Brick dust blanks?

[panamag8or]

Just had an idea, and figured this is the place to ask. In my quest to create historically significant pens, I came up with what might be a neat idea... if it can work.

My city recently completed a total rebuild of our main street, which included pulling up 15 blocks of paving brick that was laid before WWI, and paved over several times over the years. They took all the bricks to a central location, where the general public can buy them by the truckload, or as singles. There are still quite a few brick streets in town, and people see them as a link to the past, so there are sentimental forces at work, here.

What I want to do is to obtain a few bricks, have them pulverized into powder, and cast them in PR, or somesuch. The bricks are different colors, so there are neat swirl possibilities, or I could offer just a nice red. Anyway, I think they'd sell like hotcakes here.

My question is: has anyone done this? Can it be done? If so, how did it turn?
TIA

 

[Jarod888]

It sounds like a really cool idea. I think that the sentimental value would increase the chances of selling the completed pens. I wonder though, how cost prohibitive would having the bricks pulverized be?

 

[panamag8or]

It sounds like a really cool idea. I think that the sentimental value would increase the chances of selling the completed pens. I wonder though, how cost prohibitive would having the bricks pulverized be?

If it's crazy, I'll bust 'em up into bits and get friendly with a mortar and pestle, lol.

 

[thewishman]

I'd try sending one to the "Will It Blend" guy.


Tru-stone blanks are pulverized stone mixed with resin - sounds like a great idea to me.

 

[low_48]

Historic soft bricks should work, but I think modern hard bricks will probably be too tough. I sure wouldn't want to take a chisel to a brick.

 

[RetiredJake]

If there is a gem store in the area, talk to them. Some of them have rock crushers for making powder. Usually pretty cheap to have it done in small quantities.

Jake

 

[johncrane]

l cant see y it wouldn't work! you could also make a Mold of mini bricks. then glue them altogether to make a brickwork pattern pen, check the Library for brickwork pens

 

[Paul in OKC]

Maybe if you just covered a tube, then cast, you wouldn't have to turn the 'hard' stuff?

 

[Andrew_K99]

Sounds like a cool idea. Want to put it over the top? Cast them in the different colours and then cut them up to make a segmented brick pen (like this).

AK

 

[PTownSubbie]

I tried to cast some sand once and after I mixed it and it cured.....I had a brick!

Talk about hard to turn!? I couldn't even cut it! Killed my saw blade and I through it out....

 

[JohnU]

I tried to cast some sand once and after I mixed it and it cured.....I had a brick!

Talk about hard to turn!? I couldn't even cut it! Killed my saw blade and I through it out....

I second that. There was no way of turning a solid sand and resin blank.

Like said above, I would just cover the tube and then clear cast. Maybe pour a thin sheet and cut small pieces like bricks and glue to the tube and then rub some grout between them and cast in clear resin like a mini brick wall.

 

[PTsideshow]

If you want to try something along the same lines with a material similar to the common red brick. Find a creamic supply house or check at hobby lobby as the local had some clay powder.
The terra cotta, or red Mexican clay should be about the same type of material as common unfired bricks. since the clay is lower in hardness than the resin. It should give you an idea of mixing and cutting and the working probably much like trustone.
:clown: