Cooking Racks

[Vega]

Hi all, I was wondering if any of you have made Your cook chamber racks for a DP GF out of 3/16 plate or something similar? Instead of expanded metal. Thanks in advance!

[tinspark]

I used #9 expanded metal with 1x1 angle frame at 3 edges. I used a 1”x 1/4” flat-bar on the front edge to give more room sliding stuff on and off of the grates.. with todays metal pricing you would have a small fortune just in the grates. Then cnc work to cut slots in the 7 gauge metal. (aka3/16”plate)

[Dirtytires]

You also need to be concerned with the amount of open space in the rack. You would really need to cut the heck out of a solid sheet. Even perforated (punched plate) is too restrictive for most smoker applications. #9 flat expanded seems to be the normal.

[Vega]

Thanks for the replies. It would be quite a bit of burning on the plasma, and a lot of plate for 5 racks.

[tinspark]

Thanks for the replies. It would be quite a bit of burning on the plasma, and a lot of plate for 5 racks.

A lot of guys that grille use those fancy grates. They are always exposed unless the lid is down. In a smoker remember the adage, " If your lookin' you aint cookin". On a gf smoker and any for that matter, the door is closed all of the time, or at least should be... Unless someone is wrapping, unwrappin', puttin' more stuff in, or taking stuff out.
I did a little ginger-breading on the outside of mine where it is seen. I recommend that course if you want to do a little cnc work on yours. If it was a Santa Maria grille and exposed all of the time a cnc grate is visible and looks pretty cool out in the open, imho...