$2.99 Coal Scoop

[jadm]

After viewing the thread on coal sifters it gave me ideas about making one as some have done.

Then I remembered the restaurant supply store nearby and went in search of a deep frying basket.

Deep frying baskets were too big but hanging right next to them were 8" round 'skimmers' - look like sieves but a lot flatter - like a huge round spoon used in deep frying- hard to describe but only cost 2.99!!

Made out of metal with a long, long handle. Got one and tried it and it works great. The wire mesh has holes that are about 1/4" sections so ash falls through very easily.

Much cheaper than making one. Makes saving the coals a snap at an affordable price. :coolsmile:

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Doesn't the sifting cause a lot of ash dust in the room? Otherwise, sounds like a great idea, one of my peeves it having to remove hot coals when I have to remove ash to make room for more new wood.

 

[LLigetfa]

Doesn't the sifting cause a lot of ash dust in the room?

I imagine any raised dust would go up the chimney.

 

[Dix]

Pick up " a few" ;-)

Those coals will be hotter than the oil, they'll burn through faster

 

[jadm]

Doesn't the sifting cause a lot of ash dust in the room?

All sifting done inside the firebox so, as someone stated, all the dust goes up the chimney. Small pan inside the firebox, with a lid, holds the hot ashes which are then escorted out to the bucket on the cement patio to cool before being spread in the garden. Just one of many tricks I have learned here. :coolsmile:

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Ok, you lost me. What I want to do is burn the coals, not put them in the garden.

My goal is a strainer would be to strain the ash into a pile on one side of the firebox, putting the hot coals on the other side. Then, using a shovel, remove the ash absent hot coals for the metal bucket (some small coals will be present in the ash pile) then put in some new wood that ignites from the pile of hot coals. I don't want to throw away BTUs is my game. If all I want is to get the coals out of the fire box, well that's what the shovel does, I don't need a strainer.

About ash going up the chimney, is this a good thing? Where does this ash end up? Up the chimney isn't a clean operation either.

 

[jadm]

Ok, you lost me. What I want to do is burn the coals, not put them in the garden.
.

Please note - I put the cooled ASHES in the garden. YES, the coals stay in the insert as fuel.

Not much dust is generated when scooping. Chimney is fine. Just keeps the dust in the firebox instead of out in our room where it settles on top of books, mantels etc...

 

[BJ64]

Leave it to the women to rummage around in the kitchen for fire place tools.

 

[jadm]

Leave it to the women to rummage around in the kitchen for fire place tools.

Ironic because I hate to cook :-S but love to burn wood..... :coolsmile:

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Ok, thanks (woman?) for the clarification, we're on the same "page" for handling coals. I'll look for "your" tool.

Speaking of woman DIY: well someone seems to have brought it up, my wife of almost 50 years is visiting with our daughter's family on the other (left) coast. They don't do DIY, so my daughter called a plumber when a toilet was leaking water tank to bowel. My wife called me and went to the toilet, and I "walked" here through a little trouble shooting, there were a couple of problems, the only one she couldn't fix on-the-spot was a leaky "flapper", to which I commented that's very easy to fix and the hardware near by has helpful people who can see that you get the correct replacement if you take the bad one in with you. I had already told her how to shut off the water.. .. she looked on the web for some plumbing help on replacing the flapper and agreed it should be easy... next call, she had replaced the flapper and saved $130 for a plumber visit. Well, she's lived with a DIY husband for almost 50 years, she knows most things can be fixed without calling in help.

GOOD for her and woman DIY, priceless!

How did I know there's a helpful local hardware nearby? Guess what I end up doing every time I visit : >)

 

[WarmGuy]

Thanks for the tip.

Does it look like this:

 

[WarmGuy]

toilet was leaking water tank to bowel.

Unpleasant. I hate when that happens.

 

[jadm]

Thanks for the tip.

Does it look like this:

YES :exclaim:

I guess my description wasn't so bad after all. It is great.

 

[jadm]

Thanks for the tip.

Does it look like this:

YES :exclaim:

I guess my description wasn't so bad after all. It is great.

 

[jadm]

GOOD for her and woman DIY, priceless!

How did I know there's a helpful local hardware nearby? Guess what I end up doing every time I visit : >)

Learned DIY from my dad. Maybe it's inherited. Only my youngest son shows any interest in fixing or creating things....Time will tell.

I love ACE and have had many wonderful projects spring forth from their shelves. Those guys know just about everything.

Just got to say though I don't fix everything. I like to keep out plumber employed so I make sure I have things for him to fix occasionally - he is supporting his wife and his son, who works with him is supporting his family. I am a big believer in keeping the family run businesses around - the honest ones I should add.

 

[karl]

What store did you find those in? I have been looking for one for the stove for a long time.

 

[jadm]

What store did you find those in? I have been looking for one for the stove for a long time.

A restaurant supply store. Check your phone book and see if there is one near you that sells to the public.

I live in Colorado so it's a bit of a stretch from where you are located.

 

[ROYJ24]

What store did you find those in? I have been looking for one for the stove for a long time.

A restaurant supply store. Check your phone book and see if there is one near you that sells to the public.

I live in Colorado so it's a bit of a stretch from where you are located.

Try intermet or EBAY 2 find or order.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Some of the cheaper skimmer tools have bamboo handles. Avoid. The nice one shown with the metal handle should hold up pretty well. BTW they also make dandy parabolic reflectors to use with a USB wireless dongle, if'n you're into sniffing around for computer wireless signals with one. In that case, choose the wooden handle. They're cheaper. Then lose the handle. ;-)

 

[madison]

Link to zillions of metal handled skimmers: http://search.ablekitchen.com/?Search=skimmers&gclid=CLnctP2ViZgCFQrFGgodShAGCw

 

[hydrology_joe]

Those skimmers are often referred to as Spiders (since the mesh looks like a web).
I have one for the turkey fryer and will have to give it a try (since I have never used with the turkey fryer). This is a great idea and a darn good example of ingenuity!

 

[madison]

-Regarding the "spider" with the turkey fryer. You will use the spider when (and i suggest you try it) you do a seafood fry, ie scallops, shrimp, clams, soft shell crabs. toss the seafood in and skim them out. Also great for on the fly potatoe chips.

I'm drooling on my keyboard thinking about it.

 

[hydrology_joe]

Ah, but my fryer came with the basket for those goodies! We do mainly shrimp/crab boils with some OldBay seasoning. Now I'm salivating... see what you've started!

Now back to the topic... I ran the idea past the missus and it has been nixed. She wants the spider for the kitchen. My argument is it is just too darn big for the kitchen and won't fit in any of her drawers. She'll just have to get an appropriate sized one for her own! Anyone think it'll work?

 

[Jerry_NJ]

What is the size of the screen grid?

I see Walmart has in the kitchen tools area a (too) small screen that has a grid I estimate to be about 1/4" ... that may be too small to get the ash to sift through quickly. As said, it too is too small, being a no more than 4-5" on a side and with a handle of only 8" or so. Still, I wonder what size wire grid works best, not too large, too small.

 

[Lowell]

Alternative---KOAL KEEPER

http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5HY-ASB-KK24