# What about zinc plated??



## wutang (Oct 1, 2008)

I am building a uds and have been checking out hardware options. I have read a lot about staying away from galvanized (opinions vary a little based on temps the smoker will achieve but I will leave the stuff alone).  But when I look at hardware, there is a limited selection of stainless steel and a vast variety of stuff that says "zinc plated" or "zinc coated"  The zinc stuff comes in a lot more options/sizes.  Just wondering your thoughts on if it would be ok???


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## markeli (Oct 1, 2008)

Zinc plating is the same thing as galvanizing I would not use them.
Just my opinion.


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## grothe (Oct 1, 2008)

Please read this link about Zinc

http://files.aws.org/technical/facts/FACT-25.PDF


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## mrwizardgi (Oct 1, 2008)

Yeah...I went with the SS just to be safe as well.  Lowe's had a decent selection of things.  More expensive, but less guess work as to if it'll make me sick or not!  Good Luck with your build!

J-


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## wutang (Oct 1, 2008)

I hadn't looked at lowes yet. Home Depot had a huge selection of zinc plated and galvanized but not much stainless. I guess I just gotta do a little more shopping. I don't mind paying a little more for stainless but I wouldn't want to buy something that isn't what I want in stainless when they have what I want in zinc plated.


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## geek with fire (Oct 1, 2008)

I used Zinc fasteners in my drums.  Just put them in a container with some toilet bowl cleaner and stir them around.  At least twenty minutes, but longer is better.  I wouldn't leave them overnight because of the potential for fumes.  When you are ready to rinse, take them outside and rince with cold water.  They will look different when they are done.  If they don't they still have Zinc on them.


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## wutang (Oct 1, 2008)

Did you do it because you already had the zinc fasteners? Or because you wanted to save some money? The process doesn't seem terribly complicated but it does seem like a little bit of a hassle-is it worth the savings of a few bucks? I might look into it but I might just try and find stainless steel. Thanks for the input though-if I only find what I want in zinc coated at least this gives me another option.


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## bbq bubba (Oct 2, 2008)

Save the money, unless your drum is gonna reach 1100*, the standard hardware is fine.
Been cooking on drums for 2 years now, still here.....

Thats my story and i'm sticking to it!


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## wutang (Oct 2, 2008)

That is what I meant in my first post by "opinions vary based on temps".  My smoker certainly would not create the temps found in welding/torch cutting as described in the document that Grothe posted but on the other hand-why take the chance? It isn't like I would spend hundreds of dollars to get stainless but spendind $20 on hardware is still better than spending $40.  I don't want to be a cheapa** but I also cook for my family and my 2 1/2 year old daughter and don't want to take an un-needed risk.


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## m1tanker78 (Oct 2, 2008)

Use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) instead of toilet bowl cleaner. Do it outdoors. It'll quickly make dinner of that zinc. Rinse very well and voila!

I used standard galvanized hardware in my smoker and gave it "the treatment" before hand. Not worried about the smoker heat - it was more because I had to weld on some of the bolts. Zinc = not good. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Tom


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## mrwizardgi (Oct 2, 2008)

I'm soooooo stupid for not thinking of that!  We are actually doing a lab on metal reactivities next week in my chemistry class.  I could totally use my hardware for it.  That means I could buy the hardware and write it off as an 'expense' for school!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Thanks for posting this!

J-


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## white cloud (Oct 2, 2008)

If you can find a marine hardware store near you they would carry a large selection of SS


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## wutang (Oct 2, 2008)

I ended up stopping by a Westlake Hardware store on my way home and was pleasantly surprised by their selection of stainless steel hardware. Lots of different sizes of nuts/bolts/washers and a few different different sizes of eye-bolts and U-bolts.


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## curious aardvark (Oct 2, 2008)

what's a uds ?

ps. if using hydrochloric acid on any metal - do so in a very open space. One of the byproducts is hydrogen - which will explode if ignited. (the other would be zinc chloride, which is what you're washing off the remaining metal) 
You don't see any galvanised cookware - might be something in that :-)


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## wutang (Oct 2, 2008)

UDS is Ugly Drum Smoker- A smoker built from a 55 gallon steel drum

Yeah-no galvanized cookware.  A co-worker of mine said "you wouldn't eat with a galvanized fork would you!"  I'll probably just buy stainless.


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## remmy700p (Jun 12, 2013)

I want to lay a curved sheet of metal underneath my charcoal grate in my firebox on my BTLE to minimize the ingress of O2 into the fire chamber through the ash tray opening. I picked up a sheet of 26 gauge (flexible) steel from HD, but it is a shiny, coated zinc. Will the heat of the firebox preclude me from using this due to outgassing from the coating?

Thx.


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