20-22 gauge steel

[farmerfletch]

What difference in heat transfer between 20 and 22 gauge stainless steel?

[happy thoughts]

I think most people will tell you to go with the thinner 22 gauge or even 24. Heat transfer in SS is not the greatest to begin with and you'll get a quicker boil with thinner SS. I on the other hand prefer heavier gauges in my hotel pans and cook pots because they are sturdier and can take more abuse. They may take longer to heat up but once heated up they'll stay heated up longer. At least that's my thinking and just my opinion :)

[b116757]

Not that much

[backyard sugaring]

My pans are much thicker than one you would buy. I agree with once they are hot they stay warm longer. Lee

[madtrapper]

I have near the same question, how thick is to thick thou ?? I found a guy that can get me scrap ss sheets for half price of new. but i got ahold of a place that does fabrication (for bending etc ). They told me 16ga is what they would recommend any thinner and its very hard to do and looks like crap. ??? i'm sure most are done by hand right. would anyone think 16 ga is to thick. making a 2x4 pan with 3 dividers in the back with 2 section sideways dividers in front for syrup finisher. and either doing drop flues or drop v-grooves. was going to do 8 inch high sides with 1 inch lip on the top????

[smokeyamber]

No idea on heat transfer, but the thicker stainless is much harder to bend and it gets work hardened faster than mild steel. If you are going so thick then consider just mild steel, it has better heat transfer, way cheaper and you can clean and store it fine by coating it with food grade mineral oil. It is also much easier to work and you can mig it , drill it , solder it with no special tools.

I built my mild steel pans for a fraction of the cost of stainless... and they work great.

[jputney]

I have a 32"x5' flat pan that is 13 gauge stainless. I have no problems with it. I am sure I would get it to boil quicker if it was thinnner but once it warms up it's just fine.