Upgrading to CNC cut steel grates in the Smoker

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circle j fire pits USER_AVATAR
Circle J Fire Pits
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Upgrading to CNC cut steel grates in the Smoker

Postby Circle J Fire Pits » Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:39 am

hey guys i have a question about upgrading your current expanded metal grates. as i said in the New member intro we are a manufacture, and i am doing some research on a new pit design. in the last two years we have cut more CNC steel replacement grates for smokers than we have in the last 10 years. so i am wondering why all of a sudden we are cutting them on a regular basis. My few questions are below, and any help or guidance is much appreciated.

what is the average lifespan of expanded metal grates in the smoker and firebox?

is there generally an option to upgrade to a better grate at the time of purchase?

is it easy to find a replacement for your existing expanded metal grate?

we have used expanded metal for years on our fire pits, and had few problems, however there seems to be a big push for solid steel grates. thanks for reading my post and have a good one

Thanks
Justin
Circle J
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Re: Upgrading to CNC cut steel grates in the Smoker

Postby spacetrucker » Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:56 am

My pit building days are long gone... I always used "stretch metal" the old name for expanded steel, I never had to replace any of them. So sorry I cant be of any help.
I did make a few pits that had a shelf on the front that was attached to the cooking grate, which allowed the grate and shelf to slide completely out, allowed for easy cleaning at the car wash, I am sure if the car wash folks did not like it though... :D
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Damon54
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Re: Upgrading to CNC cut steel grates in the Smoker

Postby Damon54 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:48 am

I much prefer a stainless steel rod grate over expanded metal. My setup is small so the cost of the upgrade is rather negligible in my case. Easy to clean as I probably directly grill on mine more than most users.
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Re: Upgrading to CNC cut steel grates in the Smoker

Postby allenayres » Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:58 am

I prefer stainless as well, my current pit has stainless steel in a expanded steel design.

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