Wood burning stove...

[DKAudio]

The bottom and door have a vent that you can twist open or close, is that what you mean by aperture plate?

Any ideas on a cast iron plug that would work?

Removing the screen won't be a problem.

So the 6" circular plate that can be removed is to fire it from the top?

D0 they make an exhaust pipe or adapter that will fit that oblong shape and bring it to standard 6"?

Not sure what you mean by ash chute, maybe your pics will explain it.

Pics would be great, thanks.

[HayZee518]

standard 6 inch black stovepipe, 24 inches long when assembled will form an oval to fit your stove. just press on opposite sides of a circle to form the oval. do it on the end opposite the crimped end. in the bottom of the stove there should be an open ended rectangular pan to catch the spent coal and ashes, so you can remove it and throw the ashes out, then replace it. if you fire coal once in a 12 hr burn period you should shake the grate to get rid of burnt coal ash. the ash and "clinkers" will fall into this ash pan.

[DKAudio]

Got it,

if you open the bottom drawer all you can see is a sheet metal bottom with "vent fins" in it. Does this piece need the fins in it or should it be solid and closed off, therefore only allowing air to enter in the 2 rotating vents (1 in main door and 1 in bottom door).

I guess they removed the pan but like you said, I should be able to make one out of 22ga sheet metal.

[HayZee518]

hmmm, ok. what you said they removed the cast iron grate that normally forms the bottom of the stove. I just hope they didn't cut off the grate supports which are small angles cast into the bottom of the pot. if they did you might as well toss out the stove because there's nothing to support the bottom grate.

[DKAudio]

I am out of town on a business trip right now but I don't recall seeing any grate or supports.

I guess it will have to wait until I get home and can check it out.

If that is the case, could I get a BBQ grilling grate and cut it to fit? I know you said that steel will melt in this thing and iron won't but aren't the melting points pretty close? Afterall, steel is just iron with controlled carbon, I thought it was around 2500F vs 2700F.

[HayZee518]

I believe VOGELZANG has a site for their stoves along with replacement parts. the bottom part of my stove [ well actually the whole stove is cast iron] is round and has an extension inside the pot bottom with rectalgular holes coming out towards the inside circumference of the stove bottom. in the center there is an akmost square sort of cutout where the sliding grate fits. the grate is supported by fingers that are cast in this "bottom." and allows the grate to slide in and out. there are slots on this grate. its purpose is to shake the clinkers from the bottom of the stove into the ash pan below. since a coal fire "fires" from below and through the coals, clinkers - burned coal needs to be taken out occasionally. air flow for a coal stove is from the bottom through the coal bed and up into the burn chamber.

[DKAudio]

How is air flow preferred in a wood burner?

[HayZee518]

air flow in a wood stove is partially up from the bottom but most of it goes in through the draft door on the firing door.

[DKAudio]

Great news, there are 3 cast iron "nubs" that stick out at the bottom of the firing chamber. All I should need is a circular grate, do you think a grill one would work.

[HayZee518]

I made a grate for my coalstove out of 1/2 inch steel plate. I made it just long enough so that at full open it wasn't that open so as to lose the whole load of coal into the ash pan. - just enough so that the burnt klinkers dropped through.

[Hube]

All these changes to a woodstove can have serious results.
Eg; are these changes/modifications approved by the CSA or UL. , or at least your FIRE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS.?
If something ever happens to cause a fire in the home you may be out of luck for any insurance coverage,etc.
Think about it.

[DKAudio]

I mentioned earlier that I will talk to my insurance agent (good friend of mine). If all else I will use it as a garage heater during winter. My garage is detached and over 10' from the house.

[HayZee518]

if you fire your stove with coal, the whole bottom including the grate will glow an orange color. I don't think a grate from a grill will work. make a grate from 1/2 inch steel plate. better yet I'll put up a diagram of the one I made.

[HayZee518]

coal stove grate

coal stove grate

[DKAudio]

Great, thanks.

I will probably post again once I get a chance to start working on it.