steel or stainless??

[sparky30_06]

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]

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]

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

 

[tom37]

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]

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.

 

[sparky30_06]

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.