For those who sift/filter pellets...

[Smoked Dog]

What size mesh screen do you use? I used a 1/4" mesh screen to do both RecTec and Lumber Jack pellets, but it lets too much fall through in my opinion. Thinking about trying a 1/8" mesh, but thought I'd ask what others are doing first.

 

[Buckeye1]

I use an old flour sifter when I get near the bottom of the bag, sometimes......

 

[Bullporky]

I use this item (1/12) and smoke with LBJ and kingsford and have no gripes

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B3KPT7U

 

[Bytor]

When I get to close to the bottom of the bag, I will use a standard colander and pour the pellets into, then give a slight swirl or two in my yard to work out the finer stuff. I will then pour into the hopper. I'm amazed by the amount of dust that comes out.

 

[Fhughes]

I also use one of the classifier pans, I use 1/8”. I cut the bottom off of a 5 gal bucket and screwed it on the bottom

 

[Mannydog]

My wife came up with the brilliant suggestion to use the bottom container & strainer from a salad spinner (the top spinner mechanism had broken previously, so this was a perfect cheap solution). I just fill it up and shake out the dust into the bottom container, and then it goes into the compost. Not very technical but works great!

 

[Cokeman]

Why are we sifting?

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

I let mine get almost empty and push dust collected on the slopes into what's left and then refill. If it's wood dust it'll still burn, if not it'll collect in the firebox with the ash. If you feel the dust must go just pour it very slowly into a large container with a table fan running slowly to bow the dust out of the stream and into your yard. Do people have to remove the dust from heating stove pellets??

 

[ricwoodard]

Why are we sifting?

I believe the dust can cause the auger to jam.

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

I find it hard to believe the dust will jam the auger as RT's pellets are the dustiest I've used. If dust caused a problem why would they sell it like that?

 

[BethV]

I ordered these and the big one works great. I scoop directly from the bag or bucket. When I get to the end of the bucket or the bag depending upon where I'm getting my pellets from, I pour what's left into the scoop and the dust falls right out from the bottom of the colander into the trash can.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N8TPF9/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_0UxBFbTR39YYD

 

[Bytor]

Why are we sifting?

I have noticed that the last remaining pour out of the bag tends to have a lot of powder/crushed pellets in it. I'm pretty sure the powder just accumulates in the auger.

 

[Gonefishin]

My son had the dust bind up his Traeger, he had never paid attn to the dust, or ever cleaned the auger out, for 3 years. The stuff finally soaked up enough humidity to more or less solidify and stop the grill from working. I consider this a bit of an extreme case.

After 6 months with maybe 1 cook a week with LJ I let mine run to empty a week or 2 ago at the end of a cook so I could vacuum it out, there was almost nothing in the auger. I dump my bags into a small plastic trash bin and just sift out the good pellets with my fingers when I get to the last couple handfuls.

 

[ricwoodard]

I find it hard to believe the dust will jam the auger as RT's pellets are the dustiest I've used. If dust caused a problem why would they sell it like that?

They dont intentionally sell the dust. The pellets get crushed or break apart. It happens.

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

Padlin is probably right about high humidity as it releases the glue making the dust sticky. Glad I live in a low humidity area.

 

[WooPigFoodie]

One of these. Just scoop right out of the bag and dump in the hopper. Don’t crank it. $9.

MaMix Stainless Steel Flour Sifter Hand Crank 3 Cup Sifter With 2 Wire Agitator https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08FJ6C1N2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab_81ZBFbCRV0M48

 

[johnwick]

Some of you fellas are using $20-25 strainers and while I’m sure they work great, But that’s a little pricey for what you’re getting in my opinion. I’ve been just tossing the last ~1lb of pellets and dust from what’s left in the bag. I can put up with 50 cents worth of loss.

I don’t have to do this often thanks to the 40lb hopper on the Bull.

For what it’s worth, the 200lbs of ultimate blend that came with the RT-700 was super dusty at the bottom. The 200lbs of Perfect Mix that came afterwards with the Cookin Pellets logo was not broken up/ dusty at all. I imagine it’s all in how it’s handled and shipped.

 

[TheMeaterator]

I find it hard to believe the dust will jam the auger as RT's pellets are the dustiest I've used. If dust caused a problem why would they sell it like that?

If you keep the grill outside the dust can collect up and with enough moisture swell and turn into a almost brick hard substance and cause an auger jam

 

[DarkStar11]

I've burned thousands of pounds of pellets in my RT over 7 years, and have never sifted the pellets. Have to admit, I didn't even know it was a thing until this thread. I try not to dump all the dust at the bottom of the bag in, but I don't fret about it much and it's not yet caused me any issues.