DIY Ash Vacuum?

Does anyone have information or ideas on a DIY ash vac using. 5gal pail and an existing shop vac?

The worst part about burning coal is the ash. I don't have an easy way to get outside from my basement and handling the ash pan into a contractor bag kicks up all kinds of fly ash.

I have an ash vac that works really well but that is for the fireplace upstairs where the wife hangs out . I'm down in the basement and don't want to have to buy another ash vac. Would like to diy something with my current shop vac.

Thanks in advance

small can or trashcan with a couple elbows in the lid in opposite directions. like a dust/chip collector for wood working.

Something similar to this.

http://www.rockler.com/dust-right-4-dust-separato ... components

I don't know if you've done a search or how far you want to go with this, but my homemade vacuum has worked well for me. No mess in the basement and no carrying ashes up stairs. It's a summertime project though.

Homemade Ash Vacuum System

-Len

How about getting a second pan. I have two and swap out the full for the empty, let the full one cool down for a few hours and then carry it outside to dump it. No mess inside and it is lighter to carry one pan at a time than a can of a few pans of ashes.

Have a look at this..

Dust Free Ash Pan Dumping

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/home ... ns-163855/

http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm

I bought a $69.00 home cheapo vac on Black Friday. I put a hepa filter in it. I also bought a 30' hose and leave the vac outside the back door. I vacuum the stove, and even if I do it with the stove on, I just rinse the hose out with water and leave the vac out in the yard, if it doesn't burst into flames in a day or two, I put in back in the shed.

The HEPA filter saves the motor.

I remember seeing something you could hook inline to either a 5 or 35 gallon bucket and a shopvac aimed at drywallers.
Used water as a fine dust filter somehow.

The contractor who had it said it really rocked for remodeling already occupied homes and virtually eliminated the dust compared to regular vacs.

Too long ago to remember the same.

McGiever wrote:http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/home ... ns-163855/

Actually resembled it quite a bit except for a water trap like the old oil bath car air filters.

nealkas wrote:I remember seeing something you could hook inline to either a 5 or 35 gallon bucket and a shopvac aimed at drywallers.
Used water as a fine dust filter somehow.

The contractor who had it said it really rocked for remodeling already occupied homes and virtually eliminated the dust compared to regular vacs.

Too long ago to remember the same.

Yes I made one of those with a 5 gallon bucket, and it worked well. I just tried to simplify the process. Coal ash in the wet bucket can get nasty to rinse out. I think these are both good ideas.

Thanks for the responses eveyone. I do have an additional ash pan, but like mentioned I don't have the most convenient route to get outside. I guess I could buy another ash vacuum or maybe I'll experiment a little with what I have kicking around down in the basement.

If anyone else has other ideas I'm all ears!

titleist1 wrote:How about getting a second pan. I have two and swap out the full for the empty, let the full one cool down for a few hours and then carry it outside to dump it. No mess inside and it is lighter to carry one pan at a time than a can of a few pans of ashes.

This is exactly what I do. Works well. Still have to carry the full ash can up every couple of days to dump outside, but what the heck, it's good exercise!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cleva-Industrial-Cleva ... ord=565591

$24.00 free shipping.

nealkas wrote:I remember seeing something you could hook inline to either a 5 or 35 gallon bucket and a shopvac aimed at drywallers.
Used water as a fine dust filter somehow.

The contractor who had it said it really rocked for remodeling already occupied homes and virtually eliminated the dust compared to regular vacs.

Too long ago to remember the same.

McGiever wrote:http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/home ... ns-163855/

Actually resembled it quite a bit except for a water trap like the old oil bath car air filters.

I have one.I bought it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005A1K8/ref=o ... UTF8&psc=1