Burner safe metal sheets

[Kbar]

Some options;

http://www.mcmaster.com/#stainless-steel-foil/=rfdell

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=1

[Grandpa]

Aluminum sheet works great as a heat shield for me. It's about 1/16th inch thick and I've used it for dozens of brews to deflect heat away from my ball lock valve and thermometer on my kettle. I place it right on the burner grill under the valve without any problems.
Don't use aluminum flashing (thin roll of material about 8" wide intended for roofing applications). There is a film of plastic coating that creates strong fumes the first time you heat it, stinks like hell!
I've found aluminum sheet metal at my local Ace hardware and True Value stores.

Could you post a pic or two, please? Sounds like it could be very useful so long as it's safe. I feel like so much heat (and therefore propane) gets wasted from my burner and would love to safely "redirect" it back to the kettle. I definitely don't want to mess around with any of this metal fume fever illness!!

The heat shield I'm using is just to protect the ball valve and thermometer from the intense heat of the burner. Its nothing more than a 8 inch square piece of sheet metal placed flat on the grill.
I think you are in need of a metal band around the bottom diameter of the kettle to capture the hot exhaust gas. That is a little different than the shield that I'm using.

[KYT]

This is basically what I'm wanting to make out of the sheets.
I thought a visual might be helpful.
Since the kettle is 304 stainless, I should probably get 304 for the sheets too.
What thickness would you guys think would be best? I don't have any equipment to weld, so I need to be able to cut it with snips.

[Kbar]

I have not tried, but am worried about cutting stainless with tin snips. Does anyone you know have a plasma cutter? Any room in your budget to get some outside welding/cutting services?

[KYT]

I've been asking around and haven't been able to find anyone. I've been looking at those 10' rolls of aluminum, as I'd need a 4' piece to make the shroud around the kettle. The metal doesn't matter for the burner skirt as it's just to block wind and shouldn't even get hot. I've got some air duct sheet from a recent project in the basement I may use.
If I could afford custom fab work, I'd be brewing more often lol well and have a custom shroud. I wish I could, trust me.

[KYT]

In case anyone was wondering how this turned out:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=31956