Cutting bricks - what power tools?

[ihughes]

I've just finished cutting my concrete blocks to fit over the angle iron with a circular saw fitted with a masonry blade.
It worked well but I don't think it will work with the fire bricks because of the more delicate cuts required.
Has anyone used a circular saw with masonry blade to cut firebricks or am I better off getting a grinder or (very expensive) brick saw?
Or will a power tile cutter do the trick?
I know I could hire something but with limited time each day to work on the oven that would end up costing more than a new brick saw! And I could use a bolster and hammer but I know my brickwork limitations.
cheers
ian

[nissanneill]

Hi ian,
having just finished the construction of my Pompeii oven, I used a proprietry 14" brick saw to cut all of the bricks and today, before I cleaned it up for return, cut the granite slab for the pizza base roll-out.
I bought the 14" diamond blade off ebay for Aus $45 + postage ($12.50) for a friends brick cutting saw rather than use his blade. I used about 1/4 of the diamond edge for the whole exercise. I also bought a 9" diamond blade for my large Hitachi 9" angle grinder for $0.99 + $9.50 postage. It is very capable of cutting all of your bricks but it needs both hands to hold the grinder (very powerful and has one hell of a kick) only leaving 2 feet to hold the brick! Not really recommended if you value your toes.
You could cut most of your bricks as I did, in one hit apart from the special arch and key brick cuts. I cut all of my soldier course and all of the dome bricks in around 2 hours, infact all of the brick cuts are facing inside the oven. Very clean cut all the way through the brick in one go.
If I were you, chase up a diamond blade and beg, steel or hire or borrow a brick saw for one day. That day should be when you need to cut your arch bricks. A small diamond saw will do all of your other cuts.
Check out my oven pics in the Oven photos forum.
Good luck with your build.


Neill