how often clean out lump?

It depends...generaly when the lump has burned down to half the firebox, we will pick out the large pieces and then take the shop vac to it. Refill with old lump then the rest with new lump. It is a little more work but we enjoy better temp control with our cooks.

 
On long cooks I move the lump over to one side and make sure the holes in the fire grate and fire box are not blocked. I will put a couple of large pieces over the clean fire grate then move the pile of lump over those larger pieces and do the same thing to the opposite side of the fire box. I then level out the used lump and fill with new lump.

When I am going from cook to cook on shorter cooks, I usually must relight and when needed refill.

I haven't removed the firebox from the large in almost 4 years now. I did buy a shop vac a couple of years back but I haven't wanted to get it dirty with soot - I don't vacuum either.

If you have lump in the egg and can't get to temperature then it is your air flow up the fire grate and into the lump bed.

GG

I like that.....where did you get your pans? I assume you just drilled them randomly?

You don't find that that limits your lump supply for longer cooks?

The small I clean out before a cook. The large I clean out after the lump is dead. Every cook has used lump in it...just call me frugal/cheap, whatever :laugh:

Damn, that is why I like this forum...every read is a new idea. I am off to BB&B with my coupons. Thanks

Stainless steel. Stainless mixing bowls can be found in big box department stores, Goodwill stores, kitchen supply, gourmet appliance shops.
No aluminum allowed! I have used enameled steel for a lump bucket in my small egg but have since acquired a stainless steel mixing bowl for it.

Once the work has been done to drill, cut and grind holes, sanding smooth and adding lifting bolts, the lump bucket becomes a handy accessory. Easy to shake out the ash over ash bucket, dump used lump into my chimney starter and re-start for the next fire. While the chimney is going I replace the lump bucket with fresh lump(big chunks on bottom so air is not blocked) and dump hot lump from chimney over the top and I'm good to go.

Here's a pic of young girls makin samore's on my small egg at the afterparty during Sunshine State Eggfest. There is a lump bucket in there and when the girls were done cooking the sticky sweets it was easy for me to dump out the remaining hot coals into a receptacle because my egg was going inside the motel overnight. The lump bucket comes in handy.

I started with a drill bit then enlarged using a grinding stone bit shaped like a cone. The stone is on a shank for the drill. The tricky part is holding the bowl secure while drilling/grinding. Two people, one to hold and one to grind would work best. Safety glasses and ear plugs and gloves for everyone.

Sparks will fly!

Thanks Mark!

Just finished an egg handle for Richard Fl. I enjoy the creativity. If there is something food or fire related... I'm naturally attracted!

I have dremel tools and yes they can be used. Not to sure about using a drill press...if it's difficult to secure the bowl then there is the potential for the bowl to get caught up on the bit and go spinning, not a good thing. :ohmy:

Dremel has metal cutting wheels. You can cut square holes out with the wheel, air does not care if it goes through a round or a square hole. There are also serrated carbide bits for grinding as well as grinding stones. Yes, a dremel would work.

Any cooks over 350 get a full cleaning.