vermiculite fire bricks?

[zardoz]

Anyone know if it is possible to fashion fire brick from vermiculite granules? Also ifit is possible, what type of binding agent would I use to keep the shape together ?

If not, then would this do the job ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140571033395&clk_rvr_id=274483318295

RESISTANCE TO TEMPERATURE UP TO 1250oC

Or would this be better?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25KG-Bag-Fire-Clay-make-Refractory-Furnace-Kiln-/230634674870?_trksid=p4340.m1374&_trkparms=algo%3DPI.WATCH%26its%3DC%252BS%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D3579064551582728290

 

[MarkMG]

Have a read here http://www.vermiculite.net/ there are some design mixes with OPC.

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/fireplace2.htm I quote... The filling behind a fire back should be done with either 4 parts broken brick rubble to 1 part lime to 2 parts sand or, for greater insulation, 6 parts Vermiculite to 1 part cement. Vermiculite particles are available from builders merchants and can, indeed should be, used to line a new flue if one has been inserted.

 

[MarkMG]

or http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7791303_make-fireproof-cement.html

Gather the necessary ingredients including silica sand, calcium aluminate cement and fireclay (optional) and deposit the ingredients into a bucket using a 10 to 3 to 1.5 ratio (10/3/1.5). Use a measuring cup to ensure an accurate mixture at this ratio. Start out slow, using a moderate amount of material --- you can always add more next round.

and use the vermiculite as an aggregate......

 

[gordon stephenson]

I used to make fire bricks to special shapes using a mould, The material used was called DURAX. Don't know if it is still available, It came in 56lb bags and contained all the ingredients dry. All you had to do was mix in the correct amount of water.When cured it was as hard as bell metal, It's original use was for making combustion chambers for big furnaces.

 

[stormin]

Cheap source of vermiculite when I built my furnace was the local garden centre. Huge 50litre bag weighed next to nothing and cost about a tenner.

I only mixed it with fire clay to bind as it was simply the outer insulation layer around my high temp refactory. If you want it to survive a reasonable length of time I would use fire cement as well as fire clay as a binder for the vermiculite.

 

[R Kraft]

This formula works well.:http://www.visi.com/~darus/foundry2/refractory.html
Robert

 

[zardoz]

Perlite has been mentioned. mCan this be used in place of vermiculite ?

 

[Shox Dr]

What are you going to be using them for. would storage heater bricks be OK.



I was only thinking about this subject last week, as I want to insulate a Powder coating oven. I thought of filling the void between two sheets of steel forming a tray

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

When looking at the ways to build my own smelter to melt aluminium etc the guys were using vermiculite and fire cement to line the fire box .. letting it dry for a few week on it's own and then putting in a small flame to gently bring the furnace up to a bit of heat to cook it for a few hours before running the flame at full blast and making the curing complete.

Coarse clean Vermiculite as 4 to 8 mm averge size chips is available from any " Keyline Builders Merchants or Travis & Perkins ( T&P ) outlets.
I purchased 12 x 100 litre ( 3.8 cubic feet ) bags at £15 each inc. vat on the 31 Jan 2012

 

[Shox Dr]

I purchased 12 x 100 litre ( 3.8 cubic feet ) bags at £15 each inc. vat on the 31 Jan 2012

Crickey, what are you building a Nuclear fallout shelter

 

[brightspark]

Crickey, what are you building a Nuclear fallout shelter

who knows . the iranians are kicking off . better start building the anderson shelter

 

[garethp]

What are you going to be using them for. would storage heater bricks be OK.

Storage heater bricks are designed to absorb and retain heat, vermiculite boards or bricks will reflect and insulate against heat. Like you say, use depends on the job