Do you really need the shaker grate?

[FatttFire]

I am not going to burn coal all the time, but every now and then I might. I have taken the shaker grate out, b/c I can get alot more wood in there if it is out. So if I make a fire, and want to throw some coal in for an over night burn, can I just lay it on the bead of coals, will this be ok? Will the coal burn well?

 

[begreen]

What stove is this? I suspect the answer is no, but hopefully one of the coal experts like Corie or Berlin will chime in soon.

My understanding is that coal burns hot and likes air supplied from the underneath. That would focus the heat on the grate. Usually coal grates are heavier to take this. I would suspect that a thinner wood grate might warp under the same heat.

 

[FatttFire]

Its a coal grate it weights about 50 pounds! My parents used it for years. I guess thats why they used it, so that the air would come from undernieth. I was just hoping not to use it, b/c it takes up alot of room for which wood would normaly go!