ste Tools, Tips and Techniques Discuss ste in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; can bricks from a electric storage heater be used instead of refractory bricks im just starting to build a wfo ...

[ste]

can bricks from a electric storage heater be used instead of refractory bricks
im just starting to build a wfo and need some advice please

[nissanneill]

Welcome Ste,
withoutn a little more information on the water heater, the bricks could be (and probably are) insulating bricks rather than heat storage brichks.
The answer to your question is YES, they can be used BUT they just might be better located outside of your oven dome in the insualtion area rather than in the dome.

Neill

[ste]

thanks for advice
the bricks come from a electric storage heater,which uses a electric element
to heat the bricks during the night on cheap rate electricity.
the the heater gives off the heat through out the following day.
the bricks can stay warm for up to two days
cheers

[dmun]

We've heard about the UK storage heaters, but are utterly unfamiliar with them in the US. I think I remember someone using them. Are they light or heavy?

[ste]

very heavy

[matt.]

Hi I have the exact same question! I have just obtained 40+ of the dimplex storage heater bricks and intend on using them for a wood oven (I'm UK based). After a bit of reasearch they are made from bonded magnetite. They are very heavy and more research into magnetite gives composition of "in excess of 64% Fe, less than 0.1% phosphorus, 3-7% silica and less than 3% aluminium." Is this similar to fire bricks?? Also what are the heat properties of this going to be like. They definitely store heat well but how long they take to heat I have no idea. I'm planning on trying some experiments with a basic brick pile.

Another question I have is can they be easily cut? For the base the standard brick is fab - 6"x6"x1.5" - but I was planning on cutting down to 3"x3" for the dome. I've probably not got enough if I use 20 for the base (24"x30") so I'll have to find out

By the way this is my first post so I'd like to say what a great forum this is. I've been reading for a while and there are some fantastic and inspiring designs. I look forward to any help.

[dmun]

Good grief: 64 percent iron? What are they, blast furnace slag? I looked at the Fe article in Wikipedia, and slag only has trace elements of iron.

Magnetite is the most common iron ore. No mention of bonding, or iron based refractory material. Now you've got us all wondering...

As far as how it cuts, You'll have to do some trials with the diamond wet saw. I figure if it cuts granite, it'll cut most anything. I doubt it will do the quick, clean cuts that it does in low duty fire brick.

Hey, and welcome to the forum.

[SurreyMan]

I have acquired 300 electric storage heater blocks they 9"x7.5"x 1.5". they weigh in at 150 per Tonne.
I took some down to the village blacksmith and he put a couple on his forge, and gave them a good blast for about 1/2 hr.. There was very little spaling and they didn't fall apart when handled, it was not possible to touch them with the bare hand that day !
I shall be using mine to build a "Double Bell" masonry stove.

[simsavage]

Hi there
did the storage heater bricks work for your pizza oven?

Regards

Ryan