Expande Steel Cooking Grate questions

[sqwib]

Is this the preferred size ¾” – 9 trade size?

Should I use Flattened or standard, I hear that flattened is easier for cooking but that standard is more rigid.

The meat rack would be 10" x 48" 1 piece
or
10" x 24" 2 pieces, I think the 2 pieces would be easier for removal and cleaning

And whats the best way to make the grates using angle iron?

Is there any other ways to make the grates with expanded steel that is recommended or preferred.

I see a lot of builds but can never quite see how the grates are done.

 

[sqwib]

I kind of like the mesh steel better, is there any advantages or disadvantages to the mesh?


Part Number: 9219T222 $32.44 Each
Material Type - Steel
Finish/Coating - No Coating
Steel Type - Plain Steel
Form - Woven Wire Cloth
Shape - Sheets
Mesh Size Range - Coarse Mesh
Mesh Size - 2 x 2
General Opening Size - Coarse With Thick Wire
Square/Rectangle Size - .38"
Wire Diameter - .12"
Percentage of Open Area - 57.8
Sheet Width - 24"
Sheet Length - 24"

 

[meat hunter]

The #9 3/4" is fine. With the dimensions you listed for the meat rack, 10 x 48, splitting them in two would make for easier cleaning. Using 1/2" angle iron for the framework would give you more than enough support. I personally would go with the flat expanded metal versus the overlaped kind.

 

[meat hunter]

That mesh would work rather well. The only downside I see to that is if you are planning on welding it to the framework for the meat tray, you have very little material to weld with and as thin as it is, buring thru it is likely unless you are using a MIG welder, (wirefeed) and is turned way down. And then still, if you skipped every other wire, you still have a LOT of them to weld in place. Just a thought.

 

[coyote]

I would use square tubing cut and welded at 45s. two piece would make removel and clean much easier. and the flat diamond expanded metal should be great as it is flat and clean up easier also. as for the ridgid part run a piece of the square tube in the center of the rack and weld. should be plenty strong. and not bowing on you. all the best on your build. good luck.

 

[sqwib]

Hows This

Part Number: 6527K21 $14.88 Each
Material - Low-Carbon Steel (1008-1026)
Shape - Structural Tubes
Structural Tube Type - Square
Structural Tube Tolerance - Standard
Wall Thickness - .083"
Wall Thickness Tolerance ±.008"
Width - 3/4" (.75")
Height - 3/4" (.75")
Length - 6'
Length Tolerance - ±6"
Straightness Tolerance - Not Rated
Metal Finish - Unpolished (Mill)
Metal Bendability - Not Bendable
Maximum Attainable Hardness - Not Rated
Yield Strength - Not Rated
Metal Flareability - Not Flareable
Specifications Met - Not Rated

 

[coyote]

That is pretty much what I used. I will try and post a pic here. has not been working But I can post a link.
make em bullet proof 1st time and you never have to mess with it again.lol.

 

[dirt guy]

You ought to be able to buy a 20 ft. piece for not much more than that. I haven't priced 3/4" square lately, but I don't think it's $1.00 per foot.

 

[autoferret]

I use to get 1x1 w/ 1/4" wall thickness for 25bucks a stick

 

[dirt guy]

IIRC, .0835" should be about 16 ga. A twenty foot stick of 16 ga. 3/4" x 3/4" should be $15 or $16 for a 20 ft. stick (according to my scrap iron buyer).

 

[chuckwagonbbqco]

Go to your local rock crushing plant--take a case of beer and some leftover BBQ. Ask if you can look thru their "scrap" pile for used "shaker screens, after bribing with beer and BBQ."Shaker screens are very, stout heavy woven wire---using "shaker screens" for grilling surface works so well that you do not need angle iron around the outside edge----just drop it on and pull it off. I have always had them given to me for free. Then the rock plant hired me to do their company picnic.

Shaker screens only problem is cooking small hamburgers--the surface is not flat-so a spatula needs to be "worked" a little.

 

[sqwib]

I decide to go with Porcelain Grates, after I did the math with the tube steel and expanded steel it was about $40.00 more so I just ordered 3 of the grates for a Charbroil 8000 grill and will need to be cut back a bit. I will lay these side to side for a cooking area of 20" x 44.25, I may look around for another one at 6" wide to add later.
I'll just have to be careful cutting since they're porcelain coated.

 

[purefilter]

I think the Plain Steel Woven Wire Cloth would have been the best option here.

I just set mine up, have tried several different materials from both sources:

Mcmaster Carr

http://www.bwire.com/

They both sell the woven stuff, and what has worked best so far, in my opinion is 4 x 4 mesh plain steel wire cloth.

Just an FYI for you guys.

I am going to be posting some pictures soon as a follow up and I will put a little comment with the results of each....

Stay Tuned.

 

[purefilter]

Anyone have any better suggestions on this at all?  I am having a little bit of trouble deciding which material is best out of all of these different samples that I have ordered small quantities of.

 

[sqwib]

Anyone have any better suggestions on this at all?  I am having a little bit of trouble deciding which material is best out of all of these different samples that I have ordered small quantities of.

Try to find porcelain coated grill grates that will fit. So easy to replace, clean and remove

 

[purefilter]

Porcelain looks good, but not sure if I prefer that over the metal mesh...I will have to test a little bit of both and base my decision off of taste!

 

[baja traveler]

I used the 3/4" flat expanded metal with 1/2" square tube supports. Works awesome, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Another nice thing about the flattened expanded metal is the really nice pattern it imparts to what you are smoking, especially flat items like cheese. 

 

[purefilter]

Agree - love the look that the metal leaves on the item being smoked.  A NICE TOUCH!

 

[ribwizzard]

Well, Just bought flattened expanded metal from Tampa bay steel and paid right at $40.00 for 4'x8' piece, 20 ft section of 1/2 square stock was only $7.00,.

Use the flattened expanded metal, Its the easiest to clean out of everything mentioned. Its flat !!

Its the easiest to cut and fabricate the grates the size you want.

I used 1/2 square stock and made my grates 23" x 48" , set them on 3/4 angle so that they would pull out, and they turned out real nice. I think 3/4 square is over kill, and does not look as neat.

 

[sqwib]

Use the flattened expanded metal, Its the easiest to clean out of everything mentioned. Its flat !!

Over porcelain ? hmmm, I doubt that.

Since my Original Post, Been cooking on them for over 2 years.