How to reduce ash in stove room

[Woody Stover]

ash wouldn't fall through the grate without being forced through.

I understand that the grate slots on the Woodstock IS are a little narrower for some reason, and it takes a little more effort to work 'em through. I think I'd have to grind the slots wider. Keystone (and the PH, I've heard) are really easy, a few passes with a poker and you are done. Actually, the Dutchwest grate is pretty good, but a small amount of ash could miss the pan and you would have to get that out eventually, when it built up behind the pan. Pretty easy to do with a flat shovel.
You had a Dutchwest at one point, didn't you? Did you use the grate?

 

[BuckyBeaver524]

Stationary, yes. The worst one I've had to date was the Hearthstone Mansfield. I liked the idea of being able to close the grate when not in use, but it prevented it from being useful. I think they do it not for convience for the user, but rather they want a second defense against the poor latch on the ashpan door. At any rate, ash wouldn't fall through the grate without being forced through.

Yes, I have heard horror stories about movable grate systems. And yes, the one potential weakness is a gasket failure and air leak. But honestly I just love my stationary system.

 

[webby3650]

I understand that the grate slots on the Woodstock IS are a little narrower for some reason, and it takes a little more effort to work 'em through. I think I'd have to grind the slots wider. Keystone (and the PH, I've heard) are really easy, a few passes with a poker and you are done. Actually, the Dutchwest grate is pretty good, but a small amount of ash could miss the pan and you would have to get that out eventually, when it built up behind the pan. Pretty easy to do with a flat shovel.
You had a Dutchwest at one point, didn't you? Did you use the grate?

I've used the ash removal system on every stove I've had, the DW was ok.

 

[branchburner]

I understand that the grate slots on the Woodstock IS are a little narrower for some reason, and it takes a little more effort to work 'em through.

Yup... don't like that grate compared to previous stoves. (It also has proportionally smaller dimensions, relative to the size of the firebox floor, which adds to the problem.)

My Oakwood had the opposite problem, with grate opening a little too large, such that coals as well as ashes fell through. I fixed that by adding a second grate with its openings reversed in direction... to get the ashes to fall though, I simply picked up the second grate with my fireplace poker when the time came to remove the buildup. Worked "grate."

 

[Elciteeve]

I use a very thin bucket (I think it started life as a trash can) the opening is about 6" x 12" I find the lifting and setting of the ash to be the biggest problem. I take a flat board or piece of tin and gently slide the ash from the stove into the bucket, with the bucket held just under the lip of the door. I don't move the bucket the entire time. The ash doesn't fly up this way. A thin line of ash is left on the lip of the door jamb, which I gently push back to the stove. I have to empty the ash every morning, with a fair few coals to mind (There is really no other time I can empty the ash pan as this is the only time the stove is cool enough to handle this process.) This is the best method I've found for keeping the coals in the stove, and ash out of the air.

 

[MDWOOD]

When i had a TSC US Stove i used a bucket on the hearth and we had airborne ash all over the living room.
Now I actually like and use my ash dump system on my new super 27, works like a charm (technique!)and we burn 24/7
Even the misses says the room is alot cleaner now.

WinWin

Bill

 

[fire_man]

Keystone (and the PH, I've heard) are really easy, a few passes with a poker and you are done.

Very True. My Palladian (sister to the Keystone) and PH have excellent ashpan systems.

 

[Sodbuster]

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews on an ash pan for my PE Summit pedestal, I currently do not have one. Anyone have any thoughts about those?