How To Cut Fireclay Bricks

Using an angle grinder

Now let’s talk about how to properly cut a brick with an angle grinder. This operation is carried out when you need to make a small number of fragments of building material. Suitable for processing models that can be equipped with a circle with a diameter of 23 centimeters.

Smaller cutting elements can also be used, but in this case productivity and accuracy of work suffer, since the disc will not pass through the entire thickness of the product, so the workpiece will have to be turned over.

Brick Cutting Angle Grinder

The power of the tool used must be at least 2000 watts. You should not use too powerful a tool for this purpose, since it will be unreasonably heavy and cumbersome.

How to get a brick of non-standard size or irregular shape

Not so long ago, professional builders and amateurs did not even wonder how a brick can be sawn. They used a common pick and felling method, which is not very difficult.

The process of chopping bricks with a pick or combined trowel is as follows:

• It is necessary to take a unit of building material in the left hand;
• After that, you need to apply the split line with a tool on all edges of the product;
• At the end, apply a sharp jerky blow to the edge of the product, while the pickaxe and the surface of the brick should form a right angle.

Manual cutting of bricks

This method has some disadvantages:

• Low accuracy;
• The surface of the formed edge is uneven, so it has to be hidden inside the masonry, and this is impossible in some cases;
• You cannot split a brick at a different angle than a straight one.

But, time has passed, and now there are new building tools that can be used for these purposes. They make the process more convenient and accurate, plus significantly reduce time costs. In addition, the formed product edges are distinguished by a flat surface.

Now a completely fair question arises, how to cut silicate or fireclay bricks. Modern construction professionals use the following tools for this purpose:

• Machine for processing bricks;
• Special saw (gas cutter);
• Angle Grinder.

Overview of tools for cutting bricks. Brick Cutting Machine Review

Brick machines are complex structures that can harm the health of the operator if not handled properly. Therefore, work on the processing of building materials must be carried out taking into account all safety rules. The device is equipped with a power unit that operates from a network with an operating voltage of 380 volts, so it needs to be properly grounded. Only those discs that are approved by the manufacturer can be used as cutting elements. Also, the worker must use protective goggles, gloves and a respirator.

A device that is manufactured at the factory is quite expensive, so if the question arose of how to cut a brick at home, then it is better to use other settings. However, some home craftsmen try to assemble such a machine on their own. The parameters of the future device are determined by the capabilities of the designer and the upcoming volume of work.

Some people even decide to completely repeat the design of factory-made machines. Other home craftsmen use improvised tools to simulate machine tools. In most cases, we are talking about an angle grinder, which is mounted on a bed.

Working Principle of Brick Cutting Machine

From all of the above, it follows that the modern market offers a huge number of different devices for processing bricks. The choice of equipment falls on the shoulders of the master, and it must be done taking into account the following factors:

• The scope of the proposed work;
• Work environment;
• Budget for work.

How to cut a brick by hand

Now let’s talk about how to cut a brick for masonry by hand. The sequence of actions is as follows:

The first step is to find several blanks without visible defects.

After that, markings should be applied to the surface of the building material.

Then you need to take a pickaxe and inflict several blows at an angle along the entire perimeter along the markings, then hit the end faces, while beating off the corners of the product.

To obtain a flat and smooth surface, it is necessary to rub the formed surface against another brick.

Then you need to make a small groove on the wide edge of the product using the same pick.

After that, it is necessary to install the product with the furrow down and apply several blows in the area of ​​the furrow. For these purposes, use a hammer.

To obtain a fragment of one or three quarters of the product, you need to make a groove on all faces of the brick. Then start hitting with a hammer until the brick breaks.

Cutting bricks with a special machine

A machine for processing such building materials consists of the following elements:

• Reliable metal frame;
• Diamond wheel;
• Power unit;
• Workpiece holding system;
• Water supply system to the working area.

Brick Cutting Machine

The purchase of this equipment allows you to do the following:

• Quickly process workpieces;
• Cut products with maximum precision, resulting in a flat surface, which is very convenient for further work;
• Increase work safety as the water supply system ensures minimum dust formation.

Brick Cutting Machine Review

Brick machines are complex structures that can harm the health of the operator if not handled properly. Therefore, work on the processing of building materials must be carried out taking into account all safety rules. The device is equipped with a power unit that operates from a network with an operating voltage of 380 volts, so it needs to be properly grounded. Only those discs that are approved by the manufacturer can be used as cutting elements. Also, the worker must use protective goggles, gloves and a respirator.

A device that is manufactured at the factory is quite expensive, so if the question arose of how to cut a brick at home, then it is better to use other settings. However, some home craftsmen try to assemble such a machine on their own. The parameters of the future device are determined by the capabilities of the designer and the upcoming volume of work.

Some people even decide to completely repeat the design of factory-made machines. Other home craftsmen use improvised tools to simulate machine tools. In most cases, we are talking about an angle grinder, which is mounted on a bed.

Working Principle of Brick Cutting Machine

From all of the above, it follows that the modern market offers a huge number of different devices for processing bricks. The choice of equipment falls on the shoulders of the master, and it must be done taking into account the following factors:

• The scope of the proposed work;
• Work environment;
• Budget for work.

How bricks are cut

When processing these building materials, a pencil and an angle will be required, in addition to the main cutting element. It should be noted that this procedure is accompanied by the formation of a significant amount of dust, therefore it is extremely important to use personal protective equipment. The respiratory tract should be protected with a respiratory mask, eyes with goggles, and hands with gloves.

For more accurate cutting of building material, it is necessary to first apply markings to its surface. For this, a construction pencil is used. Now you can start cutting, and this should be done not along the mowing line itself, but near it, otherwise the brick fragment will not turn out to be of the same size as required.

How and what to cut a brick: tool overview

During the construction of brick walls, when arranging stoves, as well as during cladding work, building materials of non-standard shapes and dimensions are often required. Therefore, every worker who deals with such work must know exactly how to cut a brick and how to correctly carry out this operation. In this article we will talk about the devices that will help in this matter.

Precautions When Working With Angle Grinder

Before starting all work, you should familiarize yourself with the basic requirements and rules for working with a cutting tool. The first thing to remember is to hold the tool with both hands. Despite its simplicity, this requirement is the most important, since the firm hold of the angle grinder guarantees high precision of work. Kickback will not significantly displace the instrument and certainly will not be able to wrest it out of hand. It is also very important to choose a comfortable position in which you definitely do not risk losing your balance.

The power cable must be laid so that it is at the maximum distance from the working area of ​​the tool in order to exclude the possibility of their contact with each other. Otherwise, the cable may be cut or wound around the disc. These situations are very unpleasant, since there is a risk of a short circuit or a river stopping the circle with further displacement of the device. Also, do not place the angle grinder with the wheel still rotating on any surface.

Cutting bricks with an angle grinder is a fairly straightforward procedure, but complete concentration is required to perform it safely. Be aware of the formation of dust during processing. To remove dust, a protective casing is used, which is equipped with a nozzle for a vacuum cleaner. If it is not possible to organize waste disposal, a respiratory mask should be worn. You can also pour water into the work area and often ventilate the room.

The main nuisance that can arise during the work is the kickback. This is an unexpected tool displacement due to a jammed wheel. The disc is almost always destroyed. This situation can arise because the direction of travel of the angle grinder is opposite to the direction of the cutting tool. In most cases, the kickback is a consequence of the employee’s incorrect actions. To protect yourself from such troubles, you should remember the following rules:

• Stand in a place where the tool will not bounce during kickback, otherwise there is a risk of injury.
• You must also hold the tool firmly with both hands.

Splitting bricks

Another building material processing device that can be used at home and on a construction site is a brick splitter.

Installation for splitting bricks

The equipment is a mechanical installation in which the workpiece is fixed and cut by means of special knives.

Equipment can be automatic or mechanical. Most experts recommend using a guillotine knife as a cutting tool for such structures.

This tool is distinguished by a relatively low cost, ease of use and the ability to use it for different types of bricks.

Basic tools

The proven method of cutting material is based on tapping the sharp edge of a hammer-pick on the surface of a brick, which is previously placed in the palm of your hand. This technique has not proven itself as it is considered ineffective. The product can break easily anywhere.

An angle grinder is used to cut the refractory brick. During the operation of the angle grinder, various discs are used:

The abrasive disc can cut concrete and brick. It wears out easily and quickly decreases in diameter. Cut-off counterparts are used for cutting wood, metal. The diamond blade can be used for a long time.

Dust is emitted when cutting stones or bricks. Such work is carried out taking into account safety rules and the use of glasses and a respirator.

First you need to make markings, and then cut the fireclay brick.

In some cases, the material is trimmed. To do this, experts recommend using an angle grinder with an abrasive wheel, which is used for working with stone.

Working with a petrol saw

Cutting bricks is carried out by a device like an autonomous circular saw with a more powerful motor almost instantly. But along with the high speed of work, the device is endowed with large dimensions, therefore it is difficult to transport. The large cutting disc in a gas saw resembles the same as in an angle grinder. Due to the high power, the tool can be used to cut fireclay bricks for laying stoves, barbecues. Due to the large accumulation of dust when working with the tool, it is recommended to use a respirator.

Stone cutting machine

It is mainly used in the construction of large volumes. The components include:

• Metal frame;
• Drive unit;
• Cutting block with diamond blade;
• Water supply system in the cut area;
• Block or brick fixing structure.

After fixing the material, it can be cut with a machine.

The principle of operation of such a machine:

1. Performing markup.
2. Fixation of work material.
3. Putting the cutting head into working condition.
4. Smooth movement along the mowing line.

Than to cut, to chop bricks

Cutting bricks can be done using hand or power tools.

Not so long ago, professional builders used a combined cologne to process this material and give individual units an irregular shape.

A pickaxe hammer is also suitable for this purpose.

This method is available to everyone, but not without its drawbacks.

So, for example, the disadvantages of this method of splitting bricks include low accuracy, uneven, rough edges.

In addition, building materials can only be cut at right angles.

Fireclay Brick Cutting Machine

Hello everyone, today we will consider a very useful machine that will make life easier for stove-makers. It’s about a machine that is capable of cutting fireclay bricks. Using the machine, you can cut a brick lengthwise into two thin halves, you can also cut grooves and so on. Collected everything on the basis of an angle grinder with a disc for concrete. The angle grinder is fixed at the desired angle, which allows all bricks to be cut to the same depth. When cutting, it is not the angle grinder that moves, but the brick itself, the broaching is done quite simply. If you are interested in the project, I propose to study it in more detail!

Materials and tools used by the author:

List of materials:
– node from the car cardan transmission;
– square shaped pipes;
– Sheet steel;
– corner;
– paint for metal.

Machine manufacturing process:

Step one. The basis
We weld the base for the machine, for this profile pipes, a corner or whatever is at hand are suitable.
Next, we need a hinge, the author used a knot with a cross from an automobile cardan transmission. You can use a simpler hinge in the form of a bolt and nuts, the angle grinder will still be rigidly fixed during operation. Cut off the gimbal and weld the hinge at right angles to the base.

When the bracket is ready, it needs to be welded to the hinge through a piece of pipe. It is important to use a square, you need to make sure that the cutting disc is at right angles to the base.

Step three. Latch
You need to make a lock that will allow you to fix the angle grinder at the desired angle. I drew the part by hand with a marker on a sheet of metal and cut out an angle grinder. Well, then the part was welded to the base using steel plates.

Step four. Rails, platform, clamps
The rails can be made from a profile pipe; to reduce friction, the author welded them “on the edge”. We make corners under the rails that will slide along them. Corner sizes can be welded from sheet steel.

Well, then we assemble the platform from sheet steel; the platform should have clamps for fixing the bricks. The clamps should work like a vise, everything can be done with bolts and nuts.

Step five. Completion
The machine is ready, it remains to paint everything so that it does not rust. We install an angle grinder, adjust the depth and you can cut. The author easily cuts grooves for grates, and also easily cuts a brick lengthwise into two halves.

The machine turned out to be simple and convenient, I hope you liked the project and found useful thoughts for yourself. Good luck and creative inspiration if you decide to do this again. Do not forget to share your ideas and homemade products with us!

Brick machining

A device for convenient, safe and fast cutting of bricks by nippers, in half and irregular shapes. It is offered in two types: industrial and household. The second one is best used in home construction, as it is small in size and practical. The cutting element is a diamond disc of a certain diameter. Tool construction:

• Metal frame with cutting wheel;
• Water tank;
• Cutting table;
• Mounting feet.

The main advantages of the machine are:

• Performing dry and wet cutting all around;
• High speed of work;
• Accuracy of size and shape due to a convenient location when cutting. A person sees the markings.

A circular saw

Such a tool is used for working with wood, but a possible use when cutting bricks and blocks. Processing the material on a circular saw requires replacing the wheel with a reinforced disc of the K480STZB model. The cutting edge should protrude 7 cm above the table. Here you need a ruler to measure the height. It is necessary to cut off the brick smoothly, without sudden movements, without pressing the tool.