How to cut firebrick?

[Whit]

Anyone have any good tips on cutting hard firebrick? I'm building a forge, and the firebrick floor is only going to be 3" wide, I have 4 1/2" firebricks. Thanks for the help.

Ryan

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Either use a brick saw or a diamond saw.You can rent one fairly cheap at places like Home Depot,if you don't have a friend with one.A tile installer or brick mason will probably cut them for free if you ask.

 

[anvilring]

a masonry circular saw blade. Get several; they cost all of $1.98 each. You might have to cut 1/2 way through each side then snap'em in half in your saw won't adjust deep enough to cut all the way through. Most saws only cut 2.5 inches deep.

VERY important: USE A REALLY GOOD RESPERATOR, silicosis would be a really bad way to die....

mitch

 

[David Wesner]

Hey Whit Bladsmth has the best answer w/a mason saw or Diamond.If you can't afford it or can't get one a carbide tipped wood blade on your table saw will work.I sucessfully cut enough Hard Fire Brick to make a small forge in a 10 dia. stove pipe.Lined it w/kaowool from Darren Ellis then w/hard brick cut to size w/60* angles on the sides held together w/#36 mortar (Ellis too).Darren suggested a Kaowool lined tube coated w/Satinite would be more efficient but I already had the brick cut so I went with it,although the Kaowool method would have been much easier.It can be done with a carbide tipped blade but wear Hearing & Eye Protection because screaming sound is an understatement! Edit : What Anvilring said too.