# The Guy who needs fifty brick



## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

OK, so one of my major peeves at work is the following scenario:

I get a visit by someone with a brick. It is their brick, the brick of their house, and they need 50 more for a flowerbed or to repair the column Mama hit the other night. They know all kinds of things about that brick, maybe even it's name or manufacturer. What they can not accept is that that brick is no longer available and that I can't match it like the off-beige of their dining room paint that the computer down at Home Cheapo was able to do with nothing but a photo. The truth is that I can match anything, but few are willing to pay the cost.

At any rate, I decided to add a grill to my outdoor kitchen which meant that I needed exactly 66 more red brick to build the chimney for the grille. Obviously, I know the exact provenance of my brick, and can get more, but I only need 66, not 15,000, and I need them now, not a month down the road when I order another load from that manufacturer.

The ***** is that I toured all the local yards, and all my friend's boneyards, and couldn't make a match. I am the Guy Who Needs 50 Brick!


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

I'm trying not to laugh.....


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Feel free to laugh, Irony is a *****....


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## stonelayer (Feb 21, 2009)

Here in barren county ky. near where I'm from, lots of people move from the north and the south for there retirement years. 

Many have told me that moving here is like going through a time warp of 30 yrs. 

With that being said I bet we got your brick in stock here.


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## WNYcarpenter (Mar 2, 2007)

Tells me you're honest...I know a lot of folks skimming off the top to support their private ambitions.....

Or you're a terrible planner!:w00t:


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Terrible planner, no. I had 2 brick left when I finished the oven and counters. I would call that pretty damn good planning. My fault is that my plans constantly change.

In truth no one has this exact brick. Robinson Brick donated a truckload of off-color brick for a bricklaying competition 3 or 4 years ago, and I saved a couple of cubes from the dumpster. I could get the brick they are supposed to be, but even they won't match exactly.


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## 6stringmason (May 20, 2005)

lol!


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## WNYcarpenter (Mar 2, 2007)

Tscarborough said:


> Terrible planner, no. I had 2 brick left when I finished the oven and counters. I would call that pretty damn good planning. My fault is that my plans constantly change.
> 
> In truth no one has this exact brick. Robinson Brick donated a truckload of off-color brick for a bricklaying competition 3 or 4 years ago, and I saved a couple of cubes from the dumpster. I could get the brick they are supposed to be, but even they won't match exactly.


I didn't figure you as a terrible planner....quite the opposite actually!

I thought you were bummed that you had to wait for your next order....now I get it!...


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Not a bad match considering I stained a dry pressed common to match a hard fired face brick.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

And of course it is raining, so I still can't lay up the chimney. #$#$*@!


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## dbrons (Apr 12, 2010)

yeah, it looks a little like what we call an iron spot around here. Nice match. 
One thing I like to do when possible, is if we have 50 bricks, or some stone, left over on a job to just stack them for the homeowner behind the garage or somewhere. 

Dave


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

Tsk, Tsk, Tsk.

You see..., What we have here is an obvious failure in planning. As any decent yard manager would know, you always figure about 15% overage to cover any mistakes, changes or fubar's.

If TS had any sense of decency, he would admit that he should have skimmed a few more straps of that "cull":whistling brick and we wouldn't be having this discussion. 

I tell you, it's a poor excuse to blame the current brick shortage for what was clearly ineptitude at the highest level. :laughing::laughing:

Did I mention I just finished a small chimney where I ordered two skids of brick just for good measure. Ended up with about three hundred left over. Only overran my needs by 50%. No they were not culls either. Talk about ineptitude...


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Ah ha! A shoemaker with no shoes! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

I think we've *all* been there before...:thumbup:

You'll find 'em, I'm sure.


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## jeffatsquan (Mar 16, 2009)

My mill-work shop always runs a little extra when we order a custom molding or back-band, or if we have them do porch post they will run an extra.

This cost gets buried in the cost of the original order.

So when the carpenter screws up or the customer changes their mind the mill-work shop is more then happy to sell them more.

This just seems like good business sense to me


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Not a bad match.


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## mobjack68 (Dec 4, 2006)

tear it all out and mix all the bricks together....rebuild. No one will know then!!

sorry, couldn't resist. Been there done that...with wood stain..


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## WARD (Nov 21, 2006)

Sorry about your bad luck. Id like to see a picture from a little further away. I really like the oven / grill! :thumbup:

Are the greys made by endicott by any chance?


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## jomama (Oct 25, 2008)

Vey nice as usual Tscar.

I didn't even know Vestal made a grill unit like that, I may have to check that out for the future.

Are those damper controls sticking out of the chimney or something else?


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Those are grate holders for when I am lighting the fire.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Here is an over all pic of what I have so far. Still need the concrete counter tops and the pergola, plus some more pavers and a bar between the poles. What I really need is more time and less kids sports.











And yes, the blacks are Endicotts.


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

Tscarborough said:


> Here is an over all pic of what I have so far. Still need the concrete counter tops and the pergola, plus some more pavers and a bar between the poles. What I really need is more time and less kids sports.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing the pics....looks nice.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

It is different and efficient and thus satisfies the primary criteria of the customer (me). The arrowed brick below is also the first full size brick I have ever laid.


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

Tscarborough said:


> It is different and efficient and thus satisfies the primary criteria of the customer (me). The arrowed brick below is also the first full size brick I have ever laid.


Yeah I wasn't going to say anything but, since you brought it up, that one looks a little crooked. :laughing:


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