Actually think I got more than my fair share of use out of the originals. Mr. Fireplace dude wanted 550 bucks per fireplace insert to rebrick. I spent 100 bucks on firebricks and about 5 hours of my time .. to do two inserts. I think i saved myself enough money to buy myself a new firearm.
We had an old one we replaced. It didn't have firebrick. I actually got a lot more creosote in the chimney than i do now. This one doesn't have a catalytic converter (thank god) and there is no way I'm going to get one with it. I can run a hotter fire with this unit, less smoke and the metal sides don't glow at night. Also, it's easier to adjust the fuel air mixture and get it to burn more efficiently than the really old insert.
Firebrick is starting to crack in my pellet stove, its a weird custom piece. Hate to see what its gonna cost me.
Yep, you are exactly right. 9 inch lengthwise cut in like 45 seconds with a tile saw. Granted I ran it dry .. not so go. Ran it wet .. very fast. But I'll be running a few small fires in the box for a few days to get the bricks dry again before going full hot in there. They'll steam spall pretty good if they are wet/moist and your fire is too big before it's fully dried.
Yeah the cheapest setup for a diamond wheel cutter is going to be a 4 inch angle grinder and have to do it by hand. Could rent a wet tile cutter saw and be done in no time.
Just a note about placing the bricks. It's a fricken jigsaw puzzle. I found that with my inserts, the bottom bricks lock in both the side and back bricks. and the back bricks also lock in the side .. so the bottom is the first to come out and the last to go in.
I bought a skilsaw brand tile saw for like 99 bucks at home despot. I actually bought it for cutting rocks before putting them in the rock tumbler. It'll cut bricks up to 1.5 inches thick.
