Fireplace insert burn techniques/best practices?

[Grisu]

I have this one: (broken link removed to http://non-electric.lehmans.com/hardware/Coal%20Saver)

You can also make one yourself by getting a cheap ash shovel (in a yard sale for example) and drill holes in there.

 

[Jon1270]

I want to make a skeleton shovel and just scoop up the coals, shake the shovel so the ash falls through and then dump them back down like the picture below but in a shovel. Does anyone else think that would be useful?

I bought a stainless french-fry shovel, which is essentially the same thing. It works very well for separating coals from ash before scooping excess ash from the stove, but I'm not entirely sure it's worth it just to save a few small bits of coal. When I'm not planning to scoop out any ash I've found I can just use my ordinary fireplace shovel to bring the coals up to the surface. I flip the shovel upside-down so the back of the scoop makes a little ramp, and push it from the front of the stove to the back so the ash and coals run up the ramp and fall off the edge closest to me. The ash must be heavier, because it settles to the bottom and leaves the coals sitting neatly on top. Then I just use the inverted shovel to pull the coals forward.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have a cat stove so to leave air at the Max will give you flame impingement on the cat when u first are starting out when you close the bypass.

 

[BillLion]

Maybe we need to design a stove such that the fire is built inside a rotisserie basket that begins to slowly rotate when the temperature drops below 400F...

I can't wait to see the prototype! If I can drop a chicken in too I'm definitely in.