Sadly, Santa didn't bring me an ash rake so I had to take care of myself. While at Lowes for something else, I saw an all metal child's hoe for just under $4 that had the looks of a great ash rake with a few modifications.
With a jigsaw I cut the handle to 18" long and trimmed about half of the blade off to give it better balance. I filed the cut edge of the blade to remove any sharp edges. This should help reduce wear and tear on the firebricks. The total assembled length is 22.5" which allows me to use the rake without getting my hand into the firebox.
It works like a charm. My wife has asks me to paint it black, but I kind of like the tan and purple scheme. It makes for a good conversation starter. Though, I am sure that eventually I will have to paint it. I wonder if she would appreciate a nice flame motif?
With a jigsaw I cut the handle to 18" long and trimmed about half of the blade off to give it better balance. I filed the cut edge of the blade to remove any sharp edges. This should help reduce wear and tear on the firebricks. The total assembled length is 22.5" which allows me to use the rake without getting my hand into the firebox.
It works like a charm. My wife has asks me to paint it black, but I kind of like the tan and purple scheme. It makes for a good conversation starter. Though, I am sure that eventually I will have to paint it. I wonder if she would appreciate a nice flame motif?