steel plate thickness

[Sprinter]

I've noticed that when steel thickness is specified, sometimes they will say "3/16 - 1/4". Sometimes it is "5/16 - 3/16". Other times it will just be "1/4" or "3/16". It looks like most all steel stoves are 3/16" except for the tops which vary from 3/16 to 5/16 which is a pretty big difference.

I have two basic questions about thickness.
1. When two thickness are specified, what parts of the stove are they referring to for each one? I'm guessing the thicker number is for the top?
2. Just how important is it anyway? For example, Lopi Republic 1750 has 5/16 top but it's cousin Avalon Ranier is a 1/4" top. The Avalon Spokane 1750 is 3/16 top and body. All the same manufacturer, similar sizes.

I'm sure that a 5/16" top would be much preferred to a 3/16" top generally, but all of these have good reputations; I haven't seen any complaints about warping or anything. So how excited should I get about these specs? I just don't see steel thickness talked about much here.

 

[BrotherBart]

Though not always the case, these days as you observe steel stove bodies are 3/16" plate. With various strengthening done by the secondary air manifolds and brick retainers inside the firebox. Most of the time flat top stoves have 5/16" plate and step tops use either 1/4" or 3/16" with the step bend providing warp resistance.

 

[Jags]

...And actual stove design/engineering is probably just as important as the steel thickness. As BroB pointed out..twists, turns, bends and internal components can be designed as "frame" work to help the rigidity of the stove. Think unibody cars vs full frames.

The thickness of epa stoves isn't quite as important as the days of the smoke dragons. Todays stoves don't see much in the way of direct flames like the dragons did. Baffles, tubes, cats, firebricks all get in the way before it hits the top plate or the sides.