Sealing old bricks for an RMH

A friend just sent me the link to this board/forum and making a RMH would greatly enhance our quality of living. We live right in the middle of some of the best tobacco land in the U.S. The way tobacco is dried has changed many times over the years and when they changed, the old heating systems were dumped out in the woods. Much of the metal that was on my property (when I bought it) was removed for recycling, but there is at least 8 brick ovens or the remnants of them here. The bricks are probably 100+ years old. My question... What is the best method/material to seal the bricks with before building my RMH? Thanks! Chris

-Chris Griffen : my fast answer - Don't !!! You need to sort thru them and pick out the best and get them in under cover ! they need to dry out .
Surface moisture will cause them to chip and flake and spall !

Deep moisture will cause them to burst apart like a hand grenade !

This not to scare you or anyone, properly stored and dried and used dry you have a very valuable find, with great trading value, lucky you !

As always I recommend going to www.rocketstoves.com to download $15.oo Ianto Evans' Great Book 'Rocket Mass Heaters',
to any one who does not self-identify themselves as so endowed .

This should be an interesting thread and I will follow it with interest ! PYRO Magic - ally yours Allen L. be safe , Keep Warm !

I have experienced the exploding rock in a camp fire, thanks for reminding me of that! I have a unique barn built (in 1917) for packing and drying tobacco. I now use it to air dry lumber, it will make a great place to dry the bricks, but it may be a slow dry. I bought the section of the farm that was not farmable due to rock, so it was used to dump excess rock from the usable fields along with lots and lots of trash and lumber. We are going to start with the portable RMH and then move on from there. I read a post this morning about the engineering aspect of combustion area and that has my brain reeling with ideas. I expect that I will get the book or at least somebody in our bartering group will (Intentional community) will get it and we will build 5 or 6 portable units before getting into permanent units for green houses, work shops and houses. Chris

I have read the threads that tell us how heavy a load of bricks is... I have brought three high sided wagon loads of bricks to the house to put in the fire place for drying (passive heat only). After pulling the first load I learned very quick not to fill the wagon! I think I am going to have to employ one of the horses if I want to have the ability to build a stove this winter!