Ash Pan/No Ash Pan? To Scoop or Let Drop?

[overfire]

My Osburn 2400 leaves very fine ash as well but its all in what you like. I have an ash pan on my stove and its only been used a couple of times. No right or wrong answer for this its all personal opinion. It wouldnt stop me from having a beer with you just because you use an ash pan

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That link worked fine for me, Dennis.
My door only opens to 90*, then it hits the fireplace front wall. My shovel is the normal size but I want to be able to shovel with my right hand and then spin the shovel and dump with the (short, cut-off) handle pointing out into the room (shovel would be parallel with the door side of the stove.) I'm going to fashion a simple pan that is about level in height with the bottom of the door opening. I think that will work well...and I can save $102. The Ash Dragon looks good; Scoops 'em inside the stove which would make it easy to avoid any flying ash. Only problem is, it costs money too. :lol: Another thing I don't like about shoveling is that you might be able to push most of the coals out of the way but you always get some glowing chunks in the pan. With the Keystone's ash pan the only thing you remove is cold ash. All the coals burn up in the stove since they can't drop through the grate until they are quite small. I don't like throwing even a few BTUs out. To me, the Fireview would be the perfect stove with an ash pan and big glass...
Life is as baffling to me now as it was when I was a boy. Growing older didn't help me figure anything else out, and emptying ashes is no exception. :lol:

Woody. When I posted that it did not show as a link. Now it does! Strange.

I understand what you are doing and agree if you fashion or purchase something that will sit right at the firebox door that will help. It is true that you will naturally scoop out a few hot coals when emptying ashes but you don't have to get that many. Just get the job done and close the door. And hey, life is still baffling to me today!

 

[Bub381]

Oh i looked and looked to get the right stove with a big ashpan.I got it with the Rangeley.Well it seemed that i always let it get too full and when i'd take the pan out of the stove the top of the ash wood scrape off and land inside the compartment the ashpan sat in.I had to clean it and it was messy and extra work.I should've listened when they told me (do not let it be a decding factor).I'll shovel anyday.It's no problem whatsoever.Fly ash? Yes when ya just drop it into the ash bucket.It is personal preference but my new stove has NO ashpan.It's your decision,if you get 1 with,you can always just let it fill if you get sick of emptying and shovel.

 

[MasterMech]

Bub, I think I'm gonna get/make another pan for the Rangeley this year and "hot-swap" every other day to avoid exactly what you I did all winter this year.

 

[tfdchief]

I am sure it is a personal preference, but I would just as soon scoop

 

[clr8ter]

Ash pans work great if you have an open grate stove but I think pulling a plug and funneling ashes through a 2.5"x2.5" hole just stinks in my opinion.

Agreed. The Jotul Oslo has a grate. Fills it's own pan.....

 

[Bub381]

Hey,if it works go for it.

 

[Heatsource]

False statement Very untrue. It is very possible to empty ashes without making dust fly all over the place.


Just remember that when you handle ashes, you must handle them as if they are the most fragile thing you own. Move slowly and never, never, never dump the ashes off the ash shovel. Gently....very gently, lower the shovel into the ash container and then rather than sliding the ashes off the shovel, slide the shovel out from under the ashes. Result? No ash dust.

Good advice
i always have my shop vac running to get any airborne dust i create by rushing (sometimes i have 5 or more to clean a day ya know)

 

[My Oslo heats my home]

I think ash pan vs. no-ash pan often comes down to two deciding factors: if you've used them in the past and if the ones you've used in the past or present is a decent sized one.

I personally like the ash pan in my Oslo . . . when I'm burning 24/7 in the winter I dump it about every three days. This time of year with just morning and evening fires I'm dumping it once a week or so.

I guess if I was to look at another stove I would see the size of the ash pan . . . and see how convenient it is . . . having heard about some stoves where you have to remove a plug in the base to push the ash into the ash pan . . . well that just seems darn inconvenient.

As a fellow Oslo user I agree with Jake, I do like the ash pan. However for me I let the pan fill and let the coal bed accumulate until it needs to be cleaned. In 24/7 burn time I get 5-7 days out of it.