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My new redwood EGG table

trip150
trip150 Posts: 55
edited May 2012 in EGG Table Forum
My first woodworking project is finally finished.  It was actually done 2 months ago and has been under constant use since i finished it.  I have to give big kudo's to Driving Hampster who sent me his table files in Google Sketchup - i duplicated his table design with small adjustments to fit my needs.   

I built it using redwood, 2x6's for much of the framing, 4x4 for the legs, and 2x4s ripped down and glued for the top, all assembled with kreg pocket screws and lots of glue.  Finished it off with Pennsylvania bluestone under the egg, as well as a bathroom grab bar and of course the bottle opener.  Heavy duty casters from amazon.  I used some left over scrap tile as a trivet.  Still need to install the tool hooks - haven't found anything i like so far.  Would like to have a way to hang the grate when i remove it from the grill, haven't figured that out yet.  

It was alot of fun to build, took me a couple weekends to finish it.  Key suggestion i have for others is to plan to do a lot of sanding, then when you think you are done, sand some more.  Also, attaching your shopvac to the random orbit sander is key.  Did i mention measure 3 times and try to only cut once?  I finished it with General Finishes Exterior 450 from Woodcraft, which soaks into the wood a lot better than a spar and doesn't peel off over time, really easy to work with and I highly recommend it.  I should have put more coats on it, but i will save that work for later.  Found a great cover at amazon that fits it perfectly for only $30 (Classic Accessories 73952 Veranda Cart-Style Barbecue Cover XXL).  

We have done a lot of smoking since i set it up on the deck, which is why this post is so delayed.  Low and slow is made easier with an auber instruments PID controller and fan (which i highly recommend).  We have done several long overnight smokes so far making pulled pork, which has worked out great.  Several high temp cooks have also been done and i have not had any problems at all with heat and the stone.  

Suggestions i have for those looking to build their table include - 1) when cutting the hole for the egg, use a router and not a jigsaw, 2) glue selection is key - i used tightbond III but wish i would have used other epoxies for edge work so the glue didn't show thru, 3) pocket screws are key, i would have never been able to build this without them, and 4) take your time and finish your project with all 10 fingers intact! (i did, but had several close calls).  

Thanks again to Brian for his plans.  



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Comments

  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    That's a great looking table.
    I'm guessing the tight bon, kreg high, and some big bar clamps were instrumental in getting that great looking two tone top.
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
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  • lilwooty
    lilwooty Posts: 215
    She's a beauty!  Love that top.

    Living Large and XL

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  • dlk7
    dlk7 Posts: 1,053
    Wow - that is amazing!!!!

    Two XL BGEs - So Happy!!!!

    Waunakee, WI

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  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    I think it is a great idea to have the egg in the center of the table.  I am helpless with tools, so I bought the stock table from BGE.  It is great compared to the nest that I had forever, but be much handier with a work area on each side like yours.  Good job.
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Very nice table sir.  Job well done!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • butwhymalemodels
    butwhymalemodels Posts: 267
    Holy wow, that's awesome!

    A muslim, a socialist and an illegal immigrant walk into a bar 

    Blogging: Never before have so many with so little to say said so much to so few.

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  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    edited May 2012
    The top and angled sides make for a very interesting table.  Well done! B-)
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,463
    Beautiful Job!  Redwood's looking like the go-to material for my own.
     
    Have a question about the bottle opener on the far right corner in your last pic, though.  If its like mine, how can you open a bottle without spilling?  (mine is mounted to a vertical surface)
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • thebtls
    thebtls Posts: 2,300
    Amazing job. Great pics and description; congrats. Enjoy!
    Visit my blog, dedicated to my Big Green Egg Recipies at http://www.bigtsbge.blogspot.com You can also follow my posts on FaceBook under the name Keep On Eggin' or the link http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Keep-On-Eggin/198049930216241
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  • trip150
    trip150 Posts: 55
    Beautiful Job!  Redwood's looking like the go-to material for my own.
     
    Have a question about the bottle opener on the far right corner in your last pic, though.  If its like mine, how can you open a bottle without spilling?  (mine is mounted to a vertical surface)
    I don't have any problems with it spilling - it is a vertical mount bottle opener, not horizontal.  Make sure you didn't buy a horizontal mount one, that can cause the spilling if its mounted vertically.  
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  • balliardi
    balliardi Posts: 72
    Great looking table!
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  • XLBalco
    XLBalco Posts: 607

    looks aweseome!

    what grit sand paper did you use?  i cant decide wether to stain or clear coat.  if you just clear coat, do you want to use a real fine grit or leave a lil rougher so the pores are open?

    building my table hasnt been the issue- knowing how to finish it is- so many opinions.

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  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    Beautiful Job!  Redwood's looking like the go-to material for my own.
     
    Have a question about the bottle opener on the far right corner in your last pic, though.  If its like mine, how can you open a bottle without spilling?  (mine is mounted to a vertical surface)
    I think in that last pick, the opener is just laid there on the table top. You can see it installed in the third pic. 
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
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  • BigGreenJon
    BigGreenJon Posts: 45
    Great job on the counter top!  It looks really sharp.
    Lucky to have a LG Egg My Blog: http://manvsgrill.blogspot.com/
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  • Bjorg
    Bjorg Posts: 241
    Great looking table. I also got the sketchup files from 
    Driving Hampster as original inspiration, but I ended up modifying them to a point where the table no longer looks like it lol. Mine will be ready soon. 
    Quebec - Canada
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  • trip150
    trip150 Posts: 55

    looks aweseome!

    what grit sand paper did you use?  i cant decide wether to stain or clear coat.  if you just clear coat, do you want to use a real fine grit or leave a lil rougher so the pores are open?

    building my table hasnt been the issue- knowing how to finish it is- so many opinions.

    Sorry for the delayed reply and thanks to all the compliments.  I started at 80 and brought it all the way down to 220.  Then i used a very fine grade sanding block in between coats of the exterior 450.  

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  • demo
    demo Posts: 163
    The Big Green Egg and the Shopsmith.  Looks like a great combo to me.
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