Broken Shaker Grate Post

I ordered a new grate last night. Came to $73 with shipping. I'll attempt repairing the broken one but if thats no good I'll have to order another to have for a spare. I had to shut it down, I can't get any substantial ash to fall by pushing and pulling on the grates anymore and it wasn't getting enough air. Hopefully they ship it fast, in the mean time I'm burning wood pellets on one side of the house and using electric in the other

Lesson learned here - I gotta be a little more gentle. My wife shook it down while I was at work and lodged a peice of coal in the grate so the grate was stuck at about a 30 degree angle. I palm smacked the handle a bit too hard trying to dislodge it when it broke. Also, I think the wife is swinging the handle too far when shaking, causing coal jam issues. She will be getting a refresher on shaking as well

I like the sleave idea, but I would not go drilling any holes in the shaft, too likely to break at the hole. I would braze the sleave to the broken shaft and then weld a length of square stock to the sleave. I think that would last long term. Brazing requires less heat over a larger area than welding and would reduce the chance of cracking the cast iron. Still needs to be pre heated though.

I know you have ordered a new one, but the old one would make a good spare if repaired properly.

Oh sure, the old blame the wife trick.

Lightning wrote:I ordered a new grate last night. Came to $73 with shipping. I'll attempt repairing the broken one but if thats no good I'll have to order another to have for a spare. I had to shut it down, I can't get any substantial ash to fall by pushing and pulling on the grates anymore and it wasn't getting enough air. Hopefully they ship it fast, in the mean time I'm burning wood pellets on one side of the house and using electric in the other

Lesson learned here - I gotta be a little more gentle. My wife shook it down while I was at work and lodged a peice of coal in the grate so the grate was stuck at about a 30 degree angle. I palm smacked the handle a bit too hard trying to dislodge it when it broke. Also, I think the wife is swinging the handle too far when shaking, causing coal jam issues. She will be getting a refresher on shaking as well

Lightning,
Make sure you season the new grate..
If you just install it and fire up the stove; chances are it will be weak and break & or warp..

Been there with my USSC Ashley hand fed.

You can put it in the oven or put it in the ash door.. Heat it up , take it out, heat it up....

I think you get the picture, this will increase its longevity..

Good Luck & Keep Warm..

hahah.. Phew. You know. Ive been lurking on this forum for almost two years now, and just now registered. Im having major issues with my @()#!@ hot blast furnace ( My first coal\wood ) furnace I ever owned fyi.
And the same thing happened to me, as the original poster of this topic. That was two years ago, and I still have no replaced the part, partly because of sheer anger that I spent my hard earned money on this monster and I loath the idea of giving the
company any more money, and partly because.. Well. I lied. Its 100% loathing.

Ive been using a cast iron, shortened spud bar (ha. I know.) I tap the grate in the front, on the left side, and then on the right, and then underneath the grate I give it a few push up taps.
which usually empties my plethora of clinker ( the whole! #!@# thing is always clinkers, and barely any ash =p )

Welcome to the forum my friend. How's that go??? ohhhhh, whatever works. Now I'm going to reality slap ya. For the money you've saved heating wise over the past 4 yrs, you'd think you would maybe, to avoid all that silliness, buy a new grate. Pride's a funny thing (peculiar that is) BUT, if you're having fun with it, so be it. Again, welcome my friend I'd bet if you were shaking properly, you might not have all that clinker problem/situation Where ya from??

freetown fred wrote:Welcome to the forum my friend. How's that go??? ohhhhh, whatever works. Now I'm going to reality slap ya. For the money you've saved heating wise over the past 4 yrs, you'd think you would maybe, to avoid all that silliness, buy a new grate. Pride's a funny thing (peculiar that is) BUT, if you're having fun with it, so be it. Again, welcome my friend I'd bet if you were shaking properly, you might not have all that clinker problem/situation Where ya from??

Well thanks for the humbling. haha. Thank you. I def. enjoy the 100$ im spending per ton for fuel. And im spending alot less then I did on gas. However, last year for example, I went through 8 tons of coal.
This year, we had to light in november for the first time, Im already on the last legs of my 3rd ton of coal.
( Ive been reading the forum here where people are saying they are only using 2 or 3 tons? wow. ) This is my primary source of heat in my ancient house of doom on the hill. Pride is a funny thing, and I have almost over come it, I am on the usstove.com website right now, with a new grate in my shopping cart.. staring at the "checkout" button..

You mention shaking properly.. I mentioned in a big massive rambling post a few moments ago, that I have nothing but clinkers. I have to shovel out my box many times a day.
....apparently my spud bar madness has something to do with this? ( I do recall this happening to me before the grate broke...as well )

Im from S. East Ohio. 30min from Wheeling Wv.

check your PM's--top center By the way, the coal you're getting sux. My friend, you're way to much fun to mess with on the morning. As I said in PM, most of the solutions are pretty simplistic & straight foward--but I'll emphasise again, pick up some Anthracite & have a go with it. There's a start. Personally, I don't like the multi-fuel stoves--just like elec windows in vehicles-it's a given they'll screw up at some time--usually in the middle of a rain/snow storm

I'll use my oven to season the new grate. How hot for how long and how many cycles? When do I add salt and pepper lol...

The grates in these stoves are of very poor design and quality...in my opinion anyway. Go easy on the next ones.

Silly guy, you put the salt & pecker on right after you baiste it with real butter.

Lightning wrote:I'll use my oven to season the new grate. How hot for how long and how many cycles? When do I add salt and pepper lol...

Save yourself some grief and season it in your oven. The process normalizes the grain structure of the cast and helps prevent stress fractures. After you're done, leave it in the oven until it cools by itself, make no attempt to bring the temps down by any means.
http://www.woodmanspartsplus.com/f4863/a2777/Wood ... -Part.html

Coaledsweat, thanks for the direction on seasoning the grate Next I'm gonna be trying to figure out how to install it

Hey Fred! I stopped at the hardware store, found a good pair of vice grips. Turns out I can rock the grates!! Yer the man!!
Got my coal fired reactor in the basement throwin BTU's at me again

Thanks Bud

Lightning wrote:Coaledsweat, thanks for the direction on seasoning the grate Next I'm gonna be trying to figure out how to install it

Unfortunately, the grate you broke has to go in first with the other one tagging along behind it. It's a complete cleanout.

Unfortunately, the grate you broke has to go in first with the other one tagging along behind it. It's a complete cleanout.

Take the fire bricks out? Whats the procedure to replace the grate I broke?