Ash Pit

[Thiems sugarshack]

Was wondering what you guys think of me making an ash pit out of steel with a drawer.I have a wood floor in my sugar house.I put a piece of sheet metal on the floor then put a piece of marble down the metal ash pit will sit on the marble and the ashes will fall into the drawer when it fills up just pull the drawer out and empy it.Any thoughts on this? Thanks -Jaret



2010 140 taps on the new to me leader 2 by 6 king jr
2009 30 taps on a barrel evaporator
2007/8 helped friend with there sugar operation got the sugaring bug bad
2006 8 taps on a small pan on a wood stove

[Maple Ridge]

I have a concrete floor in my sugar house, and I am puting a ash pan under my fire box. I think you are doing the right thing. It is better to be safe that sorry in you case with a wood floor. I am doing it just to make it easier to keep the floor clean and dispose of the ash better.

[sap retreiver]

I'd love to see some pics. planning a new sap shack and keep changing my mind every time I think of something different. always heard of ash pit's and fire pit's but haven't seen one yet. probably going to raise my haven't got yet evaporator, but as you can gues that's gonna change too. good luck.
Brian

[red maples]

just be careful with the wood floor. there is alot of heat made in the firebox whch can direct downward. and if there is ash on the floor it will hold alot of heat, enough to burn the a hole in floor evn through a chmney/waoods stove heat barrier. I have seen it.

What I did with mine was was to add on a bottom to the firebox and lined it with arch board and split bricked it. then raained the arch 4 inches off the floor to get a good draft under it. which I like beacuse it saves the back a little and then I put down a layer of hardy concrete backer. that extends about 2 feet out from each side of the firebox and 3+ feet in the front.

[Thiems sugarshack]

with what i want to do ashes will not even be on the floor they will becontained in the drawer which will be 1 to 2 inches away from the piece of marble that a little bit larger then the base of the arch plus under the a marble there is a 3 by 5 piece of metal nailed to the floor.when the drawer fills up i will empty it.

[whalems]

The ash draw is a good idea. I would be careful w/ what is under that though. Marble and steel are very good at holding/transfering heat. Might want to think about durarock with some fire brick over it. Just a thought. Good luck w/ your project.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Good piece of 1" ceramic blanket underneath the ash pan should take care of heat issues.

[Bucket Head]

My homemade arch had a pull-out ash drawer when I got it. It was handy for dumping the ashes. However, if you have any distant plans on installing a forced draft system, forget the drawer. I have since removed everything below the grate and welded in/on an enclosed ash box with a sealed cleanout door. Not as easy to clean out ashes, but the forced draft was a better trade off. It also eliminates the possibility of a fire. All "hot stuff" stays within the arch.

Steve

[maple flats]

I had a wood floor for 3 seasons before pouring concrete. I laid concrete blocks on the floor for solid cover under the fire, and covered it with 20 ga galvanized to keep hot coals from falling thru. I worked good but I do sleep easier since I poured the concrete. As for the ash pan, I found it easy to just shovel ashes out. Now that I have high pressure over and under fire air, I only need to remove ash at the end of the season.