steel or stainless??

S

sparky30_06

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Jan 2, 2008

180

10

Magnolia, TX

• Dec 14, 2010

• #1

Staring to work on my new smoker build and wanting some opions.  What would you use for shelfs standard expanded steel or expanded stainless??

The shelfs will be 20" wide and 26" deep.   I will have 6 shelfs in it

 

mballi3011

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

Mar 12, 2009

14,477

58

• Dec 14, 2010

• #2

If you are will or ave the ability to get stainless I would use it. You really can't beat it and I like it over steel anyway. 

 

ak1

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Feb 23, 2010

2,373

75

Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada

• Dec 14, 2010

• #3

Given the choice, use stainless, It will be much easier to keep clean and not worry about rust.

 

tom37

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Sep 24, 2009

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Independence Mo

• Dec 14, 2010

• #4

If you can get the stainless on the cheep I would say Go for it.

If I was to have to pay market price I would have to go with the mild steel.

 

mossymo

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May 30, 2007

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Glenburn, North Dakota

• Dec 14, 2010

• #5

I have a very similar stainless commercial  fridge I refurbished to a smoker 6 or 7 years ago. I found a metal fabrication shop that had a left over chunk of expanded aluminum from a previous project that they sold to me for $60. My shelf dimensions are approx. 23 1/2" X 23 1/2" and a experienced welding friend of mine was able to cut enough to make me 6 shelves and use some scrap aluminum rails to weld to the bottom of the expanded aluminum to reinforce them to be sturdy shelves. They have worked out great and wish I could add a few more.

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2010

S

sparky30_06

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 2, 2008

180

10

Magnolia, TX

• Dec 15, 2010

• #6

Mossy never thought about aluminum, have to see what we have in the scrap yard.  What are you using for heat and controler??  My box still have a 2000 watt heating element that works in it,  was thinking about building a smoke box on the side so I could do some cold smoking.