Filtering Out the Coals From the Ash.

[velvetfoot]

What's the best?

There has to be a good, somewhat aesthetic-looking way to separate out the coals from the ash.
I saw a thread that used a modified paint roller screen-that seems to work, but I've been getting complaints as it is about miscellaneous messy-looking stuff that I have laying around.
The rakes they seem to sell for the purpose don't look like they'd do a good job to me.
Maybe a modified hand garden tine tool of some sort?

What's the best? If the screen is the best, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet.

 

[babalu87]

Are you filtering them out for use as charcoal grilling later?

 

[velvetfoot]

No. To empty ash.

 

[babalu87]

Oh, there isnt a grate over the ashpans?

 

[velvetfoot]

No, there isn't.

 

[Highbeam]

Don't worry about it. Scoop everything out and start a new fire. I never get too worried about wasting a few coals. Now I do need to dig around for a couple of live hot coals in the morning to start another fire. I just poke around with a piece of kindling to stir some up.

 

[velvetfoot]

It seems like a waste.

 

[begreen]

Maybe a large, commercial, stainless slotted spoon?

(broken link removed to http://www.servu-online.com/Kitchen-Utensils-Serving/Adcraft-VOLZ-6949.asp)

 

[velvetfoot]

I like the idea of some kind of kitchen utensil.

 

[begreen]

Well, after thinking about it, I came up with the perfect tool. Don't worry about its intended use, this looks perfect and will sift through a lot of ash fast.

http://petprojectblog.com/archives/cats/durascoop-one-big-honkin-cat-litter-scoop/

 

[bokehman]

I've got an ash sieve but I don't bother using it any more. What I do now is first thing in the morning shovel out any ash in the front 1/3rd of the firebox. Most of that ash has little to no coals at all due to the higher air supply in that area. At most there is a couple ounces in pieces less than 1/4" in diameter. The rest is pulled to the front to be consumed by the next fire with a good layer left spread across the whole base of the firebox for insulation.

 

[Cearbhaill]

Well, after thinking about it, I came up with the perfect tool. Don't worry about its intended use, this looks perfect and will sift through a lot of ash fast.

http://petprojectblog.com/archives/cats/durascoop-one-big-honkin-cat-litter-scoop/

I use this very scoop for its intended purpose and it is indeed very heavy duty. The handle is a bit short for more than one or two scoops over a hot coal bed... unless you have handy dandy fire gloves, I guess.
I'd like something similar to that but flat on the bottom instead of rounded and with a far longer handle.

 

[velvetfoot]

That is a very good suggestion. One big upside is that it is metal, not plastic.

 

[tw40x81]

I second bokehman's technique. Each morning I take about three shovelfulls of ash out that's against the front of the stove, then rake eveything else forward. I create a trough in the middle piling the hot coals to the sides of the stove. Put a couple small spilts in. The trough works expecially well with the little tower that's in the middle of the NC13's, providing a little air just at the right spot.

 

[tutu_sue]

There's the KoalKeeper. A shovel made for keeping coals. They carry it at Lehman's and Northline Express.

 

[velvetfoot]

There are still coals in front as I recall.
I don't know how much air is coming through the primary air opening when it is closed for overnight burning.

I wonder if the ash would flow through the slits?
Kitty litter would seem to flow easily through there.

 

[velvetfoot]

The KoalKeeper
I think that's it!!

Thanks much.

 

[begreen]

I like it! Only $10.90 at Northline.

(broken link removed to http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5HY-ASB-KK12)

 

[velvetfoot]

ooo look:
"Coming Soon ! New longer handle - 24"

 

[velvetfoot]

It's here!
I just ordered a 24" model from the manufacturer!
$15.48 + 12 FedEx ground.
Ask for Brian. (800) 325-7076

 

[bjorn773]

I welded one up myself. Took a very heavy duty garden rake that I bought at a yard sale and cut the handle off. Then welded a long handle onto it so the rake is straight inline with the handle. I run it side to side in the stove separating the coals from ash and vacuum out the ash. Works great and very little waste. Plus it was an excuse to get the welder out

 

[velvetfoot]

That sounds good too! And no potentially tedious shaking the shovel.

 

[tutu_sue]

Ahh, must be nice to have an ash vac. After splurging for a soapstone stove, the KoalKeeper was within budget.

 

[karl]

I was thinking about getting a small deep fryer basket.

What if you put a screen on the end of the ash vac?

 

[EddyKilowatt]

I use a garden hand rake -- four long thin steel tines, pointed ends, curved, and about the same size as your hand/fingers if you were using them to scoop ash. I don't use it that often, but when I do it is usually when burning off coals and I will use the rake to fish the coals out of the ash so they can burn better.

Usually I have the luxury of emptying cool or cold ash from the stove. I just shovel out the ash and the coals together. Then down at the ash can I have another borrowed garden implement, a foot-square sieve with a 1/4" hardware cloth mesh. I sieve the ash through this into the can... usually the ash is about 50% burnable charcoal by volume (more than you would think to look at it). I dump the charcoal back in the ash bucket and carry it back inside with the firewood, and use it as the base layer on the bottom of the firebox when starting a fire. It reflects heat back at the starting fire better than cold brick does, and of course catches fire quickly itself and gives a ready-made coal bed.

If sieving the ash took any more time or fuss than it does, I probably wouldn't bother... but it only adds about 60 seconds to the overall fire-starting drill, plus it gives a quicker (less smoky) fire start AND cuts my waste ash volume by about half... so for now I am keeping on with it (except when its raining). If I was starting over I'd probably go with the Koal Keeper...

Eddy