Building Cooking Grates?

We used 3/4" sq tube with 3/4" #16 flattened expanded metal for my pit and it worked great.

I just built two grates for my stick burner last weekend. I actually used 3/4" angle for mine. they were 28"x30" square and I used expanded metal. I mitered the corners of the angle and welded them togther. I cut the corners with my miter saw and a cheap metal blade. I tack welded the expanded metal underneath and turned it over and you can't see the welds. Looks great and was pretty simple, I am not the best welder either. I will try to get you a few pics. I bought 30' of angle and one sheet of expanded metal and spent about 75 bucks. The expanded was 48 dollars, but I can't remember the exact size. It came in a 4X8 sheet. Good luck!

I second the vote for angle iron in stead of tubing. Regardless of what other people use, I would recommend as large wholes expanded medal as you can get, and get raised. Stainless is going to cost you a ton more, but I would consider it.

dmp

I'm in the middle of puting my new cabinet smoker together and shelves are the final thing I need... I had planned on using 1/2" flattened expanded mild steel with 3/4 - 1/8th" angle... anyone had problems with flattened? Anyone noticed pros/cons of flattened or raised?

I plan on doing jerky too so that's why I wanted the smaller 1/2" expanded...

I would use angle iron, also use for supports and small piece so rack doesn't tip when pulled out.

KnucklHed BBQ said:

Anyone noticed pros/cons of flattened or raised?

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If you don't get the flatten the raised in kind of sharp and uneven. It will cut into the meat as it cooks and then the meat with be a lot harder to get off the surface cleanly. Raised is almost impossible to use for a grilling surface also. Can't easily get a spatula between it and the meat.

BrewerDJ said:

If you don't get the flatten the raised in kind of sharp and uneven. It will cut into the meat as it cooks and then the meat with be a lot harder to get off the surface cleanly. Raised is almost impossible to use for a grilling surface also. Can't easily get a spatula between it and the meat.

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Kinda what I was thinkin too... Thanks for the confirmation!