Need advice on sheet metal please

[PrairieGeek]

I took a break and am getting back at it this weekend but need a little advice.
For the inner door panel and the inner cabinet trim where I removed plastic, what are you using? What type of sheet metal and what gauge?

Also I am replacing the bottom I think that can be fairly light as it is really just a moisture barrier.

The bottom front crossbar though, it's rusted out on one side. I am wondering about how heavy to go with that.

Thanks in advance and reference link for my build with picshttps://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/my-build-thread-old-ge.287624/

 

[rc4u]

just me but I don't use galvanized sheet metal raw, for cooking. for door I would make template and then add couple cross bars for attaching inside and rivet on using high temp gasket appropriate for seal

 

[PrairieGeek]

just me but I don't use galvanized sheet metal raw, for cooking.

So what would you use for a non contact surface? Meaning no food will touch it

 

[rc4u]

any sheets not galvanized, as it has stuff I don't wanna breath or eat when heated. if you want rust prevent then use 600 degree paint or just season like a steel griddle or cast iron is after use. you can get thin sheets at any steel fab shops.

 

[2008RN]

I used .060 304 stainless for all of the sheet metal n my fridge. I bought a whole sheet and then had a sheet metal shop cut the widths I needed so I would have good square and straight edges to work off of. I then used a motobo .040 cutoff wheel to cut the pieces to length.

You could use .050 metal. I think that .040 might be thin. You could also use aluminum if you had to. As previously stated stay away from galvanized.

When you do the door make sure the door surface is all in the same plane. Ie: all squared up/flat. Someone posted great pictures and dirrections for doings this. When I did mine I got the door really flat. I did a dry run mounting everything and I had less than .015" difference between the front of the cabinet and the back of the door. I then pulled the door off and insulated the door. Then added the interior door panel. When I did the insulation I ended up putting some pressures on the inside support struts and bowing the door out of being flat. So be carefully with the insulation. Also use pop rivets to attach the door panel as stated before and the cover pieces on the cabinet. I used stainless screws an there was not enough clearance when the door opened and I had to redo the hinge side of the fridge an the touch up the paint.

I also had to replace the bottom of the cabinet because it had rusted through in a couple of places.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

 

[PrairieGeek]

UPDATE:
I went to the local supplier, Kind of sucks though.
Stainless only comes in 4'x10' sheets. I was looking at either 20GA or 24GA. Stainless 10' is triple the cost of cold roll steel at 8'. a 4x8 is even way more than I need. So I guess I will go cold roll and high temp paint.

Thanks for all the replies

 

[daveomak]

Lay door flat with opening up.... Shim as shown.. tweak the shims so the strings just touch at the X.. Lay the steel on the door... drill and screw the sheet steel in place... Pop rivets work well also... cold rolled steel is what I used.. works very well.. For a finish, I oiled the steel as I would a cast iron pan.. I wouldn't use paint.. I used 1/2" manila rope for a door gasket as the hinges were offset and I needed the fill the gap... High temp silicone sealer secured the rope gasket... Do not use synthetic rope.... it will melt...

 

[Canadagrown]

Lay door flat with opening up.... Shim as shown.. tweak the shims so the strings just touch at the X.. Lay the steel on the door... drill and screw the sheet steel in place... Pop rivets work well also... cold rolled steel is what I used.. works very well.. For a finish, I oiled the steel as I would a cast iron pan.. I wouldn't use paint.. I used 1/2" manila rope for a door gasket as the hinges were offset and I needed the fill the gap... High temp silicone sealer secured the rope gasket... Do not use synthetic rope.... it will melt...

View attachment 399289

I know this is an old post but addresses my question perfectly. What I don’t understand is, what is being shimmed and what is being used as a shim? Is the shim going between the door and the rolled steel? And if so, would there not be a crack showing where it is shimmed? I know I’m missing something here so please clarify if possible haha.

 

[daveomak]

Evening.... Shim the door/floor using wedges of tapered shakes... Wedge it until the strings just touch where they cross... Now the door is in one plane and fasten the sheet metal to the door making sure the door doesn't move...
If you don't follow these steps, and the door is out of plane, it won't close square to the fridge body....
Make sure the fridge body is sitting level and plumb on the floor as without the door closed securely, it will twist out of plane also....

 

[Canadagrown]

Evening.... Shim the door/floor using wedges of tapered shakes... Wedge it until the strings just touch where they cross... Now the door is in one plane and fasten the sheet metal to the door making sure the door doesn't move...
If you don't follow these steps, and the door is out of plane, it won't close square to the fridge body....
Make sure the fridge body is sitting level and plumb on the floor as without the door closed securely, it will twist out of plane also....

I’m still having a tough time picturing where I am inserting these shims. To me they would create a gap between the sheet metal and the door. I know I’m looking at this wrong some how and I’m gonna feel like an idiot when it’s brought to me attention.

 

[daveomak]

How to shim a door to insure the new liner is in plane with the door for a good fit up..

 

[daveomak]