Looking for advice on replacing unusual fire bricks

[Burdette and Smith]

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[Marshy]

They look similar to the curved bricks the Old Shenandoah stoves used. I haven't a clue where you can get the curved ones. In a pinch a regular flat brick could be use I suppose but not with out some work. Good luck.

 

[Burdette and Smith]

Thank you for the reply Marshy.
There was supposed to be detailed subject matter on my first post but something went wrong.

The only markings on the stove are the number "7" and "made in Taiwan". Stove was bought in the year 1981. The vertical bricks have a definite curve to them and the horizontal bricks, or floor bricks are strange as well. The stove floor has iron fins that rise up about a 1/4" and the brick material is breaking up between them. When the floor brick wasn't damaged you could not see the fins, they were covered with the brick.

I did an internet search on the stove and came up with nothing. Than I stopped in to a local wood stove dealer with a brick sample and they had no idea what to do.

Any suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.
Thank you

 

[Marshy]

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can give you better advice but I'm afraid mine is limited. It appears thst the floor was made by pouring some sort of fire cement over the ribs in the floor. Over time it looks like it's broken down and has exposed the ribs. I would be tempted to remove the remaining floor material and replace the vertical bricks with flat ones and then pout the floor back in it with some fire stop mortar.

 

[begreen]

It's a knockoff of a Jotul #1. Those firebricks can be hard to find. I'm not sure if anyone sells them anymore.

 

[bholler]

While you still have some good ones have forms made then you can cast as many as you want out of castable refractory cement.

 

[byQ]

I would start looking for an EPA stove as they will be coming on sale soon in the box stores. If you decide to keep using this older stove and you need to replace those unusual firebrick you have 3 options, 1) buy original firebrick for that stove (begreen says this is difficult), 2) obtain firebrick and cut them to fit your stove sides and floor (like woodworking but with a brick cutting blade), 3) as bholler suggested, use fire clay cement - ie you make the negative out of wood or clay and then pour the cement to make your positives (or maybe use the firebrick you already have as your negatives).

The last 2 options would be time consuming and not so cheap. NC-30 on sale this spring?

And I guess there is a 4th option. You could alter the stove to fit the new firebrick - ie weld or grind where needed. Maybe flat firebrick could be used on the ridged floor?

 

[bholler]

Casting your own firebrick is pretty cheap not sure why you would say it is pricey. Unless you are paying to have it done

 

[byQ]

Casting your own firebrick is pretty cheap not sure why you would say it is pricey. Unless you are paying to have it done

When I bought hi-temp refractory type of cement it was $60 for a 50 lb bag as compared to $12 for 93 lb bag of regular Portland Cement. You're going to have to buy a whole bag even if you don't use it all. I guess $60 isn't that much, really.

 

[begreen]

I wouldn't be surprised if a set of replacement bricks sold for 2 or 3 times that amount if available.

 

[defiant3]

Greetings fellow Trojan! I was born there myself more years ago than I'm happy about. Your stove is a copy of a Jotul, but it may be a model 1 or a model 4. 4's were bigger with an 8" flue collar, 1's had a 6".

Woodman's Parts PLus in NH had firebrick for both last time I needed htem but that's been a few years now. In truth, those are not great stoves, and if this starts to get too pricey or just big pain please don't feel bad about punting. Dealers will be practically giving stoves away after this "heat wave" here in the east so maybe think that over.

Happy heating!!

 

[Steve - Universal 'B']

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Hi, I am also new to this forum. I have found several recipes on the internet for making my own fire bricks(refractory bricks). I am trying to decide which to use. I am going to make the curved moulds from 1/4 inch wood panelling attached to curved(cut outs) spruce... leaving the side open to pour in mixture.