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Pizza Steel, $14

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Carolina Q
Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
in EggHead Forum
Well, I finally did it. Bought a 1/4" thick piece of scrap steel for pizza and griddle-type stuff. I'll have to trim it before I can fit it on the egg and it needs cleaned up and seasoned, but hey, it was a buck a pound! Cleaning and seasoning only if I just use it in my oven. Looks like a cut-off from some project, no questionable stains or welding slag, not even much rust! Nice clean edges too!

Measures 14.5" x 16.5" x 1/4", exactly the same size as the Williams-Somoma stone I bought long before I bought an egg. Slightly larger than the "official" $79 Baking Steel. They had 3/8" and 1/2" too, but I decided this would do nicely.

Oh, and trust is not dead! I wasn't planning to do this today and had only a few dollars in my pocket. While I was out, I decided to swing by. I picked out the steel and went into the office. Asked if they took plastic and they had a minimum purchase. He said there was an ATM right down the street. I asked if I could just leave the steel in the office and he told me to go ahead and take it with me! So I put it in the trunk and drove to the ATM, then returned to pay. In this day and age, can you believe it?! 

image

I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Michael 
Central Connecticut 

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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    Sigh. I called a fabricator about making one and they wanted 250. Sigh.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,895
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     I have a neighbor who owns a steel fabrication company - I bet I could do something similar if I asked him. Did you have any specifications as for the metal you were looking for other than relative size?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited April 2014
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    This place has a whole building full of cut-offs, some clean, some quite rusted. Pipe, tubing, channel, bar stock, sheet metal, steel plate, diamond plate, whatever. All, $1 per pound. I guess they'd cut it, for a price. Didn't ask.

    I have a metal cutting band saw that should cut it. I wouldn't consider that "fabrication" though. I thought $79 was ridiculous. $250 is just plain robbery!!

    Don't remember where you are, but this place is Logan Steel in Meriden CT. Probably something like this near you. Click through the pics to see their "Bargain Barn". http://logansteel.com/?page_id=365

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited April 2014
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    Ron, in the original Kickstarter thing for the Baking Steel, he described using a scrap piece of A36 steel for his prototype. That's about the most common stuff there is. Frankly, I don't know if that's what I have or not. Nor do I know if that's what Baking Steel is selling now. I do know mine is magnetic and that it weighs between 14-15 lbs.

    EDIT, A36 not A16 as originally posted. Memory fades, ya know?

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • SenorHuevo
    SenorHuevo Posts: 40
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    Just got my 'overpriced' baking steel in the mail this week -- thinking about taking it for a spin tonight.  Seems like a great vehicle for cooking.  I'm even more excited about the flattop possibilities than I am the pizza.

    From searches here, it seems in vogue to rag on the price of The Baking Steel, I mean, it's just a steel circle, right?  Sure, the price is steep, but the quality is very good, the shipping is free, and it's all ready to go.  Convenience and cheap usually occupy different orbits and one is not always better than the other.  But in defense of the Baking Steel, it may just be a hunk of metal, but it's a nice hunk of metal with some real value added.  Whether the value justifies the price is a business call -- for me it did, for you it didn't. 

    I'll look forward to seeing how it comes out and, even more, the cool stuff you cook with it. 
    I will never cook inside again.
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
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    Nice score.  You're right, the steel used for commercial griddles and the Baking Steel is A36.

    This thread may help you out Michael.  Some complained sanding the mill scale was a real PITA.  Scott123 recommends a vinegar soak.

    http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=31267.msg311011#msg311011

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited April 2014
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    SenorHuevo said:
    Just got my 'overpriced' baking steel in the mail this week -- thinking about taking it for a spin tonight.  Seems like a great vehicle for cooking.  I'm even more excited about the flattop possibilities than I am the pizza.

    From searches here, it seems in vogue to rag on the price of The Baking Steel, I mean, it's just a steel circle, right?  Sure, the price is steep, but the quality is very good, the shipping is free, and it's all ready to go.  Convenience and cheap usually occupy different orbits and one is not always better than the other.  But in defense of the Baking Steel, it may just be a hunk of metal, but it's a nice hunk of metal with some real value added.  Whether the value justifies the price is a business call -- for me it did, for you it didn't. 

    I'll look forward to seeing how it comes out and, even more, the cool stuff you cook with it. 

    No worries, he's ragged on it since the beginning. lol


     

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    SenorHuevo said:
    Just got my 'overpriced' baking steel in the mail this week -- thinking about taking it for a spin tonight.  Seems like a great vehicle for cooking.  I'm even more excited about the flattop possibilities than I am the pizza.

    From searches here, it seems in vogue to rag on the price of The Baking Steel, I mean, it's just a steel circle, right?  Sure, the price is steep, but the quality is very good, the shipping is free, and it's all ready to go.  Convenience and cheap usually occupy different orbits and one is not always better than the other.  But in defense of the Baking Steel, it may just be a hunk of metal, but it's a nice hunk of metal with some real value added.  Whether the value justifies the price is a business call -- for me it did, for you it didn't. 

    I'll look forward to seeing how it comes out and, even more, the cool stuff you cook with it. 
    SenorHuevo, I don't begrudge Andris making a living. Truly, I don't. Just too rich for me. I will be happy to settle for less than precise cuts and straight edges instead of round. If I can save $60+. We'll see how it turns out. :)

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    Focker said:

    Nice score.  You're right, the steel used for commercial griddles and the Baking Steel is A36.

    This thread may help you out Michael.  Some complained sanding the mill scale was a real PITA.  Scott123 recommends a vinegar soak.

    http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=31267.msg311011#msg311011

    Brandon, thanks for the link. Would rather have a Blackstone, Or a WFO. But.....

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    RRP said:
     I have a neighbor who owns a steel fabrication company - I bet I could do something similar if I asked him. Did you have any specifications as for the metal you were looking for other than relative size?
    If this was directed at me...

    When the BS group buy popped up, I researched pricing at a local fabricator. I quickly signed up for the group buy within minutes of their quote.
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  • fletcherfam
    fletcherfam Posts: 935
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    I have followed in @Eggcelsior‌ footsteps, I actually use the steel as a flat top 90 percent of the time instead of cooking pizzas on it.
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
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    fletcherfam said:

    I have followed in @Eggcelsior‌ footsteps, I actually use the steel as a flat top 90 percent of the time instead of cooking pizzas on it.

    Agree 100%. I still prefer a stone for pizza as I've gotten much better results than what I've gotten off the BS. The BS is a freaking great flat top though!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    If that's the case, then I will HAVE to cut it to fit the egg. That or just let all that grease drip into my oven. :) 

    Frankly, I'm pretty happy with pizza on my stone... egg OR oven.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Eggcelsior said:
    Sigh. I called a fabricator about making one and they wanted 250. Sigh.
    Were they going to charge you for the whole plate/sheet they were going to cut it from? When I set out to have my Tuff Guys fabbed, the first place I called was going to charge for the whole sheet. Second place I called was going to charge for just the steel I needed, plus labor for welding on the rims and handles I wanted, so I went with them.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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