Grate Gap Space Question

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 5:07 pm

I know it may not be optimal, but is 3/8" to 1/2" space too much for nut anthracite? How about stove size? It would be a slicing style for ash removal, not shaking. It varies a little but doesnt get any over 1/2" between them. Thanks

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 6:36 pm

With my Glenwood range, #6 BH, and 118 Modern Oaks, the spaces between the tips of the triangular teeth of each grate bar, and between the grate bars themselves, is 1/2 inch.

They do fine with nut, or stove.

Paul

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Tue. Dec. 16, 2014 7:00 pm

Thanks Paul. My Chubby is 3/8 and my Efel maybe 1/4, so I was a little concerned with my project grate. I hated to go thru all the mod work and have all the coal fall thru.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Wed. Dec. 17, 2014 11:15 am

With spaces that close, that should give you more coal size leeway.

You could possibly add pea coal to the list ? That is, If your stove/draft set up will burn it.

Or, at least be able to mix sizes to get either slower, longer burns, or faster, hotter burns, when needed.

Paul

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 9:24 am

The TSC Kimmels I have is all smaller than nut other than the occasional larger piece and the Blaschack is just all over the place on sizes. I know there is a range to coal sizing but a piece as large as just under 3 inches well outside nut coal At the end of the day the Crane 404 burns all of it though getting weary of the grate slicing routine. Shaking a 404 is an exercise it futility at best. It does help a bit getting the ash to the bottom of the bed but beyond that useless.

What I want to know is what they put on the Kimmels coal that looks like water but refuses to evaporate after sitting by the stove for days.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 9:52 am

I've wondered that too.

Whatever they use, the coal feels a bit oily. Not like the water in Blaschak bags.

And it does eventually dry, but leaves the coal so that the fines stick to the coal chunks.

Any bags I've had standing up leave a wet spot that dries out after a few hours.

I took a paper towel and wiped a few pieces dry. When the towel dried there was no trace of an oil stain. It left the paper towel just like it would if it had been water.

Paul

ddahlgren · Post by **ddahlgren** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 10:26 am

I think will try a paper towel in the bottom of the bucket and see if it will soak some of it up and if nothing else throw it out with the ashes. I do have to say it sure does burn hot and saving it for when it is really cold out and need the heat.

Photog200 · Post by **Photog200** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 10:45 am

Sunny Boy wrote:I've wondered that too.

Whatever they use, the coal feels a bit oily. Not like the water in Blaschak bags.

And it does eventually dry, but leaves the coal so that the fines stick to the coal chunks.

Any bags I've had standing up leave a wet spot that dries out after a few hours.

I took a paper towel and wiped a few pieces dry. When the towel dried there was no trace of an oil stain. It left the paper towel just like it would if it had been water.

Paul

My coal supplier told me they get their Blacshack coal oiled so mine is shiny from that. However, the TSC Kimmels I bought is dull in color, not shiny at all.

Randy

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 11:04 am

Usually, the grate gaps can be much larger than what we may imagine to be. Anthracite sticks so much more than wood ash and a larger gap can only help to avoid ash buildup on the grate.
On my Golden Bride I made the gaps smaller between the triangular grates and it was worst so I let the larger gaps and it was better.
Same thing with the Vigilantll and with the Sunnyside.

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 11:21 am

Photog200 wrote:
Sunny Boy wrote:I've wondered that too.

Whatever they use, the coal feels a bit oily. Not like the water in Blaschak bags.

And it does eventually dry, but leaves the coal so that the fines stick to the coal chunks.

Any bags I've had standing up leave a wet spot that dries out after a few hours.

I took a paper towel and wiped a few pieces dry. When the towel dried there was no trace of an oil stain. It left the paper towel just like it would if it had been water.

Paul
My coal supplier told me they get their Blacshack coal oiled so mine is shiny from that. However, the TSC Kimmels I bought is dull in color, not shiny at all.

Randy

The bagged Blaschak stove I got, some bags had water pour out, some were bone dry and dusty.

The TS Kimmel's I've been getting is dull as you say, but it feels "gritty" when dry. The fines stick to the chunks. Rubbing with a paper towel takes the fines off and the chunks start to get shinny, but they don't get as shiny hard as the Blaschak, or bulk.

My bulk is water washed and delivered wet. There's still some fines in with it, but less than the Kimmel's, or Blaschak bagged.

When the water dries out of the bulk in the bin, there's no gritty feel to the chunks like there is with the Kimmel's. Whatever is on the Kimmel's, even when it dries off, it helps keep down dust during shoveling and pouring the bags into buckets.

Paul

Sunny Boy · Post by **Sunny Boy** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 11:27 am

nortcan wrote:Usually, the grate gaps can be much larger than what we may imagine to be. Anthracite sticks so much more than wood ash and a larger gap can only help to avoid ash buildup on the grate.
On my Golden Bride I made the gaps smaller between the triangular grates and it was worst so I let the larger gaps and it was better.
Same thing with the Vigilantll and with the Sunnyside.

Nortcan,

At first glance those grates look like they're meant for stove coal only, but I know what you mean by how larger gaps can still hold coal and clear ash and clinkers better.

The only time I get small pieces falling through the grate gaps is with the first load during a restart. Once the firebed is going well, even small amounts of ash hold up the smaller chunks until they burn. And, using charcoal to start the fire has reduced most of the small pieces falling through from that first batch of coal.

Paul

warminmn · Post by **warminmn** » Sat. Dec. 27, 2014 12:17 pm

It makes sense that the first batch may have a little fall thru. I'm just glad to know it will work with 1/2" and hopefully I will fire the stove in a week or so. I'm still doing mods to it.

Grate Gap Space Question

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