Metal Grate Important?

[kruger]

I've got an old 1979 Glacier Bay insert. It sucks for the most part, but I'm trying to figure out a way to replace it. Anyhow, it has air intake in the front of the insert at the bottom. When we bought the house, the stove had a metal grate in the insert. I've run the stove without the grate because I felt like the hardwood I was using would burn better when it had contact with the coals. However, after about 15 days of running it (a few hours a day), I feel the wood doesn't like to stay lit and I'm not getting a good burn. Would it be beneficial to put the grate back in and try that? What specific purpose do those standing grates serve. All the other STOVES I've had had air intakes in the bottom via a pan/drawer. Any thoughts?
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[Backwoods Savage]

As you've found out, the wood needs to get draft from the bottom.

 

[runtherace]

Any comments/suggestions concerning a fireplace grate that has a built-in blower with thermostat (i.e. Heat 'n glo fireplace grate)??? I know an insert would be more efficient... but aren't these grates better than an open fire in a masonry fireplace with no blower?

 

[Techstuf]

Many inserts are quite wasteful without a blower. I'd install a stove if the project were manageable. If not, try removing the insert and see if one of these simple little guys heats your space better.


http://www.gratewalloffire.com/




TS

 

[runtherace]

Actually, I was referring to something like what you see @ this link...

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It's a grate with hollow tubes and a blower with a thermostat...

 

[bsruther]

My owners manual says to use andirons on my insert (air inlet front bottom). I made a set out of railroad spikes and they work pretty well.
I think it does a better job than a grate, because the logs make contact with the coals and let air pass through also.
I tried using a grate for a short period last year and while it did a good job of turning the coals to powder, the logs also burned up faster and the was less space in the box.

 

[gpcollen1]

So this is a fireplace??

If it is, I took my first lesson from a large Adirondack fireplace way back when. The big stone fireplace had two pieces of railroad track about a foot and a half apart point outward. I was puzzled as I had only previously seen those grates in folks fireplaces. I had a wood stove. Those two rails facilitate burning pretty well while keeping the coal bed large enough to through heat and cook fresh loads. What a great idea. I don't use a grate in my fireplace - well, it is no longer a fireplace anyway, but I converted to just building it on the firebrick floor. Using a grate burns wood way to fast and chews up the coal bed - you can barely get a big one unless you burn some big logs.

PS - if it is not burning well, it is either your wood or your draft - I guess your wood.

 

[runtherace]

These blower-equipped grates appear interesting... comments?

www.hearthfan.com