TIG rod alternate uses

Search for "replacement oven rack" at amazon.com. One that might be good is:

----- Regards, Carl Ijames

I've been scratching my head , trying to come up with a rack system for a dehydrator I want to build . The heat/airflow will be taken care of by an old space heater , ducted into a box of some kind . I got to thinking last night that I can use 1/8" SS filler to make the racks ... any suggestions as to alloy ? Any reason this will not work ? If I had a source for chromed racks - and could get enough all alike - I'd go that way , but out here in the woods it's going to hard to find something like that .

Thanks for the link , but that's not quite what I want . I need the rods spaced about a half to 3/4 inch apart , we'll be drying veggies and jerky . A couple will need to be screen on a frame for chopped onion/celery/other leafy stuff . I'm not sure galv hardware cloth will be safe for some stuff , but aluminum screen should work for the leafy stuff . I'm thinkin' build a box out of wood with holes at various horizontal spacings , insert rods a/n and since they won't be welded up in a frame I can still use them to weld if needed !

I'm not sure galv hardware cloth will be safe for some stuff ,

Any 300 series alloy of stainless ought to be fine. Galvanized hardware cloth also should be fine, but will not look as good. The galvanizing is Zinc which is also sold as a food supplement

But if there is some place that has scrap ovens, the racks from scrap ovens ought to be less work. ZAnd the oven racks might be a bit stiffer. I think tho ovens use bigger diameter rods in their racks.

There are a lot of plans on the internet.

Dan

I thought galvanizing was avoided in cook ware.

Not sure , but I think it has something to do with the acidity of whatever is in contact . I figger if there's any question , stainless . We're starting to get produce from the garden

It is avoided in cook ware. For one thing it does not look all that great, and it has a rough surface so cleaning is more difficult. And too much zin c is poisonous. But for a dehydrator? Warm but not really hot, juices not in contact with the galvanizing. I think it no problem unless one is slic ing tomatoes before putting them in contact with the hardware cloth.

If you look on the internet , you will find those that say it is bad and ot hers that say it is no problem. You will also find Zinc poisoning has no l ong term effects.

Dan

Perhaps just look at commercial dryers and their replacement shelves. Even living in the middle of nowhere UPS and FedEx can find you...

Yup , they both know cwhere I live - but have you priced that stuff ? Most suppliers are quite proud of their merchandise . I can make better for less using TIG rods and hardware store screening .