Opening that ash-pan door...

[Jags]

I clearly understand where my shortcomings were. It was, in fact, my error to be made. And I made it. Even being a well experienced burner with years of stove use. Using the ash pan door numerous times....Its that one time that gets ya.

Have you ever had a car accident that was your fault? I haven't. But I screwed up using my ash pan door.....

I wish I could say that I have never forgot to turn the oven off after I was done cooking - but I can't
Or shut the garage door for the night time, or leave the coffee pot on too long, etc. but I can't. (I don't really drink coffee).

I guess my point is this: I ain't perfect - I suspect no one is. Can you do this for years without issue - maybe. But it is a risk not worth taking (IMHO). Much like using a chainsaw without chaps. I did for years until I saw three people I know lay themselves open with a chain. I won't start a saw without chaps now. Just like I don't use the ashpan door for startup air.

If anybody DOES want to do that - know your risks. If you accept those risks then know the penalty for making a mistake. I am not trying to preach - just educate. Proceed at your own risk.

 

[branchburner]

If you accept those risks then know the penalty for making a mistake. I am not trying to preach - just educate. Proceed at your own risk.

Agreed. The OP admitted it was risky, just wanted to know if NO mistakes were made that the stove would be fine, and it will be.

I consider using my ashpan door one of the least stupid of the many stupid things I do... like driving to work in a snowstorm today just to find out there is hardly any work, then turning around and driving home. That happens in six hours, and I already know it's stupid, but I will do it. What I don't know is what mistakes, if any, will be made by myself or another driver.

 

[Kevin Dolan]

And if any of you ash pan door using folks ever experience a flashback in the nature that I have you will be on this site preaching "don't use the ash pan door for startup" - just like I do.

It only takes once.

Jags happened to me once, never again. My ashpan door opens when I want to take ashes out full stop!!

 

[Kevin Dolan]

First mistake was leaving door open, second was shutting air. No BOOM without both.

I agree with Jags... you get better outcomes when you don't make mistakes. There is no doubt that in opening the ash door you are setting yourself up for an easy mistake. But it is not itself the mistake, only the invitation to making one.

If you did not open the ash pan door you couldn't make the easy mistake !!

 

[branchburner]

If you did not open the ash pan door you couldn't make the easy mistake !!

Right, I understand. Point is simply that all sorts of easy mistakes occur as a result of doing all sorts of things, most of those thing being non-essential.

In this case, as in many others, assuming slightly greater risk gets me where I want to be in a shorter time. Since the rear burn chamber in my downdraft stove makes a hell of a noise if you leave the ash door open, it has a built-in alarm... so the risk for me, while still real, approaches close enough to zero for me to undertake it on a regular basis, in my determination. Since the stove is not a full load on startup, worst case scenario is a ruined stove, a $1000 loss for me.

Compare this to the additional risk taken by millions of drivers who follow more closely than ideal: that FAR greater risk does NOT get them where they want to be in a shorter time, yet contributes to thousand of accidents (and deaths and injuries). I imagine this unnecessary risk is occasionally (often?) taken by most of the forum members here, including me. After all, the "car length" and "two-second" rules are bare minimums for safety, and it would be much safer if we all doubled or tripled our distance.

At least my low-casualty ash door risk gets me a return, as opposed to getting no return with that high-casualty highway risk that most drivers take. As a rule, we are not very rational in how we conduct our day-to-day view of cost/benefit.

 

[begreen]

Opening the ashpan door does not evenly heat the firebox. It tends to heat the back corners of the base of the firebox where the grate rests. And it heats them much more rapidly than the surrounding metal in those spots. This forge-like temperature in a small location causes cracking by differing expansion of the metal.

Fire starting with good kindling is easy. There is no reason for risking costly damage here.

 

[FionaD]

Opening the ashpan door does not evenly heat the firebox. It tends to heat the back corners of the base of the firebox where the grate rests. And it heats them much more rapidly than the surrounding metal in those spots. This forge-like temperature in a small location causes cracking by differing expansion of the metal.

Fire starting with good kindling is easy. There is no reason for risking costly damage here.

Oops... I think I opened a metaphorical ash-pan door too, when I opened this thread!

Thanks for all the thoughts, including the one by BeGreen and another poster before, about the effect of fast, hot fire on small areas of the grate. This is the kind of information I felt might be hidden from me, but there in the mix somehow...

Perhaps I wasn't too clear in my first post... The scenario I was enquiring about involved a situation such as getting up in the morning to a near dead fire, where the opening of the ash pan door (AKA 'the Gates of Hell') for just a few seconds might mean a wee touch of red coal reveals itself and is considered worth adding a stick to, before closing said APD once again, toute suite...

Aye, life is all about calculated risks... As some here have said, having a stove is a risk in itself.. I like the straw blowing suggestion too thanks for that!

 

[begreen]

Get a blowpoke and reduce the risk
(broken link removed)
http://www.amazon.com/Firedragon-Blow-Poke-Fireplace-Tool/dp/B000BYRP9Y

 

[FionaD]

Sounds good to me.

Just popped out and got one already.. Here I am trying it out!