Replies

1. 
   saschafer | Apr 29, 2009 06:46pm | #1

   You're talking about the soft, crumbly kind of firebrick, right? If so, you can go to your nearest home center and buy the cheapest benchtop bandsaw that they have. I used a bandsaw to cut firebrick many, many years ago, and it was no problem at all. I think a metal-cutting blade will work the best.

   -Steve

    

2. 
   dkellernc | Apr 29, 2009 09:01pm | #2

   There's a better solution.  Even a really cheap bandsaw to do this is likely to get expensive if you do this often, because it will eat up blades and quickly destroy the bearings and motor in the machine.

   Instead, consider buying a small, inexpensive tile saw.  Many of these have the necessary blade height to cut brick and because fire brick is much softer than building brick, the cut will go quickly.  Many of these can be had under $100.

1. 
   Quickstep | Apr 29, 2009 10:15pm | #3

   I've often rented tile saws for cheap.

3. 
   MikeHennessy | Apr 30, 2009 02:15pm | #4

   Hmm. Why a bandsaw as opposed to a grinder with a diamond blade? Could you elaborate on what you're doing?

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA
   Everything fits, until you put glue on it.

1. 
   tomwalz | Apr 30, 2009 08:41pm | #5

   Sure,

   Thanks for asking.

   These are really soft, crumbly bricks.    Our handsaw looks like an 18" long crosscut saw.   

   This is the hand saw we use and sell.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auweg3LP0Tk

   We would like a really cheap band saw.   If it were just me than I would go with the vacuum system.   But, in a shop with many users, I think we better figure the saw as disposable. 

   tom

1. 
   MikeHennessy | May 01, 2009 02:22pm | #9

   Wow, those are soft bricks! The "fire brick" I've used have been pretty hard -- harder than normal red brick anyway, and I've used a continuous rim diamond blade in an angle grinder to cut 'em.

   It seems to me you actually have two problems -- the band saw itself and the blade. I'd start with finding a blade that will work for you, and then get a saw to fit it.

   A normal bandsaw blade is likely to last about as long as that handsaw you tried first -- about two bricks. Try contacting Starrett, Lennox or M.K. Morse and see what they recommend for blades. Note that you may need a saw that can run slower than would be normal for woodworking -- you may be able to accomplish this by changing out the pulleys in the saw.

   As for saws, you won't need a very big one, so your cost would be pretty low. This one is a bit of a specialty item, and runs about $400, but it just might be perfect for brick cutting with the right blade:

   http://www.amazon.com/Jet-414458-HVBS-56M-Horizontal-Vertical/dp/B00004T9KU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1241176573&sr=1-5

   If you can't find a bandsaw blade, look at abrasive wheel cutoff saws. They're pretty cheap and would certainly do the job, albeit with more dust issues.

   http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_hi_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=cut+off+saw&sprefix=cut+off+ Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PAEverything fits, until you put glue on it.

2. 
   gofigure57 | May 02, 2009 02:08pm | #10

   Tom ,

   Why do you need the bandsaw? 

   Are you going to cut curves ?

    

    Tom.

1. 
   tomwalz | May 04, 2009 07:25pm | #11

   It is easier when we are cutting a lot of them. 

4. 
   Ray | Apr 30, 2009 09:45pm | #6

   Have you looked into the Makita dry tile saw?  It's a little circular saw with a diamond blade, goes through bricks like a hot knife through butter.

5. 
   RickL | Apr 30, 2009 09:52pm | #7

   http://www.inlandlapidary.com/singleproduct.asp?search=Lapidary+Saws&partnum=91030

   Diamond bandsaw!

6. 
   WillGeorge | May 01, 2009 02:05am | #8

   so cheap is important.. Cheap I understand! But I would have to ask.. How many and for how long? Rent (or buy) a diamond blade water saw.