Better Coal Sifter

Okay, so I wanted to sift the cold coals from the ashes without making a big mess, and the KoalKeeper shovel was a little clumsy and slow. So I took a piece of 1/4" hardware cloth, cut a 15"+ square piece and folded the edges to about 13" square. I slide it under the ashes from the front to the back, and lift the coals out of the powdery ash. A gentle shake and the stuff separates without a dusty cloud.
file:///C:/Users/SFine/Downloads/file:///C:/Users/SFine/Downloads/334_DSCN0079.JPG334_DSCN0077.JPG
I take the mat out and place it over the ash can while I scoop or vacuum out the ashes.
Then I slide the coals back in and reload the stove. Alternately, you can place the sifter over the whole mess and use the ash vac, avoiding all those clogs you get when trying to vacuum around the coals.
I know I ain't getting any prizes for my invention, but it sure works for me.

I would have shown more pictures, but I haven;t figured out how to post them without downloading software to this computer.(not mine)

How stiff is that stuff?

It was stiff enough to lift quite a few coals due to less than perfect wood. I was concerned about that when I was making it, but found it adequate. About the stiffness of thick cardboard, with better tensile strength, of course.

Interesting. I may give that a try. I am dealing with 20-25% moisture in my wood this year so i get a little more coaling than I would like. I need to keep the ash cleaned out more frequently to leave room for the reloads and the coal bed!

I feel your pain! Here is another shot of the screen

I assume I can grab that at any hardware store?

Yes. I actually got mine at Home depot in the garden center outside. It is sold where fencing is, because that's what it is used for. The tern "hardware CLOTH" is something of a misnomer; it is actually metal mesh screening. People use it to screen compost & soil and such as well.
If you've ever seen those little hermit crabs they sell at the beach, this is what the cages are made of. Comes in a roll. Not really cheap, you will pay about $10 for it, but it has lots of uses, you have to just think them up ;-)

If that is traditional hardware cloth, it is hot dipped in zinc. If it is the newer cheap garbage it is electroplated with zinc.
Either way, zinc is an extremely poisonous heavy metal with a very low melting temperature.
The effects of zinc poisoning, known as metal fume fever are well documented, cumulative, progressive and eventualy fatal, with no known cure or treatment.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I highly recomend you find a different way to deal with excess coals.

Call me a drama queen if you must, but zinc should never be placed in contact with hot coals, indoors.

Good point, and thanks for that, Dune!
However, I use this on cold coals only.

x2 on the Zinc thing. as a welder and blacksmith you try to avoid that stuff. I think I will make a nice shovel with a large mouth and use expanded metal for the bottom. For a cheep and easy you could take a cheep stove shovel and dril large hole in it?? Just seems safer than taking the ash and coals ou of the stove and then returning them after sifting. Especially with a potentially toxic tool creating fumes yo and your family are breathing. I do like the "out of the box" thinking though. Necessity is the mother of all invention!

As I stated, I use it for cool coals; however, would you think that the tiny mass of this screen would be all that toxic? I can't imagine it being any more dangerous than having two galvanized nails inadvertently left in a cut up pallet and burned. Now I am curious!

I mentioned this in another post before I had tried it but along the same idea, I got a metal fryer oil skimmer (mesh basket) that works FANTASTIC! I push everything to the back of the stove, use the scoop to sift the coals and dump them in front. Then you can just use your ask shovel to remove any ash you want. http://www.ebay.com/itm/170560368308?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

This and my poker are the best fireplace tools I have and it has made finding even the few coals left in the ash for a restart SUPER easy, and it was under $7 shipped

Wow, thanks, Krisssyann Though I don't think I will get Welder's Fever from heating zinc coatings in coals that reach no where near the temperatures of arc welding, I like your tool, too.

Nice idea! You could just leave the screen on the ash barrel outside and carry the coals back in with another bucket. I use my hot coals for cooking on the grill about once a week.

I am very relieved to hear this.
Yes, it is that dangerous.
The difference between a hand tool in your parlor and nails in your stove is vast.

Actually, it is, Firebroad. Not saying that you do this, but if HOT coals were the issue, there is enough zinc on that stuff to outgas into the home a DANGEROUS level of poisonous gasses. And if I am not mistaken, the poisoning that Dune is referring to is cumulative. Little doses add up. About the nails in pallet wood - unless you burn with the doors open and allow smoke to enter your room, the bad stuff is going up your stack.

For the record, hardware stores often carry expanded metal. If you find unpainted stuff, it should be completely untreated (safe) carbon steel. No harm, no foul and should do the same thing. Actually, I think you will find it stiffer than the hardware cloth.

I can remember when we welded galv. metal at my old job, it could make people sick but it took a fair amount it seemed like. No way would I take the chance though.

I have a piece of that, but the holes are to big for my applications. But I'm not welding this stuff, and i'm not leaving it in the firebox. I'm just sifting a few cold lumps of coal.

Yep, I understand, but you must keep in mind that this thread could be read by literally hundreds or thousands of people (Okay - dozens ), that are cruising the forum. Clear info is a good thing.

Point taken--and a GOOD one. :coolsmile:

Got one of those, that's why I fashioned something else. Too awkward for me. :-S

No! Don't accept cheap substitutes. Order your Firebroad(TM) Brand Coal sifter today for three easy payments of $39.99 plus shipping and handling. Send your money c/o Firebroad, somewhere in Maryland, if I recall correctly.

ROFLMAO! Stainless steal er, I mean steel, extra of course...

About once a week when my stove is (relatively) cold. I put a 5Q stainless steel colander (that I also use in my charcoal grill) in it and scoop everything I can into it, give it a good shake so I can keep a good layer of ash in the stove and remove any small clinkers. What's leftover goes in the ash bucket. During the week I just rake the coals around (front, left/right, depending on the type of burn and load) and they either get consumed in the next burn or sifted out in the weekly chore.

Works for me.

That said, eventually I might make a better charcoal grate for my grill and I'll build (or have it built) so I can use it in the stove as a coal sifter too.