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Need Good Grates for OWB

Started by cmcgalla, October 02, 2013, 11:34:18 AM

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cmcgalla

Hi I have a Hardy H4 and I am sick of buying grates that last for a season.  Any idea on grates that will last?  I was going to build one form 310 Stainless round stock, but way too expensive.  What do you guys use?
Thanks
Zeek

Axe Handle Hound

I'm not familiar with your OWB, but I can tell you how I built grates for my maple syrup arch and maybe it will be helpful.  I have a full time forced air fan in the arch and do my best to keep the stove pipe red hot for hours and hours at a time, but I've been using the same grates for 3 years without any signs of them wearing out.  I built the grates out of multiple strips of 1/8" thick, 2" wide C-channel and welded a cross bar across the back so that the "C" faced up like a "U".  I also used a torch to cut out some holes in the bottoms of the channels for air flow, but I'm not sure if you would need that step or not.  Let the channels fill up with ashes and they'll be insulated from the heat.  Not sure if you can use that approach or not, but it does hold up to the heat well.  I suspect that if there were a large amount of coal build up under the grates they'd burn out quicker, but with the forced air set up I use that isn't an issue.   

cmcgalla

Thanks sounds like it might work for me.  I will give it a try, I am mildly concerned about the weight of the wood on top warping them. 

Axe Handle Hound

Not sure how much weight you're going to have on yours, but you could always use a heavier weight steel to account for it.  Here's a pic of the grate before I had the holes torched in for more air flow.   

 

billporterfield

FYI
I built my OWB, what I have used for grates are 4 x 9 firebrick installed on 4" side and rest on angle iron frame with spacers. The whole setup works great with no problem of burn-out.

Wick

How much are the grates? I'm having my Harty installed next weekend. Wasn't aware of the grate issue.
Mine is an H2.
Timber Harvester 30HT25

cmcgalla

$75 per grate, but you only need 2 grates.  Not sure if it is an issue per se, but I know that my last grates only made it 2 months.  I should have called and told my supplier but I never did and that was a year ago.  I may call Hardy and pick their brain.  I love my H4, it is a very good furnace.  Just be sure to flip the grates every so often, and keep an even amount of ashes on on the bottom.  Never clean all the ashes out, if you do then you will not have enough coals to catch fire when the draft motor kicks on.  Check out this blog, it was very helpful for me: http://ohiowoodburnerowb.blogspot.com/

cmcgalla

correction . . . you need three grates!

ga jones

I had a hardy for 10 or so years bought it used. Never replaced the grates. The furnace itself cracked first. My neighbors hardy was put in in 1987 and he replaced his once. His cracked also. I've never seen one that didnt crack but I've never seen grates that had to be replaced. They do warp but still hold. There just set on top of two pieces of I beam that just sit on the bottom of the firebox.
380c timberjack c4 treefarmer international trucks jonsered saws. Sugi hara bars d31 komatsu 350 tj grapple

Logging logginglogging

I cut a couple of pieces of 1.5 diameter inch rebar for the grate in my 2300 ......

Wick

My installer said the grates should last years. I think he replaced some recently after ten years. He also suggested not letting the ashes sit high enough to contact the grates and be easy as possible when loading, don't just slam the pieces in. We'll see how that works!
Mine is installed now just in time for the 38* degree weather we had last night. I hope mine lasts for a long time. It is a pretty significant investment. I did all the research about different stoves and it boiled down to what other people in the area use and have experience with (and money of course). There are some original Hardy stoves in my area almost 30 years old. I hope I have the same luck. 8) Keep your fingers crossed for me guys.
Timber Harvester 30HT25

thecfarm

You or I can research and then some. As soon as a differant models come out,it's diffeant. Most companies try to make their product cheaper each year. But charge more. ::) OWB are a little different. They get used for so many months no matter what. Not like a tractor that someone says,I've had it for 10 years and never had any problems with it. than I ask how many hours and they say not even a 1000 on it.  ::)
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

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