50-93 Hitzer (Ash Agitator)

Hi; I'm looking to either buy or make a tool. This is directed at folks that burn a 50-93 Hitzer, (but can be adapted for any such stove). What I am thinking about is a device like a hand held grass whip, or similar to T. Woods putter. I would be able to insert it thru the front door (with a fully burning bed of fire and ashes, work it down to the grates on one side, then move it the entire length of the fire to the other side, agitating the lowest level of burned ashes. This would be done prior to shaking the grates for ash removal. My thoughts include some aluminum stock I have. 1In.wide, 1/8 In. Thick, about 40 In. in length. The bending would be easy and I was thinking about making some partial cuts along the portion that would slide along under the ash bed and doing alternating sectional bends clock-wise then counter clock-wise to increase the agitation. Well... what do you think ?. Am I nuts or not ?. P.S. I'm gonna try it anyway...
Dave K.

slovak wrote:Hi; I'm looking to either buy or make a tool. This is directed at folks that burn a 50-93 Hitzer, (but can be adapted for any such stove). What I am thinking about is a device like a hand held grass whip, or similar to T. Woods putter. I would be able to insert it thru the front door (with a fully burning bed of fire and ashes, work it down to the grates on one side, then move it the entire length of the fire to the other side, agitating the lowest level of burned ashes. This would be done prior to shaking the grates for ash removal. My thoughts include some aluminum stock I have. 1In.wide, 1/8 In. Thick, about 40 In. in length. The bending would be easy and I was thinking about making some partial cuts along the portion that would slide along under the ash bed and doing alternating sectional bends clock-wise then counter clock-wise to increase the agitation. Well... what do you think ?. Am I nuts or not ?. P.S. I'm gonna try it anyway...
Dave K.

I would not use Aluminum try steel Anthracite fires will get to 2700F to 3000F Aluminum will not hold up to the heat to
long and would poke up from the bottom of the grates not from the top down threw the fire.
Use 1/8 or 1/4 " steel rod put a bend /hook on the end poke from under the grates threw grate fingers and around the grate frame front back and sides.

Of course your nuts--it's what American ingenuity is all about--REALLY,where else would you find some "fool" running around in a lightening storm with a metal key hanging off a kite tail---have at it my friend & take notes ---no, aluminium is not the best plan

slovak wrote:Hi; I'm looking to either buy or make a tool. This is directed at folks that burn a 50-93 Hitzer, (but can be adapted for any such stove). What I am thinking about is a device like a hand held grass whip, or similar to T. Woods putter. I would be able to insert it thru the front door (with a fully burning bed of fire and ashes, work it down to the grates on one side, then move it the entire length of the fire to the other side, agitating the lowest level of burned ashes. This would be done prior to shaking the grates for ash removal. My thoughts include some aluminum stock I have. 1In.wide, 1/8 In. Thick, about 40 In. in length. The bending would be easy and I was thinking about making some partial cuts along the portion that would slide along under the ash bed and doing alternating sectional bends clock-wise then counter clock-wise to increase the agitation. Well... what do you think ?. Am I nuts or not ?. P.S. I'm gonna try it anyway...
Dave K.

I use a piece of rebar to prepare for shaking.

If there is at least 3/16 of space between the bottom of the fire brick and grates then you could cut two 3/16 x 1 inch slots in the front of the stove just at grate level. This would allow the insertion of a 1/8 thick flat poker to slice above the grates. Would make clearing ash faster and more thorough when done in conjunction with shaking. Slots should be provided with covers for when not in use.

Just curious, what are you trying to accomplish, I agree poke from the bottom not the top.

Hi; Been using the Hitzer for two years, (Warm Morning prior) Well, my shaking was leaving spent ash build up on the grates, slowly smothering the fire. Yea I would shake untill I would see fine burning ash fall, then figured all was good. BUT.. eventually I would need to increase the draft, and the fire would still drift off to never, never land untill finally the fire would go out. I would then clean out the stove and find a deep bed of burned ash on the grates. Sooooo... I'm thinking that this year I'll shake the grates harder, longer, till I see significant red ash drop, And maybe devise a method to loosen the ash on the grates, hoping to convince it, (the ash) to release its grip and drop a little easier. Anyhooo, thats my story and I'm sticking with it. (unless I run into a better idea)
This made sense when I was writing it, but looks a little strange now. O well what the hay..

I have to ask, what is wrong with poking from the top?

I don't think you want to poke from the top as it messes up the chain of combustion and slovak was talking about sliding this bar down the length of the grate. If you do need to do something like this, it is better to poke from the bottom just to loosen the ash. There are stoves that you slide a bar in at the base and move back and forth to work the ash down, but generally you do not want to go stabbing down through a coal bed.
I am curious as to why he is having these problems, not enough shaking, to much shaking, or the type of coal??? just wondering if other hitzer owners have this problem, I have never used a hitzer so maybe this is a issue to deal with.
Just my two cents, have a great day, Eric

slovak,I give mine about ten good quick,short,choppy shots every 12 hrs or so--end up w/ about 1/4--1/2 inch run of red ash below grates---choppy,not a full throw--play with it I think you'll find the right combo & eliminate the problem---you are useing anthracite,nut???(reccomended by Hitzer)---about every couple months,I do a top poke & scraping of the edges--never had any build up on the grates---don't be bashful w/ that shaker handle

freetown fred wrote:slovak,I give mine about ten good quick,short,choppy shots every 12 hrs or so--end up w/ about 1/4--1/2 inch run of red ash below grates---choppy,not a full throw--play with it I think you'll find the right combo & eliminate the problem---you are useing anthracite,nut???(reccomended by Hitzer)---about every couple months,I do a top poke & scraping of the edges--never had any build up on the grates---don't be bashful w/ that shaker handle

I always poked my HITZER's from above. Never any problems with performance. I've experimented with poking before shaking, as well as after shaking. Performance is about the same BUT, if you poke first, then shake, you can see lots more fly-ash rubbing against the back side of the glass. In other words, the glass will need cleaning sooner when you poke, then shake. For the glass to stay cleaner, longer, you want to shake, then poke. Lots of little tricks......

I poke my Harman hand fired Mark III from the top. Never had an issue. Either way will work, although going from the bottom will clear out any pieces stuck in the grate passages. I personally find it quicker & easier to poke from the top ....and quicker & easier is how I roll.

Smitty and Oliver, this is what I thought but reading these posts on here made it sound like I was comitting a sin by poking from the top. . I guess I will have to learn to read between the lines from now on.

Other than smitty everyone poking has a hitzer, maybe it is a design issue. enlighten me as to what is the purpose of poking other than something getting jammed in the grate. I maybe nieve to the situation, I burned a gibralter for a number of years and now a ds machine never poked the coals, just shake down. If you poke down to loosen up ash probably not a problem, but slovak was talking about sliding this bar back and forth, I think that would disturb the burn to much. Just wanting to fill my knowledge bank so maybe some of you could chime in
Thanks, Eric

Coalfire wrote:Other than smitty everyone poking has a hitzer, maybe it is a design issue. enlighten me as to what is the purpose of poking other than something getting jammed in the grate. I maybe nieve to the situation, I burned a gibralter for a number of years and now a ds machine never poked the coals, just shake down. If you poke down to loosen up ash probably not a problem, but slovak was talking about sliding this bar back and forth, I think that would disturb the burn to much. Just wanting to fill my knowledge bank so maybe some of you could chime in
Thanks, Eric

Hi Coalfire, Yes, it's a design issue. On each side of the fire box is a piece of angle iron which covers, as well as holds the fire brick in place. Ash builds up on these angle irons, reducing fire box size. Running a poker down each side of the fire box knocks the ash off the irons. Not a big deal. It doesn't have to be done every day. Only when ash builds up, and/or you want optimal performance. I don't consider it an issue at all. As a matter of fact, I purposely let it build up in warmer wheather. It acts as a fire box reducer. I do agree with not sliding a bar across the entire bed of coals. We all know coal fires don't like to be messed with.