Expanded metal cooking grates?

[robgunby]

Just wondering, could I cut a piece of expanded metal to use as a cooking grate? Need some 57cm grills and the cost of them is ridiculous!

[aris]

I don't see why not - but expanded metal isn't cheap either - particularly stainless expanded metal.

[keith157]

Sorry if this is teaching your parent's mother to suck eggs, but make sure any expanded metal is not coated and of suitable quality to withstand the heat.

[robgunby]

Thanks both. I will probably look for plain steel (living in Sheffield it shouldnt be hard to find) and treat it like I would a cast iron pan - give it a good oiling and a seasoning in the smoker and maintain the lustre.

I've no idea what the cost will be, but given a) I need to get some anyway for making the fire basket and b) a replacement 57cm grate is at least £15, it's probably worth a shot.

[stretchie_]

I used mild steel weld mesh for cooking grate and expended metal for the coal basket if it helps

[robgunby]

That sounds sensible. Where did you get yours from? Did you have to cut it to size / shape?

[stretchie_]

Local steel supplier, for the food grill I placed the existing food grill on top of the weld mesh and drew around it with a marker then cut it with an angle grinder

For the charcoal basket I used the coal grate from a smaller BBQ and got some weld mesh, I think, 13" wide, I then just rolled it into a tube and used nuts and bolts to fasten it like that so that it wouldn't unwind then stood it on its end and welded it to the base.

My build doc so you can see what I mean about the basket https://www.dropbox.com/s/7lndnbdgkom2h ... w%20To.pdf