Shop vac for the Egg

TexasCurt · August 2015

Does anyone else keep a shop vac handy to clean their Egg between cooks?

My standard procedure is to shake and remove the Kick Ash Basket, vacuum all the ash and little bits of lump, and vacuum out all the holes, gaps, and vents.

I I bought the cheap Home Depot Buckethead vac and just leave it outside next to the egg all the time. Big chunks of lump will clog it so I just remove those by hand. I have to empty it every 8-10 uses.

TexasCurt · August 2015

Ozzie_Isaac · August 2015

I have one with a stainless steel canister. I've seen plastic ones melt through.

Little Steven · August 2015

I have a stainless one that I use to vacuum up ash. I put the paper dust bag in it and dump the ash around the evergreens. Most of the time I use it with the hose in the exhaust port when I want a hot fire. Just stick it in the lower vent and it buries the needle in a minute or so

Black_Badger · August 2015

I bought one to do just this and the first time I tried it I got a HUGE plume of fine ash everywhere. I didn't have the paper bag or any other filter in. I sort of gave up after that. Maybe worth a try with the dust bag...

B_B

TexasCurt · August 2015

I don't do it with hot ash/coals. I also use the filter.

OmahaOne · August 2015

I too use a shop vac to clean up my ashes. I don't know how you would melt one unless you're sucking up hot ash and who in their right mind would do that?

Ozzie_Isaac · August 2015

OmahaOne said:

I too use a shop vac to clean up my ashes. I don't know how you would melt one unless you're sucking up hot ash and who in their right mind would do that?

You would be surprised how long lump can stay smoldering.

TexasCurt · August 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

OmahaOne said:

I too use a shop vac to clean up my ashes. I don't know how you would melt one unless you're sucking up hot ash and who in their right mind would do that?

You would be surprised how long lump can stay smoldering.

I typically wait an entire day. I'd be very surprised if it is smoldering a day later with vent closed and top on.

MRbge · August 2015

I have the basket and use my $30 shop vac. Usually clean next day after every use.

CPARKTX · August 2015

I used to, now about every third or forth cook I just rake out the ashes into an old plastic grocery bag...faster than the vac and less hassle.

Begger · August 2015

Every 4th or 5th cook, I take 'er down for a good vacuuming. However, I simply can't afford 12$ FILTERS so am fabricating a cyclonic PRE filter which will be about 95% or better effective.

Also, don't forget that MOST shop vacs will 'blow' as well as 'vac' so you can get into otherwise inaccessible places. Wear a DUST MASK for this operation and maybe safety glasses, too.

Oneida makes a 'Dust Deputy' for about 50$ which needs only one of those 5 gallon buckets available at the home stores.
A guy with the DIY Gene can fabricate one for the cheap.

KennyLee · August 2015

I have always used a shop vac (plastic version) with no problems at all. Of course I only clean it out every 4-6 cooks or so and always at the beginning of a cook after the Egg has been shut down for at least a couple days, but usually longer....NEVER at the end of one. Not sure who would do that.

Skiddymarker · August 2015

Maybe I'm an egg abuser, but in four years I've never vacuumed my MBGE. Hell, I've only had the firebox/ring out once. The ash rake does the trick and an old venturri brush cleaned the vent holes. Age old tip is to keep some ash in the bottom, it actually insulates the base from the direct burning lump above the fire grate, IR does travel in any direction, much like in a wood stove - you never clean it out down to the fire brick liner.
I'm either terribly lazy or you guys are overthinking this.....

DoubleEgger · August 2015

I'm with Skiddy on this one. I use the rake and my pinkie works great for unplugging the side holes.

theyolksonyou · August 2015

When I first started, I was vacuuming, pulling guts out etc all the time. Now, I use the ash tool to make sure I have air flow. After about 20# of lump burn, I'll take out into an old dust pan and throw it out under some trees where no grass will grow.

Im just too lazy and it doesn't matter. For an overnight cook, I'll make sure holes aren't plugged.

Monty77 · August 2015

I do a full clean out once every couple months, high heat burn off, then a wire brush to the insides, remove all the guts, vacuum out and reassemble and tighten bolts.

Ozzie_Isaac · August 2015

I do a full clean every 3hrs of use. Even if it is in the middle of a cook. I remove the protein, get my leather gloves and pull all the innards. I vacuum, sweep, inspect, then put burning lump back in and the protein on.

Doesn't everybody?

Monty77 · August 2015

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I do a full clean every 3hrs of use. Even if it is in the middle of a cook. I remove the protein, get my leather gloves and pull all the innards. I vacuum, sweep, inspect, then put burning lump back in and the protein on.

Doesn't everybody?

sure, why not, seems reasonable

nolaegghead · August 2015

I have one. I scoop out the bulk of the ash and vacu-suck the rest. Very satisfying. Also I can vacuum up anything in the general vicinity. Cooking is not a tidy business.

lousubcap · August 2015

@Ozzie_Isaac - the above is great humor for a Sunday AM. I'm surprised you go with the hour interval-figured it would at least be dialed in to minutes and lump burn rate in terms of pieces/minute

Legume · August 2015

I pull guts and vacuum when I'm doing an overnight that will be served to guests or an event. I only have one shop vac, one of the big wheeled ones and it's a pita to get down the stairs to my egg. My egg is an XL, so I don't usually get airflow problems.

maybe one of you engineers can put together a tiny roomba for the egg?

HofstraJet · August 2015

I use a cheap small shop vac from Sears with the fine ash filter to clean out every few cooks. Lift out KAB, shake it, vacuum, and replace KAB. Super easy and fast.

sumoconnell · August 2015

CPARKTX said:

I used to, now about every third or forth cook I just rake out the ashes into an old plastic grocery bag...faster than the vac and less hassle.

I do the same, and I sometimes spread the ash into a used drip pan. Not sure it helps, but less chance of spillage as I'm moving pans.

caliking · August 2015

theyolksonyou said:

When I first started, I was vacuuming, pulling guts out etc all the time. Now, I use the ash tool to make sure I have air flow. After about 20# of lump burn, I'll take out into an old dust pan and throw it out under some trees where no grass will grow.

Im just too lazy and it doesn't matter. For an overnight cook, I'll make sure holes aren't plugged.

+1. I tried the vacuum thing and it was a pain in the arse. I've only disassembled my LBGE once, and that was to replace a cracked base. Cooks fine, at a range of temps, and food tastes great.

Jstroke · August 2015

Im lazy I don't clean it until all i see is ash when i look through the door. Even then i will push it backwards or burrow a hole in it to get another couple of cooks. Then Ill vacuum it out. The way i see it. If it still cooks as normal why bother.

THEBuckeye · August 2015

The shop vac next to the Egg is not aesthetically pleasing IMHO - especially given your very nice yard.

To each his own, right?

Give me an ash tool and an empty lump or chip bag and I'm good.

YukonRon · August 2015

I have two shop vacs. One is completely dedicated for the eggs. I will disassemble both BGEs every 2 weeks for a complete clean. During the interim, I use the ash tool an my ash bucket. All is emptied into my compost pile, turned and adding 1 cup of 10-10-10. The compost becomes incredible, providing great soil mixtures for the next year's crop.

Little Steven · August 2015

YukonRon said:

I have two shop vacs. One is completely dedicated for the eggs. I will disassemble both BGEs every 2 weeks for a complete clean. During the interim, I use the ash tool an my ash bucket. All is emptied into my compost pile, turned and adding 1 cup of 10-10-10. The compost becomes incredible, providing great soil mixtures for the next year's crop.

If you use a vacuum you don't have to take it apart. Just pick up a plastic hose adapter and a short piece of hose. You can snake that around to clean out the outside of the firebox.

ksmyrl · August 2015

@Skiddymarker +1. Rake out the majority of the ash every 6 or 8 cooks. Light and go. I'm not worried about a clogged fire great thanks to my High Que grates.

Botch · August 2015

Legume said:

maybe one of you engineers can put together a tiny roomba for the egg?

Would go well with this thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SqUhuupg-0

Shop vac for the Egg

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