Anyone here cut firebrick before?

[Craig D Peltier]

I tried an steel metal abrasive wheel on a chop saw , didnt work very well. Too much wear an tear to get through one brick. I have a 12" milwaukee chop saw and a 12" masonry wheel but it wont fit my saw, it grinds a bit when I spi it by hand?
Anyhow how do I cut this stuff? Need to cut some angles and make some shorter?
Hardware store manager said the metal wheel cuts masonry , hes done it before just wont last as long. They didnt have a 10" with 1" arbor masonry blade.
Will tile saw work alot better?

Thanks

[Jim O'Dell]

The tile saw is where I'd go. Don't know specifically about fire brick, but they cut marble and granite tiles, so I'd think it would do the trick. Jim.

[Jay Jolliffe]

The last time I did it I used a wet saw used for cutting tile. Work great. Also the water keeps the dust down.

[Craig Coney]

Just use a masonry blade in a skil-saw. That worked for me.

[Craig D Peltier]

Just use a masonry blade in a skil-saw. That worked for me.

Kind of tough to hold little bricks an cut with skill saw and also cut angles.:confused:

[jim carter]

masonry blade on a skil - saw worked for me too.on 90 degree cuts, set for 1/2 way through the brick and a hammer and chisel will do the rest

[Don Abele]

Craig, either rent or buy a wet tile saw. It'll cut through them like...well, not exactly like butter...more like stiff clay. Works well and no dust. Though you'll have some icky water spatter to deal with. Be sure and wear eye pro.

I bought the cheapest one at the Borg several years ago ($100 IIRC) and never had a problem with it. I cut all the tiles for both an 8x10 and a 10x14 bathroom, a 12x14 utility room, and all the firebrick for around our woodstove. Still on the same blade with no signs of dulling.

If you know you'll only use it for one project, renting is the best option. In my case, I knew I had all those projects lined up and it was cheaper to buy than rent for each one.

Abrasive saws are only marginally good at cutting ferrous material. And no good for cutting anything else, IMHO. I had a 14" Milwaukee for many years and way too many blades. I sold it and went with their cold-cut saw. It was disconcerting to plunge that blade in the steel the first time. But after watching it slice through like butter (not stiff clay this time), I was glad I made the switch. I wind up with small sliver-like shavings vice those fine grit ones that gets everywhere. It produces no sparks and a burr-free finish. It's also slightly quieter while cutting, but not by much - it still SCREAMS.

Be well,

Doc

[Earl Reid]

Craig, The best way to cut refactory is with a wet diamond
saw. you would have to rent it. I had many yrs of building and repairing glass furnaces. We used wet saws with 18" diamond blade that cut like the bricks were butter. I think it woud be unsafe to use a handheld saw.

EARL

[jim carter]

Kind of tough to hold little bricks an cut with skill saw and also cut angles.:confused:
put the brick in a vise, now you have 2 hands to control the cut.

[Mike Cutler]

I just cut a few firebricks for the woodstove this week. I used a wetsaw blade, and it worked perfectly.

[David G Baker]

I use my wet rock saws diamond blade for cutting tile, haven't cut fire brick yet. I have used abrasive masonry blades in a skill saw on red brick, it is dirty, dusty and may cause bearings to wear out prematurely.

[jim carter]

im not saying a skil-saw is the best way, but its probably the cheapest way. i recently did a fireplace and i didnt have any safety issues with the brick in a vise. just like cutting a board except takes a little longer. soaking the bricks overnight in water helps minimize the dust.

[Bob Rufener]

I worked on a small construction crew many years ago. We used a hydraulic device for splitting bricks. It had a blade on the top and the bottom. You lined up your mark on the brick between the two blades and pumped the hydraulic cylinder until the brick split. You may find something like this at a rental center. This is what I mean:
http://constructioncomplete.com/Catalog/Paver-Block-Splitters;jsessionid=0a01074e1f432c461935405a482eb ae7912bc65b065d.e3eTaxeKbh0Te34Pa38Ta38OaN50

[Craig D Peltier]

Thanks every one. I have a rental center here in town that opens at 10. I will go take a look.
Im using these bricks to line a interior of a firepit.

Thank you

[David G Baker]

Craig,
It is probably too late, but at one time I was going to build a small smelter and was going to use a bagged product that is worked similar to concrete. If you want information on the product, check out the Internet for things used to make a DIY forge. The product is used for a liner.

[jim carter]

they also have caulking made from the same material as the firebrick for use between the bricks. soak the bricks first and the caulking will stick better without cracking

[Wyatt Holm]

I would use a right angle grinder with a masonry wheel installed in it. A granite or tile store should have them.

[Craig Coney]

Kind of tough to hold little bricks an cut with skill saw and also cut angles.:confused:

Requires skill I guess...maybe that's why they call it a Skil Saw?:D

Just remember to control your tool. Don't let your tool control you..

You can always use an accessory device to hold the bricks to keep your appendages and digits away from the spinning blade.. and at a better angle than flat... Whatta they call that thing Jim???

[Craig D Peltier]

Thanks all , tile saw with diamond blade worked well. There was another type concrete chop saw thing but wasnt sure if I should have a segmented blade or full one.And he didint have full so i went with tile. No breakage, could cut 1/8th slivers off to.