Where can I get heavy expanded steel?

[natdiamond]

The stuff they sell at home depot and Lowes worked good for my charcoal box, but is too flimsy for a grill grate. Any Idea where I can get some in a heavier guage? I live in north east Georgia, right next to Chattanooga Tenn.
I've noticed some of the pics people have some with a metal border on them. I'm guesing they were either custom, or manufactured with that original smoker. But any help would be appreciated. Someone mentioned getting a cast iron grate, but it's out of my budget.

 

[coleysmokinbbq]

I will PM you in a couple minutes...Need some info to help me find the expanded metal for you...

 

[mossymo]

Natdiamond
Check with metal workers in your area; welders, fabrication shops, etc. I was looking for heavy expanded aluminum for my home made smoker for the racks and found a fabrication shop that had a large sheet that the corner was cut into for a project and had been sittin gin his inventory unused. He wanted to get rid of it and offered it at a huge discount. I am sure the buyer of the initial project paid for the entire sheet and what I paid was just additional profit but it save me quite a bit.He even cut it to size and welded supports to it for the original quoate for the expanded aluminum. I ended up with 6 - 23" X 23" shelves with welded supports for $60.00. If I remember right a full sheet would have made me 8 racks but cost $350.00 retail, uncut and not welded.

Make sure to also check with custom trailer makers and places that design headache racks for semi's.

 

[smoked]

my lowes and ace carry several gages of it, however you might have to go to a metal supply place.......

 

[deejaydebi]

These guys had a better price than I could get locally even with shipping:

http://www.onlinemetals.com/

 

[chris_harper]

I agree- check your loacal metal supply places. I got lucky when I made mine. I got my materials at work, and used the plasma cutter and welder at work. I used angle-iron for the frame, and welded in the expanded metal to it. I welded the metal to the bottom of the angle-iron; so it sits in the smoker, with the two racks side by side, and looks like one big rack- with a metal "support" in the middle.

 

[walking dude]

Deb.......i didn't see expanded in your link.........am i looking in the wrong place?

 

[natdiamond]

Well thank you to all for the replies. I called one of my local metal shops refered be ColeySmokinBBQ in a PM. I got 2 pieces of #13 16"x17" for $10!
What I learned:
#9 is what they make trailer gates out of.
#13 is thinner but still WAY thicker than the home depot stuff and plenty strong enough to support large roasts, hams & turkeys on.

If you are going to call your local guys, the keyword is "DROP".
Ask them if they have any "DROP" pieces of expanded metal.
This is metal shop lingo for scrap or extra's.
Thanks again.
Now to season it!

 

[coleysmokinbbq]

Congrats on the Great Score!!...

Glad to be able to help!...

BTW...When ya get it fired up and smokin' again...eat a couple of Pulled Pork Sammies
and a few ABT 's for me!!...

Until later...