Hello from Connecticut.

[Aegis]

Hello all,
I had gotten the bug for building a brick oven this past fall. Not being a mason is definetly a hinderance in obtaining supplies. I am in the planning stages and materials gathering stage. From the little reading I have done on this site I may be set on a 36" pompeii oven. I would greatly appreciate any information on local Ct. material suppliers. Firebrick and mortor are the two I am having a hard time to find. I did look on craigslist and found firebrick from an used mill. How do I tell if the is low duty or other suitable firebrick? Any help is greatly appreciated. This site has given me the invaluable encouragement and help already. Thanks in advance for any help.
Totally a newbie
John

[RCLake]

Try this site for dealers carrying Heat Stop 50 and firebricks, they may have to order the mortar.

Rumford Dealers

[dmun]

Used firebrick is a necessity in places like the UK and Australia where the new stuff is hard to get and ruinously expensive. In Connecticut it should be easy to find and cheap. Your problem may be that you are looking in Home Depot type places, when what you need is a brickyard. You don't have to be a mason to buy from brickyards.

A quick google-maps search shows at least a dozen masonry supply places near Southbury and especially Waterbury. The first listed is:

Southbury Stone & Supply
55 Bullet Hill Rd, Southbury, CT
(203) 264-1118

A good brickyard will have everything you need, especially in a cold climate where they sell to masons building fireplaces. I suggest you show up in person rather than call them on the phone.

The problem with used firebrick is what it was used for. Some of it, from smelters and steel mills, is contaminated with heavy metals. The exact alumina rating is secondary to this problem.

[jeff]

dmun,
So how slow am I?
(1)Domestic Australia uses bugger-all firebricks cf N America(Although I imagine the UK would use a few). Hence the price difference.
(2)Phonetic spelling. der.
Cheers mate.
Jeff.

[Aegis]

Thanks for the welcome and the info. Looking forward to a wood fired pizza party by Labor Day 9/1/2008 is my goal.
Again Thanks
John

[Aegis]

I stopped at the stone and supply place. They were very helpful and they carry firebrick @ 1.15 per brick. They were steering me towards using portland cement for the mortor for the dome. Does anyone have a good idea how much mortor is needed for the firebrick dome? Thanks a million for the help. I did try searching for firebrick on the net but only got suppliers in Ohio and Alabama. So again thanks big time.
John