On Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:34:37 -0500, Joseph Gwinn
wrote:

In article
,
"Dave, I can't do that" wrote:

Hi All,

I want to make some spare rotisserie rods and wondered if I can use
square brass rods. Since they pass through and are in contact with the
meat the entire cook time, I do not want to kill off the family with
heavy-metal poisoning.

Any idea where I can get some valid safety information on using brass?
I know I could get stainless, but I have about 20 pieces of 1/4"
square brass in lengths from about 18" to 26" which would do just
fine.

As many others have noted, uncoated brass will leave a very bad taste in
the food, and 1/4" brass is likely too weak, unless this grill is very
small.

As meat cooks, it shrinks, and a 1/4" rod may not be able to prevent
free rotation of meat on spit. You may need some kind of outrigger
spike sliding on the square rod to prevent this.

I would use stainless steel, type 316L. There was a long thread on my
choosing the alloy to make double-prong skewers, and 316L was the
answer. And the resulting skewers (15" long hairpins made of 1/8" round
rod) work just fine.

Joe Gwinn

Ive got about 60 lbs of 1/8" "bars" of 316L..about 12 foot long .....

Gunner

One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch