Grate Blocker for Lighting

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av8r
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Post by av8r » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 9:19 am

My LL stoker came with a U shaped piece of steel (springy) that you used to hold the coal and cowboy charcoal on the grate when lighting the stove. Mine is melted to an unusable piece of slag and I'd like another. I suppose I could use a piece of galvanized stove pipe, but this stuff seemed thicker. Any ideas what they make them out of?

 
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Flyer5
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Post by Flyer5 » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 11:11 am

av8r wrote:My LL stoker came with a U shaped piece of steel (springy) that you used to hold the coal and cowboy charcoal on the grate when lighting the stove. Mine is melted to an unusable piece of slag and I'd like another. I suppose I could use a piece of galvanized stove pipe, but this stuff seemed thicker. Any ideas what they make them out of?
I do. :)

its just 18ga or20ga steel then rolled.

 
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whistlenut
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Post by whistlenut » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 11:36 am

If you don't have any 18 or 20 gauge handy, cutting a bunch of 24 or 26 gauge galvie or black pipe will work in the same way. Yes, the edges are sharp, so use some common sense.


 
Pocono Pete
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Post by Pocono Pete » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 12:34 pm

The fellow who installed my Alaska Channing showed me how to cut piece of cardboard about 3/4" wide and about 6 3/4 long and use that as a bridge. It holds the coal and the mouse I use over the holes on the grate until the fire gets going and then it gets pushed into the ash pan. The size you would use would depend on the size of your grate but you don't have to go looking for the bridge when you empty the ash pan the first time. This has been working well for me.

 
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whistlenut
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Post by whistlenut » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 1:12 pm

Never tried cardboard......clever ole folks.......why not. No burned hands or arms to retrieve the steel.

 
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Post by coalkirk » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 1:34 pm

Try this. Works very well, really no cost as long as you eat the tomatoes, peaches, etc that come in cans like this. It lights the coal like a rocket engine.
can starter.jpg
.JPG | 3.6KB | can starter.jpg
Cut the top and bottom out of a can and use a church key to make holes around the bottom.
Put a couple of small pieces of crumbled news paper in the bottom, little cowboy charcoal or small dry pieces of oak then coal on top. Sit it on the grate, stick a match through one of the holes in the side, close the door and turn on the combustion fan. Within a couple minutes you've got flames shooting out the top that looks like a rocket engine. Sprinkle alittle more coal on top, wait a couple more minutes then dump the can on the grate with a pair of tongs or fire tender gloves and you are off the races.


 
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Post by Rob R. » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 1:49 pm

Nice tutorial.

 
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Rick 386
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Post by Rick 386 » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 7:22 pm

I use either paint paddles or buy a pack of door/window shims.

Same principle as the cardboard but lasts a tad longer. Paint paddles I get for free from my local auto paint store. Although the wife bitches about me using them for the stove.......

However a pack of shims is also relatively cheap. Cut them just a smidge longer than the width of the burn gate. Wedge them in place. Then use cowboy charcoal and a little coal to get the burner going.

Rick

 
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av8r
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Post by av8r » Sat. Apr. 05, 2014 7:53 pm

The last couple times I use door shims, but I like the steel. I have a big selection of sheet in the shop so I'll make something up. I think instead of rolling it I'll use some 18" and put 90 degree bends on the ends so it stands up on it's own and the 1/8 ought to last the rest of my life.

thanks to all
Rick 386 wrote:I use either paint paddles or buy a pack of door/window shims.

Same principle as the cardboard but lasts a tad longer. Paint paddles I get for free from my local auto paint store. Although the wife bitches about me using them for the stove.......

However a pack of shims is also relatively cheap. Cut them just a smidge longer than the width of the burn gate. Wedge them in place. Then use cowboy charcoal and a little coal to get the burner going.

Rick

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