Mark's underside ash pan mod

[Mark]

Smokeypig's discussion for his weekend marathon got me to think about the best way to remove ash during prolonged cooks. I'm reposting my response to get more collective thought on this concept.

Basically, cut a rectangle out of the bottom of the bandera firebox a little smaller than the size of a cake or lasagne pan. Weld some brackets to hold the pan flush under the firebox and attach a handle to the pan for removing it when it gets full of ashes. Whatcha think?

Here's the first refinement: Maybe Al can make a better/thicker pan than a cake or lasagne pan?

Who's next with another refinement?

[brdbbq]

Seems like it would have to be 1/4" or thicker steel.

[kcquer]

Put the cutout as far towards the smoke box as is practical. Its much easier to push the ashes to the cut out than to rake them towards the firebox door.

[BigAl]

Smokeypig's discussion for his weekend marathon got me to think about the best way to remove ash during prolonged cooks. I'm reposting my response to get more collective thought on this concept.

Basically, cut a rectangle out of the bottom of the bandera firebox a little smaller than the size of a cake or lasagne pan. Weld some brackets to hold the pan flush under the firebox and attach a handle to the pan for removing it when it gets full of ashes. Whatcha think?

Here's the first refinement: Maybe Al can make a better/thicker pan than a cake or lasagne pan?

Who's next with another refinement?

Well, I would not be able to weld brackets to the fire box with my "stick" ARC welder because the fire box welder metal is toooo thin, it would just burn up. You would need a Tig/Mig welder ($800-$1,500+ the gas tanks) to weld without burnning holes in the thin stuff, like they do on "Orange County Chopper Bikes" on Monday night TV right after "Monster Garage". (I now call mine "Mini Garage")

You "could" get some "U" channel and bolt it to the cut out underneath to "hold the pan". I would frame it up so that the pan could be pulled out from the front of the Bandera.

But there must be something I don't get about for the need for this Mod in the first place. It could be because I don't have the problem, because I always use my basket which provides ample ash room for my burns lasting 12-20 hrs using Kingsford, without having to clean out the ash untill the next Q starts.

P.S. I took a "better" design ash pan to a local fab shop, but he could not bend all 4 sides up. He suggested that maybe a "tin" bender might be able do the job and then stated " but of course it will have to be much thinner that what you have now" :(

[Heath]

I would cut an opening into the side of the firebox at the bottom. Go with 2 - 3 inches though. Your pan, to be stiff enough will need some sides. And you also don't want to drag the pan out because you wern't paying attention and wipe off a nice big pile of ashes into the firebox and across the deck/ground. The "plate" you attach to the pan could be the full size of the hole or bigger, this would seal the hole and give you something to attach a handle to.

If you can make it with an "L" bracket on the side of the box to hold it you could help with the insulation by leaving an air gap under it. Trapped air makes the best insulation.

[Mark]

Weld a couple of nuts on each end of both "L" brackets then drill and bolt to the bottom of the Bandera firebox.