Here's the rake I use. Works okay, but not as well as I thought at separating larger coals from the ash.
I had just found that on Amazon. Made in china is a deal breaker for me. I'll keep lookin' but thanks.
A piece of 3/8" steel rod, welded to a piece of flat stock could be made from scraps at any fab shop. Or find a buddy with a welder and take in some scraps.
Mine is an old garden rake cut in about 1/2 (width wise) with a 30" long piece of 1/2" rebar welded on for a handle...BBQ black paint job...it works well for the wood furnace since a rake with a little longer handle is needed.
I still don't have a coal rake or shifter; I am leaning more to getting a shifter instead of a rake. The other day I certainly could have used one as I tried to pick the coals out of the ashes to start a fire.
Something like that, you don't really want to rush into. Take your time with the decision. Maybe another 4-5 years? "OK, I read this with interest because I don't have any rake of any kind. What I am interested in hearing is what you like and dislike about your particular rake. I will start searching for something I can use; repurpose, or make." Kimberly, Sep 22, 2016Report #87LikeReplyTopBookmark
I love you too Yooperdave, . Yeah, I know, I know. I purchased that shovel to turn into a shifter but then decided to just use it as a shovel.
For Christmas one year my father made us kids (we all burn wood) a hoe and a poker. He used 1/2" rebar and a short length of pipe for the handle. Painted in high heat black paint. Came out very nice.
I just use a poker in the wood stove. The stove has a lower ash door and it came with a stainless steel tray to use as a full length ash shovel. I was gifted the fire poker and modified it to fit my hands better. It came with a big 2 inch loop to hang it from and use as a handle. I straightened out the loop, folded the end over to double the rod thickness for a handle and pot a short curve on the free end to act as a hand guard.
I just picked one of these up. We'll see how it works. I just started trying out leaving the ashes where they are and only raking the coals forward. I seem to like it. I used to scrape everything nice and clean every time. Leaving an ash base seems to help with coal retention a bit. Doing so is easy to do when I am starting a fire a day, but not as easy when loading on piping hot coals like I will be doing soon once the temps drop. These things would be simple to make, but I don't have a welder.
This was part of a 3 piece set that we bought for my boys several years ago at TSC, handle is metal and the tools are a lot more rugged than expected... I'm pretty sure the rake from the set is up in my garage somewhere
I just ordered one of these. Ember Extractor | Woodland Direct I’ll let you all know how it work once I get it.