- what rich is describing - is usually called crusher-run in the business, packing it tight for best contact with the piping can put you in danger of collapsing your stove pipe.It will also be hard to remove when you want to remove it later !
It may be possible to use one of those vibrating tools used to make sure there are no voids in poured concrete to ensure compaction around your stove pipe. I personally have never used that tool for that purpose. Clay is universal,though it can be extremely
local at the same time, try the
art department at your local C.C. they end up cleaning up different grades of clay into a slop
bucket and that mess is not good for firing but would be good for a clay sand mortar mix and as slip for
mixing with builders sand to fill in the air spaces between the grains, again because you want to re-move this stuff a little goes a long way . Its a little late in the year for a scouting trip floating down a river in a canoe looking for clay. Try hanging out at a farmers supply store that actually sells bulk animal
feed, the driver of the bulk delivery truck will know where there is clay! He probably covers 2-3 counties in a weeks run ! The store owner, if the owner knows his customers, he knows whose truck comes in covered with clay ! Mostly thats just me putting my two cents in, for what its worth! - g'LUCK, - Pyromaticly yours, - Allen L.