K26 - thoughts and prices?

[Paul Fricker]

I've been quoted around £3.40 (around $6.50 US) a brick (for a quantity of 1000).

Now given that I've been told it's a US brick, what sort of prices do you guys pay? And does anyone here in the UK know of better prices?

Finally - are they worth it? I've been told they stand up to soda better than any other soft brick.

This thread picks up from another thread - 'The soft, the hard and the soda'.

[William Baker]

Paul,
I'm not too up on exchange rates, but that sounds a bit too high for me unless it includes getting a U.S. brick to the U.K. The last time I bought K-26 bricks it was about $2.30 (USD) plus shipping which in my case added about $1.00 per brick. This was for a 2.5" brick, but a 3" brick would not be much more than $3.00 each. These K-26 did not claim to be especially soda resistant, but I wonder about that with the bricks you mention. If they are "US" bricks what is the company name, etc.?

William Baker

[Paul Fricker]

I'm told that K26 is a tradename and is different to regular 26 grade bricks. Is that not correct?

[shanemickey]

paul
i agree with my trusty protege will, that is way high! i have a soapbox that i stand on about soda/salt kilns and insulating brick. NOT WORTH IT. i have heard the arugument about savings in fuel offsetting the shortened life of the kiln, well no one considers the time out of work while yoiu rebuild the kilnthat only lasted seven years. ask gay smith, her first soda kiln lasted 11 years and was well past due for a rebuild, she bought similar brick if not the same brick, k26 is a type by a certain manufacturer. i believe it may be thermal ceramics, and i have heard that their 26s have a higher calcuim content. well just as a forwarning, you will save about 30-40% in firing costs and at $5k for costs in brick lets look at it. so a firing in a normal size kiln runs about 150 dollars for a soft brick vs 275 for a hard brick, so take say 125 into $5k thats 40 firings or say six years which is when it will need to be rebuilt, so you saved enough to rebuild it, no thats just the brick, the metal will need to be replaced too and again all that time out of the studio. if you built a hard brick kiln it would easily last 12 years which is the above math in reverse, so really there is no difference other than the fact that in the short run the firings cost less but the kiln needs to be rebuilt earlier. anyway paul you decide, i personally woulldnt reccomend soft brick and no matter what i would look for brick inthe uk not us brick, i am sure you can pick up some cheaper brick in yoiur neck of the woods.
shane