Sifting Through Stove ash to retain chunks of wood/charcoal- ?

[12pack]

I have been looking for a scoop or shovel type of tool with a screen or something to help me sift through the ash to retain the chunks of charcoal in the wood stove.

yea I know I can burn it down to nothing but sometimes I need to clean some ash out while still burning. I've seen a few products but have not found the right one.

What are some of you guys using? or any ideas are welcomed.

 

[pen]

some folks have had luck using a fryer basket / spider like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-FB-135-Nickel-Rectangular/dp/B003T85P5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395101789&sr=8-1&keywords=rectangle fry basket

I played around a bit with this stuff but always found it made more of a mess than the bother was worth. For me, I just use the ash rake and pull some ash forward from the back of the stove, the push the majority of the hot coals into that void, then scoop out as much ash as I want gone.

Nothing will ever catch 100% of the hot embers / coals. With a good metal ash can outside that has a lid, there are no worries about a small amount of hot coals leaving the stove.

pen

 

[TradEddie]

I fashioned a scoop from an old scrap piece of expanded metal, I bolted it to a handle made from an old towel rack. It's just like an ash shovel, but mostly holes. No mess, no fuss, and it works well. The Mark II model will have a heat shield like a sword guard.

TE

 

[Grisu]

I have the coal keeper: (broken link removed to http://non-electric.lehmans.com/hardware/Coal%20Saver)
Some people here made themselves one by drilling some holes in an old fireplace shovel (from a yard sale)
Someone here also suggested a steel cat litter scoop e. g.: http://www.amazon.com/Imperial-Cat-Heavy-Litter-Scoop/dp/B00BZ21BSW

 

[Woody Stover]

I'm saving coals out of the Buck to make some biochar. I'm going to bring the ash bucket out when it's real windy, and slowly dump the contents from a step ladder. Hopefully all the ash will blow away and I'll be left with a pile of charcoal.

 

[pen]

I'm saving coals out of the Buck to make some biochar. I'm going to bring the ash bucket out when it's real windy, and slowly dump the contents from a step ladder. Hopefully all the ash will blow away and I'll be left with a pile of charcoal.

Glad I live a few states away

 

[Woody Stover]

Glad I live a few states away

I'll try not to dump if the wind is SW.

 

[blades]

Coffee can- cut a 3" deep ring off it attached 1/4" mesh to one end stuck a handle on it , sift the ash out and retain coals, ash shoveled out . works for me. ash and little coals go into 30gal. steel trash can out side w/cover. I have a steel bucket with a lid for transport of ash to trash can.

 

[firebroad]

I found a round stainless steel grilling basket at Amazon, it fits in my ash bucket about half-way down. I scoop everything into the bucket, which is kept outside; if the coals are live I let it sit a day or so until cold. Then I sift the rest of the powder into the bucket, take the basket with the coal chunks back in to the house and put them in the stove.
I tried to make a sifter to work with inside the firebox, but it just made clouds of fine ash that went all over the house.

 

[momof2nutlings]

We took a garden hand rake and welded it to a piece of pipe. Grabs the larger coals to push then away and then we scoop up the ash. Works wonderfully

 

[BobUrban]

I made this set of tools with a coal sifter - kind of over rated. Just use the rake most of the time
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/finally-put-together-a-coal-sifting-shovel.118401/

 

[smokedragon]

I bought a flimsy metal shovel (that looks exactly like the coal keeper) and drilled a bunch of holes in it. I put a metal loaf pan in the stove, and then shake the ash through the shovel into that. keeps the coals in the stove. Before that we used a slotted metal spoon we got from target. Look around at hardware and home improvement stores, see what you can come up with. I wouldn't try a fryer basket, they seem a little big (at least for my stove).

Don't let them give you a hard time, I have done it this way the last 4 years I have burned, and all my life growing up with the woodstove.

We never threw coals out.

 

[rkofler]

 

[TradEddie]

You've inspired me, I'm off to the big box to get a shovel on end-of season clearance.

TE

 

[jeffesonm]

I made one too.

 

[smokedragon]

View attachment 129959

Exact same shovel

 

[NBABUCKS1]

isn't this kind of like saving all of the crumbs on your plate and trying to make a meal? There has to be little to no usable heat that would warrant the effort and a specialized tool to gather these chunks (at least in my soft spruce).

 

[Grisu]

isn't this kind of like saving all of the crumbs on your plate and trying to make a meal? There has to be little to no usable heat that would warrant the effort and a specialized tool to gather these chunks (at least in my soft spruce).

Why waste any heat? Charcoal has 9000 BTU per pound. Sure, those pieces are light and it may take a while until you have a pound together but considering that wood has between 2000 and 4000 BTU per pound I rather burn the coals that are already in the stove than split more wood.

 

[Christopix]

I've been a huge fan of this thing from hearthhelpers.com:

(broken link removed to http://hearthhelpers.com/product-2/)

This thing too:

(broken link removed to http://hearthhelpers.com/product-1/)

 

[Flatbedford]

I do my best to sort the big chinks from the ash, but don't really worry too much about loosing some coals. I'd rather have more room for fresh wood anyway. I either dump my ash/coal mixture in a steel covered can or over ice and snow.

 

[smokedragon]

I cannot wait for the new stove (with the ash pan) to come.......this will be a much easier thing for me next burning season

 

[bwise.157]

I made one from rebar and 3/4" expanded metal. The sifter portion is 12" long by 6" wide.

 

[BKVP]

100% Stainless Steel. I built this as a prototype. Works great and I will try to convince production we shuld build them.

 

[Grisu]

100% Stainless Steel. I built this as a prototype. Works great and I will try to convince production we shuld build them.

Looks like it's the "King-model"; will there also be one for us mortal stove owners?

 

[BKVP]

Looks like it's the "King-model"; will there also be one for us mortal stove owners?

I do need to shorten the handle so a hook will permit it to hang on the back of the stove. I also think the 1/2" spacing could be a bit wider between each prong.