Kodiak Hand-Fired Screen

Does anyone know if the screen on a Alaksa Kodiak (hand-fired stove) is supposed to be in when you are burning coal, or only when you are burning wood? I've always had mine in, but now I have a hole in it. I'm not sure if I got a hole in it from poking it with a piece of wood that I was trying to fit in, or from a piece of hot coal up against it, so it got me wondering. Of course screens (even stainless) don't last forever...

I've used the screen while burning coal for 3 seasons now with out any damage and I pile the coal up half of the screen. I did put a hole in the screen the first year but it was because of the poker.

Scottsman wrote:Does anyone know if the screen on a Alaksa Kodiak (hand-fired stove) is supposed to be in when you are burning coal, or only when you are burning wood? I've always had mine in, but now I have a hole in it. I'm not sure if I got a hole in it from poking it with a piece of wood that I was trying to fit in, or from a piece of hot coal up against it, so it got me wondering. Of course screens (even stainless) don't last forever...

It is a coal stove so the screen is for coal burning The Kodiak really was never meant to burn wood in it do to the design
not saying you can't burn wood in it but it was never really meant to burn wood It is a coal stove hopper style stove with round grate system not really good for wood burning also there is no over the fire air knobs or vents on the viewing door another sign that it was not really made for wood That is the difference between a wood stove and coal stove Some stove are combo stove having both over the fire air knobs or vents and below fire air vents or knobs for coal burning /wood
As long that there are shaker grates and under fire air vents or knobs you can burn coal a true wood stove will have no shaker grates and will have over the fire air vents or knobs . Yes even Stainless steel does not last forever especially the grade of S.S. they use for the screen not the highest grade on the market

If you are not using the hopper, than the screen should be in when burning coal.

Josh

Thanks. I went down to the Alaska Factory and showroom to get another screen, which I just put in. They said the same thing--use the screen for coal. I figure my screen was about as old as the stove--about 8 years old, so it just wore out. Now with the new screen it looks respectable again.