Ash dump

[Glosta]

Hello, I am new to the site & I am in the process of constructing the oven base. Is there a reason why none of the oven designs have an ASH DUMP to facilitate cleaning? While building any sort to wood fired oven, pompei or barrel shape it would seem a rather simple process to provide a shute in either the floor or rear wall to facilitate ash removal. The hole could blocked by firebrick during the heating. Glosta

[Archena]

Re: Ash dump

Others have tried ash dumps although usually in the front. Most seem to have found it more hassle than it was worth. I plan to try it (someday when I finally build!).

[blacknoir]

Re: Ash dump

I just scoop and dump into a small metal garbage can I keep nearby. It's so easy that anything else at this point seems pretty unnecessary.

[Les]

Re: Ash dump

. It's so easy that anything else at this point seems pretty unnecessary.

Agreed - I don't think its worth the hassle of building it into your oven. I built this and it works just fine. I just pour the ash into a pail.

Les...

[100million]

Re: Ash dump

hey Les Build me one

I need that for my oven

[Glosta]

Re: Ash dump

Thank you for the feed back. I built a fireplace with an ash dump that is rarely used because it is only 20 inches deep and easy to shovel out. But you can also liberally postpone the cleanout without jeopardizing supper. Thx Glosta.

[Eric Pfeifer]

Re: Ash dump

My first design on paper for my indoor oven included an ash door in the floor, but as I got close to that part of the build, I realized it was an engineering hassle, because the door would have to include both the refractory mass as well as insulation. As my oven is small (36 inches diameter), I found that using a shop vac was a much more elegant solution, although not nearly as cool perhaps.

[Neil2]

Re: Ash dump

I built an ash dump into my 40 inch pompeii.

I consists of a 1 inch wide slot between the hearth bricks and the polished concrete counter. It runs the width of the opening and opens up to a 4 inch diameter hole in the suspended slab.

It eases cleaning out the ash, does not interfere in any way with the working of the oven peel and provides a thermal break between the hearth bricks and the counter.

[GianniFocaccia]

Re: Ash dump

I like the concept of the thermal break since I tend to lean on horizontal surfaces and counters approximately the height of a bar...

[Archena]

Re: Ash dump

Shop vacs are cool.

[Glosta]

Re: Ash dump

Thank you for the input. I formed out the ash pit to the far/rear of the oven conforming to the standard cast iron ash dump available from the masonary supply house in the perlite insulation and concrete slab. The front and back of the stand are partioned to separate the ash (in the rear) from wood storage (in the front). Then installed a standard cast iron 9X9 inch ash access way door for emptying. This gives the alternative to sweep & scoop in the conventional fashion or sweep down the dump.

Hope this doesn't affect the heat retention/efficiency adversely. Before I close it up, I will have to make sure the door opening is sufficient for future access. Glosta