An Advantage To Raking Coals Forward

[velvetfoot]

I'm always trying to sqeeze in as many splits as I can in my tube stove. I always wind up bouncing against the tubes with the splits because the coals are typically higher in the back.

Leaning over too much to look at how things are going can be problematic because of the aforementioned door/head branding issue.

Raking the coals forward means that if I can fit a split in the front, it'll slide all the way in.

I kinda thought about this years ago but just restarted a few days ago. Of course it takes a few seconds to rake the coals, so there is that.

 

[wilsoncm1]

Sorry for the silly question but what is a spike?

 

[velvetfoot]

"Split", sorry. Corrected.

 

[XmasTreefarmer]

I'm always trying to sqeeze in as many splits as I can in my tube stove. I always wind up bouncing against the tubes with the splits because the coals are typically higher in the back.

Leaning over too much to look at how things are going can be problematic because of the aforementioned door/head branding issue.

Raking the coals forward means that if I can fit a split in the front, it'll slide all the way in.

I kinda thought about this years ago but just restarted a few days ago. Of course it takes a few seconds to rake the coals, so there is that.

For me, one of the great things about heating with wood is that you get to experiment anytime you want with operating the stove. When I do, I sometimes find that what I did differently seemed "better" (but is it repeatable?) and other times I find that I should never do that again

I too am a "coal raker". I like to really load the back wall of the stove - that's my main focus. Then I'll continue to add wood as I build the load, but that back area is where the real action is.

 

[velvetfoot]

For me, one of the great things about heating with wood is that you get to experiment anytime you want with operating the stove. When I do, I sometimes find that what I did differently seemed "better" (but is it repeatable?) and other times I find that I should never do that again

I too am a "coal raker". I like to really load the back wall of the stove - that's my main focus. Then I'll continue to add wood as I build the load, but that back area is where the real action is.

I should've noted that I load N/S.

 

[begreen]

An advantage, especially with N/S loading is that by raking the coals front and center the boost air (if the stove has this) is directed right at the coals. This helps with quick starting of the new load of wood.

 

[xman23]

I breakup and level the coal bed for quicker start up's. I need to get air under the east west load.

 

[twd000]

same reason I rake the coals forward. Last year at our town garden club sale, I found the perfect kid-sized steel rake and purchased it for $3 cash. 18" long handle, 6" wide rake head with 6 teeth. When I open the door, I first push all the ash and coals back, then rake the coals forward. This has a sifting effect of leaving ash towards the back. I leave a slope from front-to-back that allows me to slide the splits in North-South and when I reach the ceiling of the stove, I know it's full. Close the door, and you can see the air front and center stoking the coals which lights the new wood very quickly.

 

[velvetfoot]

I know it's full

Sure beats banging against the tubes.