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[muffin]

I was thinking.  Since my furnace doesn't have grates and adding them seems expensive and complicated; maybe if I could make a vacuum to suck the ash out that would be even better.  Plus I always get filthy shoveling out the ash.  Anyone ever tried this?  Care to share a design?

I have a shop vac.  I was thinking of something that would use my current metal trash cans for the ash.  Modify the lid for the tubes.  Perhaps powered by my shop vac or some other inexpensive blower (like a leaf blower).  Thinking the heat may be too much for the shop vac though.  Really don't want to melt it.  Also I assume the hoses would need to be heat resistant.

[slimjim]

They are available online or at your local plumbing supply house.

[muffin]

They are available online or at your local plumbing supply house.

I was looking at those, but they seem to be running about $300 and they don't seem to have a very large capacity.  I like my ash to ferment 3-4 days before I dump it in the ditch to make sure it is all out.

[fryedaddy]

How often are you cleaning your box?

I used to leave ash in my box and just clean weekly.
I now clean daily, pull coals forward with a concrete rake
and shovel the ashes out of the back. Probably have (2-3)
shovels, makes less mess.

[mlappin]

I was thinking.  Since my furnace doesn't have grates and adding them seems expensive and complicated; maybe if I could make a vacuum to suck the ash out that would be even better.  Plus I always get filthy shoveling out the ash.  Anyone ever tried this?  Care to share a design?

I have a shop vac.  I was thinking of something that would use my current metal trash cans for the ash.  Modify the lid for the tubes.  Perhaps powered by my shop vac or some other inexpensive blower (like a leaf blower).  Thinking the heat may be too much for the shop vac though.  Really don't want to melt it.  Also I assume the hoses would need to be heat resistant.

Place I used to work I made a large capacity shop vac. Took a old metal barrel with a clamp on lid, about a 15 or 20 gallon. Bought a vacuum motor from grainger, added some internal baffles and voila, large capacity shop vac. You'd need a really flexible metal hose of some kind.

Part I hate about cleaning ashes is they always end up in my eyes.

[slimjim]

SAFETY GLASSES?

[Crow]

 "SAFETY SQUINT"  Safety never takes a holiday!

[ITO]

 Never thought of this, great idea, on a Heatmor (or HS1 like mine) with the ash auger tube out the back that could work awesome, in winter (with snow) there should be no worries of small coals starting a fire in the pile. I usually just shovel the coals into the snow anyway. I can see maybe even having a system with a vacuum pump and flapper on a switch set up to blow out the ash anytime. Hmmm?

[mlappin]

SAFETY GLASSES?

Very very fine ashes, already wear glasses. Come in around and behind the lenses. I also try to remember to grab a dusk mask as well. Just tired of dealing with ashes is all. Boiler is located near where I park my personal pickup and the farm pickups. Tend to get dust all over them as well.

It never fails either, let the fire burn down to shovel ashes out, then the wind picks up.

[muffin]

I was thinking.  Since my furnace doesn't have grates and adding them seems expensive and complicated; maybe if I could make a vacuum to suck the ash out that would be even better.  Plus I always get filthy shoveling out the ash.  Anyone ever tried this?  Care to share a design?

I have a shop vac.  I was thinking of something that would use my current metal trash cans for the ash.  Modify the lid for the tubes.  Perhaps powered by my shop vac or some other inexpensive blower (like a leaf blower).  Thinking the heat may be too much for the shop vac though.  Really don't want to melt it.  Also I assume the hoses would need to be heat resistant.

Place I used to work I made a large capacity shop vac. Took a old metal barrel with a clamp on lid, about a 15 or 20 gallon. Bought a vacuum motor from grainger, added some internal baffles and voila, large capacity shop vac. You'd need a really flexible metal hose of some kind.

Part I hate about cleaning ashes is they always end up in my eyes.

Any thoughts on the flex tubing?  I would assume I would want some sort of filter.. maybe a couple mesh screens and a filter.  Would have to be non-flammable though.  I don't care if it blows some fine ash out; I can put it to exhaust somewhere I don't care.

Not an expert on blowers.  Would this one be strong enough?  And anyone know if the 2" port is suction or exhaust?
http://www.grainger.com/product/AMETEK-LAMB-Vacuum-Mtr-Blwr-4M941?functionCode=P2IDP2PCP

[mlappin]

Couldn't tell yah on that, was over twenty years ago. We built it to remove sawdust, shavings, and splinters from cedar siding before it went thru a staining machine.

I'd watch ebay for a vac motor, by time you buy a new one from grainger it could be better just to buy one. Graingers not known to be the cheapest around either. Maybe check out Burden Surplus Center online.