We want to replace 15/64 inch thick lexan panels with stainless steel. (Kitchenaid buiilt in side by side refrigerator -- old but works fine) There are places like "Metals by the Inch" that will cut steel to your specifications. The steel would be thinner than the lexan, so we would need to mount to a substrate to achieve rigidity and complete fill the side clamps. Was wondering whether anyone had done something like this. Would appreciate guidance on what thickness to get, what kind of steel (304?) is typically used on refrigerators, any other cautions or suggestions.

I bought my wife the 5.5Qt lift bowl model number "KV25mexer5" from Costco. It has all steel gears. I got when they had basically 2 sales on it at same time. $50 off from KA and $30 off from Costco so we paid $249.00 total. For $250 it is probably the best choice you can find for a mixer, we have not had any problems with ours after 5 months of use so far. Hasn't had any problem making a 3 cup batch of bread dough using the dough hook and on speed 2 like it says to do. So far for us and especially for the price it was the best deal for our needs. It is loud but so is every other mixer in this power range. It seems rather solid, no grinding, everything works smoothly. I seriously looked at the Bosch Universal which is definitely a better mixer especially if you make a lot of large 6+ cup dough batches. But for the one I would buy (stainless bowl with blender) is $550 on sale. So more than double the price. For how much we use a mixer this Costco KA was our best deal by far, plus the added perk of if anything happens to it the first year or maybe even longer we could just take it right back for a full refund or replacement with no hassles. IF you use the hell out of a mixer though I would pay the extra and get the Bosch Universal. As far as where the KA "Stand Mixers" are made they are actually made in Greenville OH. The KA hand mixers are however made in China. But like most everything else made in China it is made there under the exact specifications that the American Company wants, unfortunately that happens to be cheap as humanly possible which is why they are made there. IF the American company stated we want the best possible mixer you can make and stated exactly what they wanted, what materials to use etc that is exactly what they would get from China. So while everyone continually puts the blame on China it really has next to nothing to do with them. It is the American company that purposely wants crap at the cheapest price possible.

You call U-line, Marvel, GE Monogram, or a bunch of others who make "clear ice" makers. I think they're always stand-alone, although U-line makes one that's integrated with a bevarage center (not sure it's clear ice though).

Less magnetic means less ferrous and less prone to rust, so I'd get the 304. 403 is hard to find (I looked for it locally for a project). The only visual difference will depend on how it is finished - highly polished, or matte with lots of grain - that is not dependent on whether it is 304 or 403. Order a very thin sheet. My herb and spice storage is a 2' x 3' sheet of (not stainless) steel in a picture frame with magnetic containers. I made the mistake of using 1/8'' (0.1250'' or 11 gauge). The sheet is far stronger than it needs to be, and heavy. It needs multiple hangers just to stay securely on the wall. The thickness you mentioned (15/64'', 0.2344'') is way too thick. Quarter-inch steel plate weighs 10 lbs per square foot. If your refrigerator is 70'' x 35'', you are talking 170 lbs of steel plate. The hinges may not like it. Whoever gets hit in the face by the door may not like it. On the positive side, there will be no need for any stiffening substrate. In fact, I don't fully understand the need for a substrate regardless of the thickness of steel. Can't you glue the steel directly to the existing surface? I don't know what the refrigerator looks like, or what ''side clamps'' means. Maybe post a picture or two? Useful links: http://www.ssina.com/faq/index.html http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/steel-plates-weight-d_1561.html