F600 question- cleaning up ash

[havemercyph]

I got one last winter based on recommendations from a lot of good folks here...love the stove...just quick question....

I usually try to empty the ashes every few days...before it gets overfilled....but if you wait too long and empty ash falls below...I used a wet dry vac to get rid of that ash...it was out but figured I should try to be safer in future...since the wet dry vac is plastic...should i just get a metal one? or what is the best way to clean the ash out of this area once and a while....also are there any threads on best way to get the stove lit? and add to it...always think i do a pretty good job but i'm sure there are better ways...thanks...i will post a pic of the beauty sometime soon! hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving!

 

[begreen]

You need to be absolutely sure that there are no embers if using a vac, especially a plastic one (with a paper filter inside). If that's not possible, get one metal one. FWIW, I only use my shop vac on ash that falls on the hearth and ash lip.

 

[Stubborn Dutchman]

Once I have dumped the ash pan, I lay down on the floor, open the ash door back up and use a small brush to sweep any remnants into the ash pan. That way if any embers fall thru the grate, I don't have to worry about them. It takes less than a minute. If there is just a little ash laying below the ridges of the of the bottom, I may not bother sweeping till next time. I'm kinda chunky (fat!) so laying on the floor gives a better view of the interior.

 

[Pallet Pete]

I use an ash rake and set the pan on the hearth under the ash door. Just pull them forward and they fall in the pan and your done. Vacuums and stoves make me skittish after you see it turn into a flame thrower you will never use one again .

Pete

 

[Ashful]

Ditto what Pallet Pete said, if an ash rake is what I'm thinking of... a metal handle with a little metal "plow" on the end. The design of the ash pan drawer in the Firelights is not very good, although I guess I can't imagine how it could be better, either. Use the ash rake for what's remaining in the drawer slot after emptying. The stuff on the hearth... let it sit a while to be sure it's out, then sweep it up (I vacuum this, since my hearth is rough stone).

As you may have already realized, you do need to make sure you keep this drawer slot from getting too compacted with ash. If ash is allowed to build-up at the back of the drawer slot, it will eventually prevent you from properly closing the ash drawer door, creating a dangerous situation.

 

[nellraq]

Ditto what Pallet Pete said, if an ash rake is what I'm thinking of... a metal handle with a little metal "plow" on the end. The design of the ash pan drawer in the Firelights is not very good, although I guess I can't imagine how it could be better, either. Use the ash rake for what's remaining in the drawer slot after emptying. The stuff on the hearth... let it sit a while to be sure it's out, then sweep it up (I vacuum this, since my hearth is rough stone).

As you may have already realized, you do need to make sure you keep this drawer slot from getting too compacted with ash. If ash is allowed to build-up at the back of the drawer slot, it will eventually prevent you from properly closing the ash drawer door, creating a dangerous situation.

I've got an Oslo, and have never used the ash pan. A couple of scoops from the firebox every week is all that is required. Much easier than using the ash pan IMHO!

 

[firefighterjake]

Ash vacs can be pretty pricey . . . but unless you're just sucking up ash off the hearth I wouldn't be sucking up the ash in the ash pan box as there is a pretty good chance a coal could drop down into that area . . . and if you suck it up with the added oxygen you could end up with a fire pretty quickly . . . or it could just sit there inside the shop vac and smolder for hours.

What I tend to do when I remove the ash pan and dump it is to use a flat fireplace shovel to quickly scoop out the errant ash that builds up in the back of the ash pan box.

I do have a Loveless ash vac, but even with this I pretty much only use it to clean up ash from the ash lip, hearth, etc. and try to avoid any areas where there is a good chance there could be a hot coal.

 

[remkel]

I have a small shovel that I use.

There was a recent post about starting fires. My recommendation there and again here, don't over think it. I just use some newspaper, small kindling, let the kindling burn down to coals and build with larger splits from there.