Expanded stainless sheet.....

[slim_boy_fat]

I was about to pull the trigger on this sheet on the 'Bay until I saw they want £15 for carriage - OK, it's coming from Germany but even so.... Ideally I wanted 500mm x 500mm but it's out of stock with them. Another site [can't remember which, it was a random Google search result] was fine on price for the mesh but wanted £30 to send it up her from Englandshire

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stainles...var=521372857854&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

It's for the cooking grill of the BBQ I'm planning/making and although I have a bit of the perforated stainless sheet which would be ideal, not being a BBQ person I think the more open mesh might be better in 'food cooking' terms? I've done a bit of Googling but all suppliers seem to want to supply full sheet sizes and charge accordingly.......

So...a) am I right in thinking that 'mesh is besht' and, if so, b) can anyone suggest a source, or maybe have some around, for which I'd happily pay of course. I did consider buying a disposable and using the grille from it, ditching the rest - but looking at them I'm not sure how 'robust' the mesh is to stand repeated use and the sizes I can see are on the small side for the gas bottle.

If the Collective experience says the perforated stuff will be fine, I'll go with that and save a lot of faffing around.

 

[anto44]

You could get some stainless rod and make up a simple grill that way. Just make a ladder style frame with bars spaced every inch or so like this.

 

[Shox Dr]

Think out the box my friend.

Had the same problem, solved using stainless steel pan rack/heat rack.

This was from ikea, and not SS, it worked well enough keeping the pumice stones off the burners. I forget where the SS one came from.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks lads. Spacing would be critical and the Ikea one looks too wide to stop small bits of food going through?

@anto44 To do that in stainless will involve TIG, and I'm not that clever with the process [yet, or indeed perhaps, ever ]

 

[Bob Rivers]

I made my own for an oil drum BBQ, flat bar frame/border, 8mm mild rod and used a 19mm wood batten for a spacer......haven't lost a sausage yet.

Quick wire brush every now and then and it's fine (rusty as hell at the moment but Ive been very remiss with my outdoor cooking lately!)

Mesh is great for low and slow smoking and even indirect but anything higher and it won't last as long.....

 

[anto44]

Thanks lads. Spacing would be critical and the Ikea one looks too wide to stop small bits of food going through?

@anto44 To do that in stainless will involve TIG, and I'm not that clever with the process [yet, or indeed perhaps, ever ]

Just had a look at the one on the store bought bbq my parents have and that one is only mild steel. Not well up on bbqs or that kind of thing but someone here will tell us if mild is acceptable.

 

[chunkolini]

Try these guys
I am thinking of mesh or the sheet full of holes as radiator covers when I am done renovating my house.
https://www.finemeshmetals.co.uk/

 

[bigegg]

Just had a look at the one on the store bought bbq my parents have and that one is only mild steel. Not well up on bbqs or that kind of thing but someone here will tell us if mild is acceptable.

I've never had a problem with mild steel on my BBQs - I've made a few.
My favourite is expanded mesh, but I've used 6mm - 8mm - 12mm square and round bar to weld my own grills.
Not keen on weldmesh.

Just don't use supermarket trolleys - the one I tried had chromed steel, and all the chrome came off - all over the food.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I've never had a problem with mild steel on my BBQs - I've made a few.

I was intending using stainless for hygiene reasons, didn't want to poison the family..... Might go as you do, or use the perforated stuff I have if that'll let the food cook without taking to long, being 'more solid' than mesh?

 

[bigegg]

Never used perforated.
I *have* used a 3mm? 4mm maybe steel sheet on top of the BBQ as a "hot plate" which cooked steaks, chicken, chops, sausage perfectly well. If that works, can't imagine perforated not working?

I'm hungry now...

 

[bigegg]

Addendum: as long as you don't use plated/galvanized, you'll be fine.
Mild steel is no more poisonous than cast iron, and that's been used for centuries!

I'm lazy, I try to make my grilles modular, so that they are small enough for the sink.

Washed, dried and oiled. (Sometimes)
Or just a quick tickle with a wire wheel in the angle grinder before use.

 

[Wallace]

Thanks lads. Spacing would be critical and the Ikea one looks too wide to stop small bits of food going through?

Stop cutting the steaks so small!

I might have a piece of stainless mesh that was set aside for a bbq build about 15 years ago. As I found a brand new boxed Weber bbq in a hedge it’s surplus IF I can find it.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Stop cutting the steaks so small!

I might have a piece of stainless mesh that was set aside for a bbq build about 15 years ago. As I found a brand new boxed Weber bbq in a hedge it’s surplus IF I can find it.

That'd be good, thanks. Be a while before I'm at the stage of installing the mesh grille.

 

[Wallace]

That'd be good, thanks. Be a while before I'm at the stage of installing the mesh grille.

I’ll have a hunt for it.

 

[Wallace]

Wonders will never cease, had a hunch where to look and there it was! Could have sworn it was wider from memory. Mesh is 3mm rod, squares at 25mm centres, 308mm W x 1222mm L. Grade unknown but non magnetic using a HDD magnet.

 

[JEZGUZ]

Most commercial char grills ( posh barbie in a kitchen) use mild steel bars for the grilling area, cheap to replace when they eventually burn through.

 

[fizzy]

I just use an old oven/grill shelf with the mesh from the grill.
Works fine and nothing drops through!

 

[mechman]

What about old cooker shelves etc?

 

[fizzy]

What about old cooker shelves etc?

Lol just beat you to it.
Great minds think alike!

 

[mechman]

Dead right scrap yards are the game, or your local (just passing at the time nomad)