recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

[jimkramer]

Now that I'm cooking pizzas, it's onto the insulated door. I want it to be stainless steel, as I don't want aluminum shavings from scrapes around food. How thick do y'all think the ss has to be in order to stand up to the heat after the fire cools down, and so it won't buckle over the years? I also don't want the handles to rip out from repeated lifting. Seems sheets go as thin as 28 gauge. Is that too thin?

[Novaslo]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

I learned a lot about doors and how insulation can help.

Take a look at my post here. It will help.
This morning I woke up to my oven being 650 degrees after last nights fire.

http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/p...ion-21681.html

[DavidApp]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

Hello Jim

If the door is made by a sheet metal shop it can probable be made of thin SS but if you are working in your basement/garage with limited equipment thicker would be easier to work with. The shop could probable make the door with fewer welds because they can fold the sheet up.

Mine is Mild Steel and faced with wood. The steel is about 1/32" thick. It was tough for me to weld.

David

[Novaslo]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

I went as thin as I could and maximized with 4 inches of Fiber Board insulation. It was really hard to weld because of its thickness. The welds would go right through. However the grinder did clean it right up.

In the end it was still 15 pounds.
I was trying to make it a weight that my wife could handle.

[mrchipster]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

Instead of welding use stainless pop rivets. They worked great on my door and 3 years of use and it is still like day one. Except for the black carbon from the oven.

Cutting with an angle grinder worked great.

4 inch thick ceramic board core. Stainless interior, aluminum outer skin with wood overlay.

I would change 3 things,
1. Handles that only go thru front face and do not go thru to interior of the oven. See charging of wood overlay from heat coming from inside oven.

2. Stainless outer skin with washers built up at handle holes to reinforced areas where handles mount. I do not have any issues with the handles as they are because they go thru 2 layers. But if they were only mounted to the front face I think they would benefit from washers and nuts to distribute the load better.

3. Thermometer installed after wood application. The wood overlay was an afterthought and it was difficult to get a good opening for the thermometer face.

[Novaslo]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

Instead of welding use stainless pop rivets. They worked great on my door and 3 years of use and it is still like day one. Except for the black carbon from the oven.

Cutting with an angle grinder worked great.

4 inch thick ceramic board core. Stainless interior, aluminum outer skin with wood overlay.

I would change 3 things,
1. Handles that only go thru front face and do not go thru to interior of the oven. See charging of wood overlay from heat coming from inside oven.

2. Stainless outer skin with washers built up at handle holes to reinforced areas where handles mount. I do not have any issues with the handles as they are because they go thru 2 layers. But if they were only mounted to the front face I think they would benefit from washers and nuts to distribute the load better.

3. Thermometer installed after wood application. The wood overlay was an afterthought and it was difficult to get a good opening for the thermometer face.

Yeah - My handles are mounted only to the face and do not get hot.

Do you have any worry of fibers dropping out of it? That was my concern and reason that I welded it shut forever.

4 inches thick is the key. It works really well.

Last - How heavy is your door - I like the wood that you did but don't want the extra weight as my wife is good for now at 15lbs - My current door.

[mrchipster]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

About 17 pounds, the board where visible seems quite stable. The rivets are close together and I could have done my tabs to completely enclose the board (but I did not) see photo of inside of door.

The wood is 1/2 inch cedar so I think it weighs less than 1 pound.

If your door is welded tight I would add a few small holes 1/8 inch to let out any moisture that may build up inside. They could be near the top so as to vent steam and not likely to let any fibers out.

I like my wood handles, always cool to the touch.

[Novaslo]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

About 17 pounds, the board where visible seems quite stable. The rivets are close together and I could have done my tabs to completely enclose the board (but I did not) see photo of inside of door.

The wood is 1/2 inch cedar so I think it weighs less than 1 pound.

If your door is welded tight I would add a few small holes 1/8 inch to let out any moisture that may build up inside. They could be near the top so as to vent steam and not likely to let any fibers out.

I like my wood handles, always cool to the touch.

I like the wood handles as well.
Your door looks very functional, well insulated and aesthetically - it looks great too. Nice.

[jimkramer]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

Which insulates more per inch of thickness - cal sil board, or ceramic fiber roll insulation? I assume the board since it's denser, but it would make the door much heavier.

[Novaslo]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

In my experience the board is much better. More dense.
Heavier, but worth it.

[mrchipster]

Re: recommended thickness of ss for insulated door

Which insulates more per inch of thickness - cal sil board, or ceramic fiber roll insulation? I assume the board since it's denser, but it would make the door much heavier.

Board is better insulation, and a 15-17 pound door with two handles is not a problem and the heat it holds is impressive.