metal peel gauge/thickness

[kebwi]

If one were inclined to make one's own peels, what thickness of metal should be used? Does it depend on whether it is aluminum or steel? Is it thin enough that it can be made with (perhaps heavy-duty) cutting tools, but no welding?

[scottz]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

Hi,
My peel is ally and is fairly thin and flexable. A friend on mine made a peel out of a stop sign and he says it works for him, but I think it might be a bit thick. I would say somewhere around the thickness of possibily 2 or 3 sheets of paper. I have a metal pole attached, but I think a wooden one would be a bit better because mine can get warmish when we are cooking alot of pizzas.

Hope this helps

Scott

[Les]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I made all of mine out of 16 gauge aluminum - easy to fabricate and they work great.

Les...

[kebwi]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

Great. Thanks. I'll take all of that under advisement when I look for sheet aluminum.

I guess one question is, can aluminum at the requisite thickness (16 gauge) be cut with sheers? Can I assume the welding isn't a requirement to cut a piece of aluminum to make a pizza peel?

[Les]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I used a jigsaw, then a file to deburr

[Wiley]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

Both the blades of my metal peels are made from aluminum and are both about 1/10 of an inch (they mic out at .103 inches). The aluminum came from the late Boeing Surplus store. The alloy is 2418T8 which being of the 20 series is unweldable but very stiff and harder when compared to more easily available 6061T6. I tapered the leading edge which seems to work well. They were cut using a saber saw and shaped and dressed with a file. Here's an old photo taken back before there I had insulation on my WFO (which can be seen under a tarp in the background):

Hope this helps,
Wiley

[heliman]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I have 4 peels of various descriptions and bought the most recent stainless steel one for $30 so they are pretty cheap to buy. The one I use most has an aluminium head of about 220 mm which is pretty menouverable and good for turning etc. I have another full stainless one with a head of about 30 cm - thickness around 1 mm which I haven't used. Given the cheap price that you pay for them, it's probably worth considering buying one as it is something that you will use for years to come.

Will post some pics when I get home so you can see the different shapes/handle lengths etc.

Rossco

[heliman]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

Some pics of my peels ... the small wooden handled one gets the most use!

Rossco

[backinoz]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I made my set out of 0.9mm stainless. I cut the shapes out with a good set of tin snips and a bit of muscle and patients and finished edges off with a file. My first attempts were overly complicated trying to make a shovel arrangement but ended up with just doing flat plates inserted into a 38mm piece of dowl and secured with screws.
0.9mm stainless is strong enough not to flex.

[david s]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I also made mine from 0.9mm stainless. Also a good idea to file off the square edge at the front so it will slide more easily under a soft base.

[kebwi]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

This is all great. Very informative. I wonder where I can get sheets of aluminum or stainless steel in the thicknesses described in this thread. Will HD and Lowes have it?

[Tscarborough]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

My local restaurant supply has peels in wood and aluminum, 12" to 18" wide, 18" long to 60" long for 15-50 bucks. At some point I ask myself, "is it really worth the time to make something I can buy?" This I will buy.

[heliman]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

My local restaurant supply has peels in wood and aluminum, 12" to 18" wide, 18" long to 60" long for 15-50 bucks. At some point I ask myself, "is it really worth the time to make something I can buy?" This I will buy.

I have to agree with that statement....

Half an hour of labour at a basic rate would be $30, add petrol getting bits and pieces and the cost of the materials and you will probably SAVE money by buying one!

That is, unless of course you build a silver inlaid masterpiece to be handed down to the next generation of pizzaiolo at your house as a family heirloom .. in which case making one is a good option!!

Rossco

[kebwi]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I'm still pricing things. I thought this stuff seemed pretty expensive but I'll keep looking around.

[heliman]

Re: metal peel gauge/thickness

I'm still pricing things. I thought this stuff seemed pretty expensive but I'll keep looking around.

Actually I think until recently peels and other WFO accessories were quite expensive. When I had my oven installed over 7 years ago I was probably one only a very few number of people in town that had one and the accessories were hand-made by the local blacksmiths society.

Now that WFO cooking has sort of become mainstream - and not just the exclusive domain of the bizarre and eccentric, aside from restaurants, things are somewhat different. Accesories are really cheap and mass produced now so very freely available. So, I do see where you are coming from on this one and there probably was a time when it made sense to make your own...

Will be good to see the sums on making/buying though.

Rossco