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How to clean the ash out of the large?

PattyOPattyO Posts: 883
edited 7:31PM in EggHead Forum
I've been using my ash tool for my medium, and scooping them onto a plastic bag that I shove under the egg. Then wrap up the bag and put it inside another bag to discard. But now that I have a large, and the same ash tool is supposed to service it, do you have a better way to rake out the ash?

Comments

  • milesofsmilesmilesofsmiles Posts: 1,376
    I have both, and use the same method, except I use a coffee can add when full pour in the compost containes. :) :)
  • vidalia1vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Shop vac...just make sure the coals are cold.... ;)
  • PhilsGrillPhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    Just rake it out as normal but make an ash scoop for about a buck.

    ash1.jpg

    ash2.jpg
  • psalzerpsalzer Posts: 108
    Shop vac works for me. Perhaps overkill, but after 3-4 cooks I pull out all old lump, shop vac everything. Old lump is saved for later use.
  • Spring ChickenSpring Chicken Posts: 10,253
    The Egg Ash Pan accessory from BGE works very well in conjunction with the Ash Rake.

    http://www.biggreenegg.com/thermo.html

    But just about anything convenient to rake the ashes into is good. A shop vac is also very handy. Just make sure your ash isn't hot.

    I use a wok spoon to clean out the old lump from the fire box when I'm doing a thorough clean for a special cook where I want all new lump. Then I vacuum the rest.

    Takes about five minutes that way.

    Spring "A Clean Egg Is A Happy Egg" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
  • Egghead123SCEgghead123SC Posts: 64
    As a recent egg owner, I appreciated the shop vac suggestion previously on this forum, and find that works fine for me too. Easy do to every couple weeks just before lighting up--that way I know everything is totally cooled off.
  • Billy Grill EggsterBilly Grill Eggster Posts: 404
    I have a 3 lbs coffee can and use the ash tool to pull ash into can. Ash goes to compost.
    Strip it down and brush out, for anything in between ring or box (need to go get new fire box, it is now five pieces)
    Billy
    Wilson, NC
    Large BGE - WiFi Stoker - Thermapen - 250 Cookbooks

  • kemosabe421kemosabe421 Posts: 24
    Ditto shop vac.
  • RascalRascal Posts: 3,880
    Dedicated Shop Vac.
  • ST1SSDVST1SSDV Posts: 31
    I use an ash bucket I use for a wood-burning stove.  I position it below the Egg and the ash drops right in.

    I have used a ShopVac and it worked very well
    Another benefit of the ShopVac is that it also pulls the ash for the area around the firebox base.
  • WileECoyoteWileECoyote Posts: 516

    I have used various methods over the years.

    I like the convenience and cleanliness of a shopvac, and I used it in my first year or so, but my egg is located in a table which sits in my carport all the time. I don't want to keep a shopvac outside by the egg, nor do I want to constantly haul a shopvac in and out of the garage, dragging an extension cord around too. I also noticed that the paper vac filters get clogged with fine ash pretty fast, and it is a dirty job to clean them out or replace them, and if you just run them dirty then it is hard on the vac. Plus I like to keep my vac clean for other uses and I don't want to take up space by having 2 vacs.

    I now use a simple aluminum pan, which functions similar to the dust pan shown above, but I made mine from scratch to serve as a spark guard which sits under the front lip of the egg at all times. When the egg is full I just rake it clean with the ash tool and dump the pan in the woods behind my house. And maybe 2-3 times a year I open up the bottom vent, open the dome, remove the fire grate, and hit it with my leaf blower directing the full blast in through the bottom vent. This gets all the hidden ash out from behind the firebox and fire ring, blows it all right out the top of the egg, leaving it spotless, and I don't have to remove the more fragile ceramic parts either. Of course it blows fine ash all over the place but I just wheel the table out into the driveway and let it rip. I also use this to clean out my table too, since my table is enclosed and eventually gets some dust and cobwebs inside. Quick and easy, works for me.

  • SundownSundown Posts: 2,974
    If you use a shop vac think of getting a Hepa filter for it. My first vac didn't have one and all of the fine ash spewed out all over the deck. A freeking mess!

    My vac is a Craftsman and Sears has Hepa filters for most of their vacuums.
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