Ruh Roh A Grate Fell Out and It's 11 OAT

I woke up early this morning and decided that I would top off the stove and deash a bit. I just switched to a pea nut mix and it gives more ash. I usually load, goose the fire by opening the ash pan, shake it and then knife it. Well I followed that routine and while I was knifing the ash I thought I was hitting a clinker. I gave it a sawing motion with the old bread knife I use and then a clunk sound from the ash pan.

I looked and there to my wondering eyes was a grate with the back half hanging down into the ash pan. Of course I tried to put it back up but I had cleared so much ash the hot coals were dropping on my hand. So I decided to just take it out and when the weather moderates I'll let the stove ash up good and then shove it back in place.

Stuff like this can't happen when it's 50 outside. It has to happen when it's 11!!!!

Damn Padre, just be grateful ya got back up heat & it's not 2* like it is here on the hill.

That's a bummer Rev. Is there anyway to fix it so the grates can't fall out of the frames so easily?

I had one fall out before. It comes from too aggressive ash removal with tools coming up from above. The front part of tghe grate goes into a slot but the rear just sits in a slot. You would think that if I did it once before I would remember that and not do it again!!!!

This is operator error. The stove still works and with the one grate missing it makes it real easy to deash that spot