Minimizing Ash Dust on Emptying - Bucket vs Ash Trap

[velvetfoot]

The Ash Trap I've been using is looking a little beat. The opening kind of fish mouths, the handle looks crooked, and I've been thinking about what would happen if it would fall apart as I carry it through the house.

Anyway, I used the bucket this morning. A lot of ash (and coals), cold outside, and wanted more room for wood. Man, what a mess. This is with locating the bucket as close to the opening as possible without picking it up, moving slowly, putting the cover on as soon as shovel removed, etc. Way more dusty than the Ash Trap (no longer made in large size).

Are there any other secrets to lessening the dust on emptying? I like the safety of the bucket, but man...

 

[HollowHill]

Maybe use the ash trap to get the ashes out, then put the ash trap into the bucket to carry it thru the house, thereby having the best of both worlds???

 

[velvetfoot]

True. That could work.

 

[velvetfoot]

I've found a new one, but $129 is steep:
http://hearthhelpers.com/product-1/

 

[par0thead151]

The Ash Trap I've been using is looking a little beat. The opening kind of fish mouths, the handle looks crooked, and I've been thinking about what would happen if it would fall apart as I carry it through the house.

Anyway, I used the bucket this morning. A lot of ash (and coals), cold outside, and wanted more room for wood. Man, what a mess. This is with locating the bucket as close to the opening as possible without picking it up, moving slowly, putting the cover on as soon as shovel removed, etc. Way more dusty than the Ash Trap (no longer made in large size).

Are there any other secrets to lessening the dust on emptying? I like the safety of the bucket, but man...

i go low tech
5 gal steel pail.
wait till there are only a few coals left glowing, put the red coals to one side, and the ashes on the other of the stove. place the 5 gal pail at a 45 degree angle to the stove, butting tight against it. scoop ashes and dump into the bucket. when you see the ploom of dust from the dump, tip the buckets lip closer to the stove door, so the draft acts as a vacuum sucking the dust up and out the chimney instead of in your home...
i can clean my stove out without getting any dust in my home. it works amazing!

 

[wmarazita]

Maybe this one will work for you?

http://www.amazon.com/Minuteman-International-AB-01-Mess-Ash/dp/B004X9NTS4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hg_1

or this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Ash-Dragon-Sc...04H0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1326732831&sr=8-8


Bill

 

[eclecticcottage]

I move slowly, tipping the ashes from the shovel into the bucket in a slow motion. I also make sure if the blower was on, I shut it off, as well as the air purifier we use. A bit escapes, but not much, and if it's cool enough, I just dust off the stove real quick.

 

[WES999]

Try using a baking pan, push ash to one side, place pan inside stove, shovel ash into pan, cover and remove.
Works for me.

 

[Beek]

I use a coal scuttle because it has a slanted side, but a bucket will work if you tip it.
The trick is to lower your shovel full of ashes to the bottom of the bucket, and rather than dump the ashes off the shovel, gently slide the shovel out from under the ashes.
If the ashes never get airborne, then they generate very little dust.

 

[chris2879]

When cleaning the stove out with coals, its amazing how the dust spews from the ash bucket with the rising heat. What i have done is take an old T-shirt and soak it with water. I drape that over the ash bucket (i do not have a lid) and just pick up a corner to let the shovel in. I then drop the shirt down as I dump out the shovel, then slide the shovel out and repeat. With that said, they has to be done quickly. You will see steam coming from the shirt in a minute or so. When your done, take the bucket outside away from your house and let it cool and remove the T-Shirt and let it dry for next time.

 

[Jacklake2003]

The Ash Trap I've been using is looking a little beat. The opening kind of fish mouths, the handle looks crooked, and I've been thinking about what would happen if it would fall apart as I carry it through the house.

Anyway, I used the bucket this morning. A lot of ash (and coals), cold outside, and wanted more room for wood. Man, what a mess. This is with locating the bucket as close to the opening as possible without picking it up, moving slowly, putting the cover on as soon as shovel removed, etc. Way more dusty than the Ash Trap (no longer made in large size).

Are there any other secrets to lessening the dust on emptying? I like the safety of the bucket, but man...

i go low tech
5 gal steel pail.
wait till there are only a few coals left glowing, put the red coals to one side, and the ashes on the other of the stove. place the 5 gal pail at a 45 degree angle to the stove, butting tight against it. scoop ashes and dump into the bucket. when you see the ploom of dust from the dump, tip the buckets lip closer to the stove door, so the draft acts as a vacuum sucking the dust up and out the chimney instead of in your home...
i can clean my stove out without getting any dust in my home. it works amazing!

I recently started doing this, it works great!

 

[par0thead151]

The Ash Trap I've been using is looking a little beat. The opening kind of fish mouths, the handle looks crooked, and I've been thinking about what would happen if it would fall apart as I carry it through the house.

Anyway, I used the bucket this morning. A lot of ash (and coals), cold outside, and wanted more room for wood. Man, what a mess. This is with locating the bucket as close to the opening as possible without picking it up, moving slowly, putting the cover on as soon as shovel removed, etc. Way more dusty than the Ash Trap (no longer made in large size).

Are there any other secrets to lessening the dust on emptying? I like the safety of the bucket, but man...

i go low tech
5 gal steel pail.
wait till there are only a few coals left glowing, put the red coals to one side, and the ashes on the other of the stove. place the 5 gal pail at a 45 degree angle to the stove, butting tight against it. scoop ashes and dump into the bucket. when you see the ploom of dust from the dump, tip the buckets lip closer to the stove door, so the draft acts as a vacuum sucking the dust up and out the chimney instead of in your home...
i can clean my stove out without getting any dust in my home. it works amazing!

I recently started doing this, it works great!

i know. i cant imagine emptying ash any other way.
i tried the careful scoop and slide method, but still got dust plooms.
using the 5 gal pail and draft to clean up any dust makes cleaning ashes out a 2-3 min job.

 

[madison]

Bucket Only, Ash trap is a pain with the T-6

Procedure:
FAN off, stove still warm, open all stove air controls, "coal keeper" shovel coals to one side. then Max half scoop shovel, slide into existing ash in 5 gal bucket held level with the bottom of the stove opening.

Warm stove works much better than cold in limiting ash floating out into the room. 1/2 shovel fulls are key as well

 

[fredarm]

Ash vac. No (visible) dust.

 

[maple1]

When cleaning the stove out with coals, its amazing how the dust spews from the ash bucket with the rising heat. What i have done is take an old T-shirt and soak it with water. I drape that over the ash bucket (i do not have a lid) and just pick up a corner to let the shovel in. I then drop the shirt down as I dump out the shovel, then slide the shovel out and repeat. With that said, they has to be done quickly. You will see steam coming from the shirt in a minute or so. When your done, take the bucket outside away from your house and let it cool and remove the T-Shirt and let it dry for next time.

I'm going to try this one. Thanks.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've posted on this forum numerous times on how to empty ashes and there is no reason to get ash dust, even if you use an open container for the ashes. It is so simple to do I learned how to do it at age 5 or 6.

 

[LLigetfa]

i go low tech
5 gal steel pail.
wait till there are only a few coals left glowing, put the red coals to one side, and the ashes on the other of the stove. place the 5 gal pail at a 45 degree angle to the stove, butting tight against it. scoop ashes and dump into the bucket. when you see the ploom of dust from the dump, tip the buckets lip closer to the stove door, so the draft acts as a vacuum sucking the dust up and out the chimney instead of in your home...
i can clean my stove out without getting any dust in my home. it works amazing!

I open a window to increase the draft up the flue.

I use a coal scuttle because it has a slanted side, but a bucket will work if you tip it.
The trick is to lower your shovel full of ashes to the bottom of the bucket, and rather than dump the ashes off the shovel, gently slide the shovel out from under the ashes.
If the ashes never get airborne, then they generate very little dust.

I too use a coal hod with the angled pour spout.

 

[LLigetfa]

I've found a new one, but $129 is steep:
http://hearthhelpers.com/product-1/

Looks like a very simple design that would work well but ja, the price is too steep. I may just have to copy the design and make my own.

 

[jdinspector]

I have the ash dragon. The price has gone up! Nevertheless, it works VERY well for me. Well built. Two thumbs up from me.

 

[bad69bird]

Ok backwoods I've searched, can you link to your previous numerous posts about ash clean up

 

[agartner]

Cleaning ashes - slow and steady wins the race. Fill the shovel with ashes from the stove. I actually use the shovel from a fireplace set with the handle removed so I'm using only the shovel spade without a handle - this actually helps quite a bit, because you want to lower the shovelhead down into the bucket and then ~very gently~ allow the ashes to slide off the shovel directly onto the ash already inside the bucket. You don't want to just dump the ashes in. It's all about being gentle, and you'll have minimal mess.

 

[maple1]

Even doing that there will still be dust rising - especially with hot ashes. Less dust yes, but still dust.

 

[bad69bird]

Cleaning ashes - slow and steady wins the race. Fill the shovel with ashes from the stove. I actually use the shovel from a fireplace set with the handle removed so I'm using only the shovel spade without a handle - this actually helps quite a bit, because you want to lower the shovelhead down into the bucket and then ~very gently~ allow the ashes to slide off the shovel directly onto the ash already inside the bucket. You don't want to just dump the ashes in. It's all about being gentle, and you'll have minimal mess.

Thats how I have been doing it, but in a few days my mantle is covered in ash again. I have not come up with a good way of staying clean

 

[velvetfoot]

With the Amazon scoops, I'd have a concern that they require headroom that the little insert I have doesn't have.
I might go with a smaller shovel next time, but can't get too close to the ash bed this time of year - inevitiably still have glowing stuff.
Key is to do ash transfer inside the stove.
Not sure if a vacuum would be good for hot embers.
I might recheck the Ash Trap and see how sturdy it still is.

 

[LLigetfa]

Not sure if a vacuum would be good for hot embers.

No, ash vacs are not for hot ash removal. I wish they made one that was.