I picked up a chief & the previous owner had wanted to raise the grate a bit higher to the level of the current grate. He basically used that expanded metal stuff (looks like wire lathe) and made a circle several layers thick (for strength). He used a nut, bolt & washer or two to keep it together & made the height such that it rests the grate straps and then the grate winds up on top of it. It is not as pretty as what you did, but it is cheap & easy.
The same idea allows you to use a new 26" grate on the old 26" with the slightly smaller diameter grates.