I think I found supplies!

It looks like this place may have everything I need, and it's within a few hours of my house.  Refractory Service website  Looks like I need to dig through Thomas' book again and see how many hard bricks and how many insulating bricks I need and get ready for a road trip!  I bought Matt Walker's plans too for more understanding of building the bell.  I'm hoping to have all my materials gathered to build a 6" or 8" batch box by spring.  Then I can get working on the greenhouse.

That looks like the right place Trace.
Any bricks 2500F  and higher will work great.
If you are buying ceramic blanket, try to get Morgan Superwool HT

Did you pick up the three-hole clay bricks for your bell?

I am glad to hear that you will be building an RMH.  Please keep the forum posted about your progress.

I don't know exactly where you are, but if the Twin Cities is closer than Milwaukee, this place might be good too: https://ssfbs.com/product-category/refractory-products/bricks-tile-mortar/hard-fire-brick/medium-duty/

Yes, The Smith Sharpe refractory firebrick supply in the twin cites is a good source for materials, I have ordered from them in the past.
They package their bricks with expanding foam to ensure they will arrive undamaged.

thomas rubino wrote:That looks like the right place Trace.
Any bricks 2500F  and higher will work great.
If you are buying ceramic blanket, try to get Morgan Superwool HT

Did you pick up the three-hole clay bricks for your bell?

My trailer is currently loaded down, so I haven't been able to pick them up yet. They guy that has them is fairly close to me and has thousands, so I'm not concerned about missing out. I should be able to get them sometime in the next week or two.

Christopher Weeks wrote:I don't know exactly where you are, but if the Twin Cities is closer than Milwaukee, this place might be good too: https://ssfbs.com/product-category/refractory-products/bricks-tile-mortar/hard-fire-brick/medium-duty/

Thanks, I'll look into that too. I'm in Wisconsin, but the Duluth location is actually closer to me than Milwaukee. Twin cities is closer yet, so I appreciate the lead.

Wait, what’s the Duluth connection? Refractory Services seems like its offices are in Milwaukee and St. Paul. But if I’m missing something, a Duluth connection would be great for me.

Christopher Weeks wrote:Wait, what’s the Duluth connection? Refractory Services seems like its offices are in Milwaukee and St. Paul. But if I’m missing something, a Duluth connection would be great for me.

My mistake, it is St. Paul.  I've been looking at too many different places for brick, firebrick, etc.  

I stumbled on a landscape supply place in Eagle River that had a pallet of regular fire bricks, and one of splits. They were on the expensive end, but for a small project (just enough for the firebox) it is obviously not worth driving hours for a better deal or paying shipping on something as heavy as, well, a brick.

Mike Haasl found some in Weston at a better price. I think most medium sized towns around here have a landscaping place that will be able to supply basic firebrick. They just don't have the slightest idea how to market it as everything else they sell is as much or more decorative than functional.

This page may show something within casual driving range for you. Not a very coherent map, but a start. For NW Wisconsin it looks like YankeeHillBrick has outlets somewhere, and their website includes a link for firebrick. Unfortunately it is a dead link, so...?

I'm guessing the County Materials outlet in Rice Lake is where that map would end up directing you, and is in your neck of the woods? (They are also near LaCrosse and Eau Claire, as well as a few spots between there and the Cities.)

A batch box will mean many more firebricks I imagine, so driving for a good deal may become more attractive. Also, I don't think insulative firebrick is likely to show up at these places, although those would be cheaper to have shipped also...

Coydon Wallham wrote:I stumbled on a landscape supply place in Eagle River that had a pallet of regular fire bricks, and one of splits. They were on the expensive end, but for a small project (just enough for the firebox) it is obviously not worth driving hours for a better deal or paying shipping on something as heavy as, well, a brick.

Mike Haasl found some in Weston at a better price. I think most medium sized towns around here have a landscaping place that will be able to supply basic firebrick. They just don't have the slightest idea how to market it as everything else they sell is as much or more decorative than functional.

This page may show something within casual driving range for you. Not a very coherent map, but a start. For NW Wisconsin it looks like YankeeHillBrick has outlets somewhere, and their website includes a link for firebrick. Unfortunately it is a dead link, so...?

I'm guessing the County Materials outlet in Rice Lake is where that map would end up directing you, and is in your neck of the woods? (They are also near LaCrosse and Eau Claire, as well as a few spots between there and the Cities.)

A batch box will mean many more firebricks I imagine, so driving for a good deal may become more attractive. Also, I don't think insulative firebrick is likely to show up at these places, although those would be cheaper to have shipped also...

Thanks for the tips.  I'm near LaCrosse.

Trace Oswald wrote:
Thanks for the tips.  I'm near LaCrosse.

Ah, your mention of Duluth threw me.

The County Materials I noticed around there was a bit East of Trempealeau.