Snaped My Shaker Handle Off.

This mournin g I went down to shake the fire and the spud that holds the shaker handle snaped off.

Any suggestions on how I can shake this fire until I get a new grate. Could be up to a week.

Thanks Don

If any shaft is sticking out a pair of vise grips comes to mind, if not it would have to come out to make a repair.

Don, what type of stove do you have? I think it is a US Stove furnace??
If so it has the grates at the bottom of the firebox with firebrick on the sides sloped at 45* or so? Is this right?

My firebox is like this, and I use a 4' long piece of 1/2" diameter steel rod with a 4" 90* bend on the end. I use the bent 'L' like a finger or rake to slide under the coal bed and down each side of the firebrick to encourage the ash to get to the bottom of the firebox and through the grate.

Do you have any garden tools like a small hoe, or a 'grub rake' that might work for a while?? If you go to a Home depot or hardware store, you can buy a length of 3/8" or 1/2" rod and bend that finger on the end. The handle end of my poker has a loop bent on it, but without heat this would be pretty difficult.

If you can't figure something out from the garden utensils, how about a long crowbar? With gloves, you could use this to move the ash around on the grate to encourage it to fall into the ash pan.

Hope you find something to do the job.

Greg L

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Thanks for the help guys. I didn't have enough left to clip a set of vise grips , however I was able to take a grinder and cut a slot in the end of the grate. I'm able to put a big screw driver in there and shake the grate. I had to remove the grate to do it. This should work until I can get a new grate.

By the way I like that steel with bend on it. I ahve been getting a lot of ash on the sides that seem to build up. I'm going to make that part of my rountine.

Thanks agian and have a great X-Mas

Don

Hi Don, glad you got the grates moving again. Here is a photo of my clinker hook.

Greg L

You could grind the end square and use a piece of box tube slipped over the end like a socket. Thats how my shaker is designed, with a square end. The cast iron cranks are too short for any real leverage, so I use a short piece of 1" box welded to a long piece in an L.

Depending on the age of the furnace, If it is a USStove, I would replace both shaker grates to be safe. Also when you do, make sure to season them so they will last longer. A few small fires and let them cool, then fire and cool.

Hi All!!! I am new to this forum, but WOW what a great site. I have a US Stove HotBlast and broke the end of the shaker grate last week!! Really dumb move, impatient and tried to break a clinker instead of getting it loose with the poker. I welded it but don't know how long it will last. It's been warm here in the Southern Tier so I've been burning wood just to take the chill off. Can't wait for it to get cold so I can continue to learn!!! You guys have helped so much with the little bit I've burned this stove. In my old house I had an Alaska stoker and that was nice. Just bought an old farm house and wanted to try an add on to the current oil furnace. I wish I had found this forum first I may have tried something different, but you know hindsight is 20/20!! You all have been so helpful and informative, all that I have learned has been right on. I'll check back in with a couple of stories on my first few bags of chestnut. Just when you think you are all alone you find all of these great people, what a relief!!! Thanks so much!!!