FB insulating blanket alternatives? Pompeii Oven Construction Discuss FB insulating blanket alternatives? in the Pizza Oven Design and Installation forums; Does anyone know exactly what the FB insulating blanket is? I started to order two rolls and the shipping costs ...

[kimemerson]

Does anyone know exactly what the FB insulating blanket is? I started to order two rolls and the shipping costs more than a single roll. That's a bit absurd in my view. So, what is it and can't I get the same stuff elsewhere?
Thanks

[kebwi]

I haven't gotten to that stage of the project yet (by a long shot), but a pottery store in my area had something they described as a high-temperature insulation ceramic fiber blanket made from something called 8lbs superwool, about 1in thick. It came on a 2ft wide roll and costs $2.95 / sq ft.

I haven't even been by to look at it yet, and I have no idea if it's the right stuff, but it's what came up in my research.

This must be the stuff, although this is just some online source, not my local pottery supplier:
http://www.sheffield-pottery.com/SUP.../tcsw607ht.htm

Presumably pottery suppliers sell it for people building kilns??!!! Just guessing.

[ERASMO]

Kim

Check with your local Forno Dealer. They may be able to add the blanket onto another order to save freight.

[dmun]

It's a standard refractory item. It is expensive to ship, because it's heavy. If you have a refractory dealer near you, you should be able to get it. For a start, go to google maps, and search for "refractory near your location". A search turned up this:

http://www.lvrinc.com/Site/Home.html

in Hannacroix, NY. Of course a trip to a bigger city would yield more choices.

[james]

Kim, contact Marina at FB -- 800-407-5119. The FB Store occasionally gets shipping quotes wrong on heavy, multiple box orders. Marina can check manually and get you a more accurate shipping cost.

Our goal is to be price competitive including shipping.

Good luck,
James

[kebwi]

I'll say this much. Given that FB's insulation appears to be identical to the stuff I found locally (8lb 1in) and the fact that FB is charging $1.50 a square foot, FB's price beats my local pottery supply of $2.95 a square foot by virtually a factor of two...shipping aside.

[kimemerson]

James: I just left a message on Marina's extension. Thanks
Kewbi: I did a local check and found one source which is about $3.43/s.f. So, yes, FB beats that one. Andthe link you sent in your first post shows the stuff at $10.50/s.f. FB is looking better each time.
Erasmo: There's a local FB dealer?
Thanks all. I'll report back

[kimemerson]

James: Marina confirmed it. I had not fully realized just how heavy this stuff is so it's beginning to make more sense that shipping costs so much. I also did more research and found that with others selling @ $2.50, $2.75 and over $3.00/s.f. that @ $1.50 /s.f. FB's blanket is probably the better deal even with shipping across the country. So I thank you all for your patience with me.

[kebwi]

Just gotta run the numbers on your own purchase+shipping relative to local+without+shipping and see what comes up cheaper.

I hadn't been strongly considering an insulating blanket since it's so expensive. My plan was percrete. Do people really strongly suggest using the blanket instead of (or in addition to) a percrete/vermcrete layer?

[kimemerson]

Even with shipping FB comes out cheaper, in part because I can't find any relatively local suppliers who sell it cheap enough and are close enough for me to just go get it. A Google search for it in NYC so far has nothing but I've only gone about 8 pages deep.

I am building a dome, as opposed to an enclosure oven, and I had wondered about the perlite/cement vs. blanket question as well. I am assuming that the blanket is far more efficient for the area, mass and thickness. And that it is easier to work with and the job - or tat part of it - will be finished sooner. That's all just guessing on my part though.