Well, let me tell you about this little project I got into the other day – messing around with soft fire bricks. I’ve been wanting to build a little something in my backyard, nothing fancy, just a small fire pit where I can chill out on those cooler evenings. So, I figured, why not give it a go with these soft fire bricks I heard about?
First off, I needed to get my hands on these bricks. I went down to the local hardware store, the one old man Jenkins runs – you know, the one with the creaky floorboards and that smell of sawdust? Anyway, I found the bricks, and they were lighter than I expected. They had this, I don’t know, porous feel to them. I grabbed a bunch, along with some other stuff I thought I might need.
Mixing The Clay
- So, the first thing I did was mix up the clay. I got this fire clay, mixed it with water, bit by bit. I wanted it to be like a thick mud. I used an old bucket and a stick – nothing fancy. It took a while to get the consistency right. My arms were getting a good workout, that’s for sure!
Getting Ready To Cut
- Next up was cutting these bricks. Now, I ain’t no expert, but I figured it couldn’t be that hard. I remembered seeing a brick chisel in my grandpa’s old toolbox, so I dug that out. I also found a hammer – a heavy one, just in case.
- I laid out the bricks on an old wooden plank. Then, I started scoring the bricks lightly with the chisel, just like I saw on one of those DIY shows. I did this on two sides of the brick, trying to make a straight line.
- After scoring, I gave the chisel a good whack with the hammer. And guess what? The brick split right where I wanted it to! It wasn’t perfect, but hey, it was good enough for my little project.
Putting It All Together
- Once I had all the bricks cut to size, I started laying them out. I had sketched a rough plan earlier, so I just followed that. I used some adhesive mortar I picked up from Jenkins’ store – a special kind, he said, that’s good for heat.
- I applied the mortar between the bricks, trying to keep it neat. It was like building with Lego, but messier and definitely more satisfying. I made sure everything was snug and tight.
And there you have it – my adventure with soft fire bricks. It was a bit of work, but totally worth it. I ended up with a neat little fire pit, perfect for those evening gatherings. It’s not professional-grade or anything, but it’s mine, and I built it with my own two hands. Ain’t that something?
If you’re thinking of doing something similar, just go for it. It’s a fun project, and you learn a thing or two along the way. Plus, there’s nothing like the feeling of creating something yourself, you know?
