can't see why you couldn't take a half inch off if you had to.

 

[BrotherBart]

I cut a few firebricks with an abrasive blade in an old table saw. That was width-wise, but I can't see why you couldn't take a half inch off if you had to.

Not having a saw for it comes to mind.

 

[Todd]

Cut it man!

 

[Don2222]

Took a look in the six year old 30-NC and noticed that one of the firebricks in the back was broken. No biggie. I have lots of firebricks. Well, these I don't. Standard ceramic firebrick is 9" X 4.5" X 1.25". The ones in the stove are 9" X 4" X 1.25". I have no clue where ya get these things from except ESW. A brick is less than three bucks there but $12.50 to ship it is a big tad rich.

Used one out of the new 30 in the basement that isn't installed yet while I contemplate this.

Just an FYI for ESW stove owners so you don't get surprised.

Hi BB

I recently became an ESW dealer. My pricing on one brick is not much less but if I buy 8 it is alot better. However the shipping on these things!%@$U@.

How much does one brick way?

 

[BrotherBart]

I can use the standard one in one place, the front left side where there is extra room and then use that one in the back. 1.) It is irritating because one thing I always thought was great was that they used standard firebrick that you could get anywhere and 2.) Just wanted to warn folks for when they need bricks.

 

[BrotherBart]

Hi BB

I recently became an ESW dealer. My pricing on one brick is not much less but if I buy 8 it is alot better. However the shipping on these things!%@$U@.

How much does one brick way?

Yeah price isn't da issue. Shipping is. My stove shop that I have bought brick from for years has tons of standard bricks for $2.50 a brick. Shipping bricks is a losing proposition. ESW gets the same twelve bucks for UPS shipping a three ounce gasket or a five pound brick.

 

[pen]

Hmm, wonder why they'd do that being such a small amount of difference?

Sounds like you have a solution, but if you wanted and don't have a saw that you want to use, maybe use a small masonry drill bit and make a perforation along a line then split with a chisel?

I've heard folks who claim they can score and split it with a good chisel, but I haven't had luck doing one longwise, width wise I've done fine.

pen

 

[velvetfoot]

I've used that 100 dollar saw a lot over the years.

 

[Don2222]

What about a masonary blade for a skill saw?

 

[BrowningBAR]

I appreciate the heads up, Bart.

Is shipping $12.50 per brick? If I order a half a dozen bricks as back up will it cost me $75 for shipping?

 

[BrowningBAR]

Yeah price isn't da issue. Shipping is. My stove shop that I have bought brick from for years has tons of standard bricks for $2.50 a brick. Shipping bricks is a losing proposition. ESW gets the same twelve bucks for UPS shipping a three ounce gasket or a five pound brick.

Holy crap.

 

[BrotherBart]

Holy crap.

But they actually ship the parts fast and you just order them online. Unlike your stove shop experiences.

 

[BrotherBart]

I

I appreciate the heads up, Bart.

Is shipping $12.50 per brick? If I order a half a dozen bricks as back up will it cost me $75 for shipping?

Used their shopping cart to test that. Same shipping for up to five bricks.

This ain't an annual thing that you have to worry about. One brick in six years. The old stove never broke a brick in 21 years. On the old stove a weld broke. Not a brick. Wish it had of had bricks in the back to hit banging those N/S loads into it. What broke the weld.

 

[BrowningBAR]

But they actually ship the parts fast and you just order them online. Unlike your stove shop experiences.

That's it, keep twisting the knife...

 

[BrowningBAR]

I

Used their shopping cart to test that. Same shipping for up to five bricks.

This ain't an annual thing that you have to worry about. One brick in six years. The old stove never broke a brick in 21 years. On the old stove a weld broke. Not a brick. Wish it had of had bricks in the back to hit banging those N/S loads into it. What broke the weld.

Oh I know. I was just thinking ahead. I knew the 30 was low maintenance going in. Main reason why I went with it as oppose to finding another used Defiant.

 

[Don2222]

But they actually ship the parts fast and you just order them online. Unlike your stove shop experiences.

Stove shops have scheduled shipments to save money. So if they get a shipment yesterday and you order something today, then it would be on the next scheduled truck in 2 or 3 weeks! Many online places use UPS which can ship to you in 2-3 days. I ship my parts by FEDEX so most of the time it gets there in 1 day and cost about the same as UPS ! ! ! LOL

 

[Shadow&Flame]

I really hate little surprises like that....always like to be prepared for thing like that. Seems odd that a company like Englander would put an odd sized brick in that stove. Wonder why...

 

[BrotherBart]

Stove shops have scheduled shipments to save money. So if they get a shipment yesterday and you order something today, then it would be on the next scheduled truck in 2 or 3 weeks! Many online places use UPS which can ship to you in 2-3 days. I ship my parts by FEDEX so most of the time it gets there in 1 day and cost about the same as UPS ! ! ! LOL

Oh how I know. Until I hung up my spurs UPS Commercial sent me Christmas cards. Now they send me "Where did you go?" cards. 1,800 or so shipments a year.

My local stove shop is great. Pissed because I burn in Englander stoves, they used to be a dealer for years, but they get me other parts at good prices and on the next stock order to save me shipping costs. Anybody in Northern Virginia is nuts to buy from anybody but J.E. Rice. Bought my old stove from their daddy.

 

[BrotherBart]

I really hate little suprises like that....always like to be prepared for thing like that. Seems odd that a company like Englander would put an odd sized brick in that stove. Wonder why...

Appalachian uses those bricks too. And some of the bricks in a Drolet are that size. I suspect that ESW started using the size a long time ago and just kept using them. I could walk into a Canadian Tire store and get them off the shelf. Just that the drive to British Columbia would be a little pricey.

 

[Shadow&Flame]

Appalachian uses those bricks too. And some of the bricks in a Drolet are that size. I suspect that ESW started using the size a long time ago and just kept using them. I could walk into a Canadian Tire store and get them off the shelf. Just that the drive to British Columbia would be a little pricey.

I had noticed an add, when I was looking at Englander stoves, that they used a different brick in the old stoves...didnt think they would still be using them in the new ones.

 

[thetraindork]

i make molds as a hobby. i've done concrete work using wooden forms for custom shapes. i wonder if you could make your own firebricks? i need to look up how they are made. hhhmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[precaud]

What about a masonary blade for a skill saw?

That would work fine, just rig up a little jig for it , and don't try to cut through the entire depth at once.

BTW, BB is more resourceful than he's letting on...

Stove makers consider bricks as a consumable item, i.e.something that WILL need to be replaced at some point. That's why they're excluded from the warranty. So it's probably best to take the hint and buy some spares when you buy a new stove. Better yet, leverage the moment and get the dealer to throw in a couple at the time of sale. If you end up selling the stove, the new owner will appreciate having them.

A couple years ago I saw two boxes of 2800F ceramic firebrick at a public auction, about 30 bricks total, probably more than I'll ever use in this lifetime. I didn't have an immediate need for them, but I knew it was a rare opportunity that needed to be acted on. Got them for $40, a steal for that quality of IFB. (gold-plated firebrick, as BG called them...) A short time later, I bought the Kent stove, sliced 8 of them in half on a tablesaw to make 2.25" splits and they now line the Tile Fire.

 

[ScotO]

BB, if you own a 5" angle grinder, go buy a 5" dry diamond blade for it. They sell them at most home improvement stores (HD and Lowe's) as well as Harbor Freight and others. I have bought and used several of those blades over the years (in most cases they are under 15 bucks), I cut all the brick for my Napoleon 1900p last fall, not to mention countless stones and tiles, etc. You will use that blade many times over the years....

 

[BrotherBart]

Lots of gear and work to turn a $2.50 brick into a $2.50 brick.