Okay, so I saw this ad the other day for a “brick kiln for sale” and it got me thinking. I’ve always been into making things, you know, getting my hands dirty. And the idea of firing my own bricks? That sounded pretty cool. I mean, who does that anymore? I figure if I could make my own bricks, I could maybe build something – a shed, a patio, who knows!
They said they would help set up this brick kiln thing. I thought, “Why not?” It’s a bit of cash, around $6000 they said, but I thought, maybe it is worth it. The size of the kiln you have to buy would be determined by the size of the bricks or other things you want to make. There are small electric kilns, which are simple to use for a beginner, but you can get a big kiln too.
First, I started looking up what it even takes to run one of these things. Turns out, most of the old-school kilns are super inefficient and pump out a ton of pollution. Not good. But then I found out there are some newer, cleaner ways to do it, like these “Zigzag Kilns” and something called a “Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln.” Seemed complicated, but I’m stubborn.
I began calling around, asking about these kilns. Most places only sold these big industrial ones. Then I searched for used brick kilns. Many brands were found, like Thomas, Shunfu, Nabertherm, Sacmi, Darifeng, International, and Mingyuan.
I even reached out to some companies that sell electric kilns for bricks and ceramics. I figured, if I’m gonna do this, I might as well try to be a little eco-conscious, right? Plus, electric seemed like it might be easier for a newbie like me.
The more I dug into it, the more I realized this wasn’t just some weekend project. Setting up a kiln is serious business. I had to think about space, ventilation, power supply. It wasn’t as simple as plugging in a toaster!
But the idea of creating something from scratch, of shaping the clay and firing it into solid bricks, it just kept pulling me in. I imagined building a little wall, maybe even a fireplace. It would be tough, I knew, but there was something satisfying about the whole process.
- Researched the heck out of it. I needed to learn the basics of brick-making and kiln operation.
- Checked out different types of kilns. Decided to lean towards a smaller, electric one to start.
- Started looking for a used kiln. Figured I could save some money that way. I have found several brands.
- Talked to some experts. Got some advice on setting up and operating the kiln safely.
So here’s what I ended up doing:
I’m still in the planning stages, to be honest. It’s a lot more involved than I initially thought. But I’m not giving up. There’s something about this whole brick-making thing that’s got me hooked. I’ll keep you guys posted on how it goes. Maybe one day, I’ll have a whole pile of homemade bricks ready to go!
