sifting out embers

[yyz0yyz0]

Hello all.
Got a new woodstove this past summer and am loving it so far. There is one problem I'm having, the embers take forever to die down so I can clean out the ash. I know I can just shovel out the embers with the ash but that wastes a lot of the bucket space and also I'd like to preserve the embers to start the next burn after cleaning.
So, I"m thinking I need some kind of scoop that will allow me to pick up the embers while allowing the ash to fall through. I can then pile the embers in one corner of the stove while I remove the remaining ash. Seems like I"m looking for something like a large kitty litter scoop.
Anybody else trying to clean out their ash like this and what solutions have you found?

thanks

 

[kborndale]

Leave the ashes, only clean them out when they start to overflow. Ashes help your fire. If I do have to remove ashes with hot coals, I just push the hot coals to the back. Make sure they sit in a metal ash bucket for at least a week before you try to dispose of the ashes.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

What I have had some success with is using an ash vacuum (powesmith) and removing a small amount of cooler ash on the sides daily. You can’t suck up hot coals with it but it is a straightforward, relatively clean way of dealing with excess ash. But leave an inch or so at least - it helps insulate everything.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Stir the ashes and embers with your poker. The embers will come to the top and the ashes will fall to the bottom. This alone will get you by for a long time as the ashes further burn down and compact.

When it does come time to move them, you can just push the embers aside and then scoop into a metal bucket with a shovel, or use a shovel with holes drilled into it/fryer spatula to move some coals.

I use a metal dust pan as a shovel.

 

[EbS-P]

Try wait two weeks before cleaning any ash out. Then try longer. It compresses quite well if you wait.

 

[begreen]

Some methods work better than others depending on the stove. It would help to know what stove this is for.

There are many past threads on this question. It's an annual topic.

Ember holder?

Has anyone tried anything to contain embers on a reload? I have coals/embers on a hot reload. If I could keep them contained I'd be able to pack the firebox tighter and better organized. I was envisioning a mesh wire u shaped cage in the shape of a log. On reload with a lot of coals, shovel them...

www.hearth.com

has anyone tried this type of ash rake?

I am looking for something to help me separate hot coals from ash. I tried drilling a bunch of holes in a shovel, but it brings too much ash along with it. Plus I don't like shaking it side-to-side because it makes ash go airborne. I need something that will let me pull coals forward to burn...

www.hearth.com

->Use a metal ash bucket and only place that on a completely non-combustible surface. Embers in the ash can stay hot for several days.

 

[cahaak]

I have a small childs size garden rake with seven tines and a handle about 30" long. I wrapped most of the handle in foil tape to deal with the radiative heat if I use it with a hot coal bed. When my ashes get full, before a reload, I rake through the bed to the back, this moves any larger coals to the back, then I shovel out the ash in the front part of the stove. I need to do this, because I burn 24/7, so it's extremely rare my fire is completely out.

Works great, and the rake was something like $7 at Menards.

 

[NickW]

Search "coal sifter". I got one and use it all the time.

A second shovel with 1/4" or 3/8"(?) holes drilled in it would probably work or an all metal litter or minnow scoop or make your own. There was a thread where someone posted a picture of a homemade one made from wire mesh or grate of some kind.

I am not a fan of leaving ash in the stove or putting coals in the ash can, a few embers but not coals. I'll clean some ash out daily. Push everything to one side, move larger coals to the clear back corner, sift ash and small embers to the clear front corner, drop what's left on the coal pile, lather-rinse-repeat, then move the coals back to the middle and spread the ash/ember pile back along the side with as much surface area exposed as possible, fire up the coals and build a 1/2 size fire. By the time that's down to coals most of the embers in the ash pile are burned up. This works best if the ash pile isn't too massive. Also not always great during times of major heat need.

 

[Dieselhead]

I just picked up this little chrome plated scoop on amazon for less than $10. Seems it will do the job shifting through the ashes pretty well. I am running a lot of hickory this season and it coals for days. I figure I can sift out the good stuff from the deep ash bed and get a little more heat out of it instead of burying it under more wood.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

I just picked up this little chrome plated scoop on amazon for less than $10. Seems it will do the job shifting through the ashes pretty well. I am running a lot of hickory this season and it coals for days. I figure I can sift out the good stuff from the deep ash bed and get a little more heat out of it instead of burying it under more wood.

View attachment 319608 View attachment 319609

That's exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of!! Thanks for the tip, I'll check out Amazon.

 

[cahaak]

I will say that collecting all the coals in a scoop, and then removing the ashes is a messy pain. It's much easier to segregate in the stove and then remove the ashes. If you stay on top of it, It's not much of an issue.

 

[BillBurns]

I put my hot coals into a dutch oven, then set it on non flammable surface. They die out fast for me.

 

[Dieselhead]

I put my hot coals into a dutch oven, then set it on non flammable surface. They die out fast for me.

Outdoors, correct?