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Cast Iron Grate vs Ceramic Grate

Spring Chicken
Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
I've had Lily Large for over 10 years now. She came with a ceramic grate. It lasted four or five years before crumbling and was replaced for free with a cast iron grate when I called Atlanta to order a few items.

The first cast iron grate lasted about two years before it developed a crack. It took a couple of years for the crack to widen to an inch and reach about 80% across so I ordered another one.

The replacement has only been in use through one cleaning cycle (about two months) and has already developed an inch long crack.

I know I can get another one but I was just wondering if some of you more creative Eggheads have come up with something that is better than the BGE cast iron grate?

Spring "Showing Signs Of Wear" Chicken
Spring Texas USA
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Comments

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Leroy,

    I have had two crack. I brazed one and left the other alone. Both are fine. Are yours unusable?

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    The new one I just installed a couple of months ago is very much usable but if it is anything like the last one I can only expect just so much mileage out of it before the crack widens too much to hold the lump. I figure maybe six months tops before this one needs replacing.

    Spring "Low Mileage" Chicken
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Sorry Leroy,

    You're saying grate, I'm talking grid..duh. Newbie problem.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Morro Bay Rich
    Morro Bay Rich Posts: 2,227
    Likely excuse!! Looks to me like you are taking the easy way out. ;)

    Regards,
    Rich
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Rich,

    Middle age...my hard drive is full.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    Leroy - You might take this opportunity to order a TurboGrate from Fred. I've got two of 'em and like them just fine, haven't had a blockage yet.
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  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    My one year old grate has a one inch crack as well. Is this an automatic warranty item? Just take it to a dealer? I didn't know if the warranty just covered ceramics or what.
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  • Morro Bay Rich
    Morro Bay Rich Posts: 2,227
    Bet you can hardly wait for "old age" when you hard drive will still be full but with old stuff. :laugh:
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    I've been thinking of doing just that. Thanks for the reminder.

    Spring "Super Charged But Not Yet Turbo'd" Chicken
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    If you have a decent dealer he will give you a replacement. If not, you can call Atlanta and they will send you a free replacement but you pay shipping. You're okay for a few months, maybe even a few years, but eventually it will need replacing.

    I think they're under $10 if you buy one.

    Spring "Just Out Of Warranty" Chicken
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    Leroy - The only problem I have found with the TurboGrate is that you cannot use a wok with the spider in the down position, but inverted, it works just fine.
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  • Semolina Pilchard
    Semolina Pilchard Posts: 768
    Mine cracked as well. I made a grate out of expanded metal. The increase in airflow is unreal. I have not needed a wiggle stick since.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Rich,

    I hear ya. :laugh:

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    Not a bad idea! Thanks
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  • tach18k
    tach18k Posts: 1,607
    I have had my cast iron lump grate since the beginning. so 6+ years, it is just about had it, I really should order one. Mine looks like a pie with a piece missing.
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    How thick was the expanded metal and did you have to go to a metal supply place for it???

    Thanks,
    Bordello
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  • SoCalWJS
    SoCalWJS Posts: 407
    I remember being more than a little peeved when mine developed a crack, then more so as the crack grew until finally a small piece fell off.

    Then I realized that I had lost very little cooking area, and I now had a place to drop in wood chunks w/o having to disturb the cook. :)

    (probably me trying to look on the bright side - there are just too many things that I like about the cast iron to give it up :laugh: )
    South SLO County
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    Methinks he is referring to the GRATE at the bottom that the coals rest on, not the GRILL that the meat is cooked on.
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  • Semolina Pilchard
    Semolina Pilchard Posts: 768
    I am guessing the diamond shaped holes are about 1/4" X 3/4", thickness is an 1/8" to 3/16". I luckily did not have to go to a metal supply shop, I hear that stuff is ridiculously high priced. A friend had a scrap piece. It cut easily with a jigsaw. I am told that sometimes the supply shop will have a small piece they'll sell. Also, I have been told to go to shops that use this stuff, such as welding shops to get a scrap piece. I have been using it for quite a while and it still looks like the day I put it in the egg. Someone showed a pic of one he used and it rusted through. I guess mine is made from the right alloy for use with fire. I have enough left for one more if the one I have ever gives out. I can't imagine going back to what I had before.
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  • Cactus Doug
    Cactus Doug Posts: 341
    Spring chicken, I have been thinking of making one out of 1/4" S.S. plate as mine has developed a mean crack as well (still in use, 3 yrs old). Do you want one? Once I program the machine cutting a second is easy.
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  • Rib Fan
    Rib Fan Posts: 305
    Here is my story. I asked my local BGE dealer how much a cast iron grate was. He never even asked what size I was looking for and just said "about a hundred dollars"....since I have two eggs I was thinking ok $100 for each plus tax is $230 dollars or so. I went to my local Canadian Tire (Home Depot or Lowes is the US equivelent..only larger scale) and picked up two porcelin coated cast iron grids for $30 taxes in. I took the ceramic grate of both large and small and made a template for each. Then cut out to size with an angle grinder and cut off wheel. Took me about 15 minutes for both. Both have stood up great...for over 2 years and they work.....as you can see. Plus kept $200 in my jeans.


    img_0495.jpg
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Thanks for the input, while I have the metal grates I want to be prepared. I have a metal fab. shop close so may stop in to see.

    Regards,
    Bordello
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    Yes... I'd like to give it a try.

    Someone long ago mentioned they made one out of some type woven metal but I don't recall there was a photo. I never heard any more about it.

    The only woven metal I've seen looked like it would clog up quickly.

    I also thought maybe there was an advantage to making it cone shaped but I'm not a fabricator and wouldn't know how to do it or even if it was worth the effort.

    But yes, let me know where and how much.

    Spring "Saying Cone Shaped Makes Me Want Ice Cream" Chicken
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  • Rib Fan
    Rib Fan Posts: 305
    Shoot...helps to read :) OK...grate....not grill. Well...my post might help someone anyhow... :laugh:

    Regards,

    Wayne
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  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    Hey Leroy! My Woot loot came today. Thanks man. My el cheapo quicko just burnt up a week before you posted the Woot link. Had to get it. Cant beat 20 bucks.
    IMG_5942.jpg
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  • Semolina Pilchard
    Semolina Pilchard Posts: 768
    I should have mentioned this earlier, I cut out an 11 inch circle and I am glad I did. Heat + gravity = a bowl shaped piece of expanded metal. If I had cut it the same size as the original fire grate it most likely would have slipped through the hole. This was for a large egg.
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  • Gandy Dancer
    Gandy Dancer Posts: 273
    This is what I did on my small and it works great with more air.

    IMG_0020.JPG

    IMG_0021.JPG
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    Grate, grid? Y'all said it was a cooking grid, now it's a grate?

    I'm so confused! Time to go cook on the egg and drink beer! :blink: :blink:
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    Now that's a good idea. My small is slower to get up to temp, but I use a battery fan to help her out. But that looks good.
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  • SoCalWJS
    SoCalWJS Posts: 407
    ooooopsss! :blush::blush:

    Some of those comments about the shaker grate make more sense now.
    South SLO County
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