Building a table for my XL BGE. Need advice on wood and other input.

YEMTrey · July 2012

My father is eager to get together with me and build a table for my egg. I'm not going to pass up the opportunity. Gonna be a good experience.

My first question is what type of wood would you recommend? Something that would be available to me in the midwest, and fairly easy to get would be a plus. I've read to avoid pressure treated and something else but don't remember. I'm willing to spend money on nice wood. Made the investment in the egg, don't want it to sit in a table that doesn't do it justice.

My second question is we'll be using the BGE site/naked whiz template for the build. Are there any important mod's or things I should change/add to make my table better?

Thanks for any and all input. Excited to spend some time with dad and build a table together.

-Steve

nolaegghead · July 2012

Woods that are naturally rot resistant and available (not rot proof, no such thing) consider:

swamp cypress (old growth - pretty much only found reclaimed now)
cedar
redwood

Woods people typically make eggs from that are fine if you keep them sealed:
new cypress
fir
#1 white pine

Ultimate woods for people with lots of money (very rot resistant)
teak (#1)
ipe
cambara
eucalpytus
white oak

If I were on a budget and wanted a pretty table, I'd buy #1 fir, give it a dark stain and follow up with a marine spar varnish. Make sure you minimize areas that water can pool (and start rot). Most importantly, buy or make a cover.

Wolfpack · July 2012

I think IPE is about the best- very hard and dense wood that is flame resistant and extremely heavy.

Hard to work with and expensive but will age well and will be the last one you have to make.

On my to do list to build one out of IPE- will test my meager woodworking skills.

Let us know what you decide.

XLBalco · July 2012

some clear cedar would make a nice table. i am in the process of staining my table and should of went with clear.. but i still like it:)

nolaegghead · July 2012

The stain really helps preserve the wood from UV radiation. Clear is asking for trouble. That said, I only use clear. ( I know, I'm a hypocrite ) I make lots of stuff for the house with old cypress and heart pine, and it's already kinda dark from age, and I like to see the natural wood colors.

XLBalco · July 2012

i guess it depends on how much you will actually leave it exposed. i plan on keeping it covered most of the time.

maintenance free is the way to go imo.. maybe one day i will do brick and mortar.

FanOfFanboys · July 2012

Subscribing to this thread. I hope to build a table next spring.

Aviator · July 2012

Have a question.

Have gone to every possible place to look for lmber.

Western red cedar is available at one lumber yard and quite inexpensive. Has more knots on it than I like.

Redwood can be ordered at another yard, but I have never layed eyes or touched redwood. Lot more expensive, although cost is not the issue here.

Top will be granite.

Which one (wood) should I go with?

Aviator · July 2012

Found this on the question I posted above. I am not a specialist, but what say you?

Western Red Cedar and California
Redwood are from the same genus and have many similarities. The main difference
is that Western Red Cedar has much greater structural integrity for two basic
reasons.

First, Western Red Cedar has far greater flexural toughness
(able to flex without shattering) than California Redwood. For example, hydro
electricity poles are made of Western Red Cedar not California Redwood because
vibrations may cause California Redwood to crack.

Second, California Redwood has a higher density than Western
Red Cedar and contains more oils. The effect of this is that California Redwood
is more difficult to glue, does not retain stain very well, and is easier to
split when screws are used to fasten pieces together.

Below is a summary of the benefits of Western Red Cedar:

Density

Western Red Cedar's low density enhances its insulation value
and makes it an easy wood to transport and handle.

Dimensional Stability

Western Red Cedar is hygroscopic and will absorb or discharge
moisture to attain equilibrium with the surrounding atmosphere. It has a very
low shrinkage factor and is superior to all other coniferous woods in its
resistance to warping, twisting, and checking. Western Red Cedar's dimensional
stability makes it perfectly suited to a variety of uses in high moisture areas.

Thermal Conductivity

Western Red Cedar is the best thermal insulator among the
commonly available softwood species.

Acoustical Properties

An important acoustical property of wood is its ability to
damp vibrations. Western Red Cedar is particularly effective in this regard and
can be used to reduce noise or to confine it to certain areas.

Durability

Western Red Cedar contains natural oils that act as
preservatives to help the wood resist insect attack and decay. Properly finished
and maintained, Western Red Cedar will deliver decades of trouble-free service.

Overall

Western Red Cedar is light-weight, easy to work, easy to
finish, possessing outstanding dimensional stability, Western Red Cedar is a
preferred wood for nearly all purposes where attractive appearance or resistance
to weather is important.

nolaegghead · July 2012

The knots add character. I think redwood is a prettier wood. Yeah, it does split - you just pre-drill your screws. Strength shouldn't be an issue with this table.

I'd get whichever you think looks better. You're going to drop some money on the top, don't skimp on the base.

Either way, try to pick your own lumber - and try to get all heartwood (darker). The sapwood isn't nearly as weather resistant.

Redwood turns a dark red, unfinished, with age. Western red cedar unfinished turns a dark grey. The redwood will probably last longer - has more oils.

Jmille15 · July 2012

I used the Naked Whiz template for my LBGE and built it out of IPE. It is some killer hard wood. I snapped several stainless steel screws until I learned to drill larger pilot holes and use a wax ring to lube the screws. The wood is not cheap (~$2.50 linear foot), but is will last a lifetime. I used all stainless fasteners and finished by rubbing mineral oil on it. It tunred out better than I had hoped and definitely is worth the extra investment IMO.

Jmille15 · July 2012

The pic didn't make it... here it is.

nolaegghead · July 2012

Nice table!

I hear people recommend adding bees wax to the mineral oil (microwave to dissolve) and it gives you a longer period of water resistance.

tgkleman · July 2012

Be careful with ipe. It is almost impossible to glue, even with epoxy. Be prepared to use mechanical fasteners on all of the joints. My other hobby is woodworking, and I have heard horror stories about outdoor furniture made of ipe where the glue joints failed. If you are going to be screwing everything together, than you should be alright.

Aviator · July 2012

IPE like Cumaru is very hard wood and impossible to work on using hand tools. Its like working on concrete.

refrigerationman · July 2012

ive got my heart set on using cedar

nolaegghead · July 2012

I wouldn't say IPE is "impossible" to work with hand tools, but "unpleasant" comes to mind. My band saw and table saw don't care what kind of wood it is.

Yeah, you don't want to rely on glue joints alone. Use mechanical fasteners, mortise and tenons, floating mortises, etc. Where you do glue, wipe the joint down with mineral spirits - there are some chemicals that rise to the surface (lapacho and oils) that can make the glue joint fail.

Pocket screws are one of my favorites.

cortguitarman · July 2012

Have you considered pvc deck boards? They ain't rot, twist, warp, or get eaten by insects. They will hold up fine with the heat and the material is extremely scratch resistant. Use a pressure treated frame and it will last forever with no maintenance. My bottom shelf of my table is made of pvc decking. My top is concrete. If I wouldn't have used concrete, I wouldn't have hesitated to use pvc decking. Azek is my pvc of choice. Although Wolf is a new kid on the block and making some beautiful material.

If this doesn't appeal to you, ipe is a great choice, but don't forget about good old white oak. They made ships out of it until the late 1800's. Some are still floating. I'd say it is pretty rot resistant.

nolaegghead · July 2012

Oak is a great wood. Hardwoods don't expand/contract as much as softwoods. That makes finishes last longer, and the piece is less likely to self-destruct if it isn't designed with expansion joints.

Aviator · July 2012

According to my reseach recently (and I am no expert), oak is not a good hard wood for exterior applications. It can be done, but not the wood of choice.

It seems the composite or fake deck boards have poor fire resistence. Dont know about vinyl but one would imagine it may not suitable in applications were the cult of "Trex" is regularly practiced.

stike · July 2012

Any wood has poor fire resistance. Proper airspace is req'd no matter what wood you choose

cortguitarman · July 2012

White oak is good for outdoors, not red oak.

The pvc deck boards and composites will work fine for an egg table. The fire is inside of the egg, not on the outside. As stoke said, you need air space around the egg. A 3/4 to 1 inch space will suffice. You still need a paver stone under the egg.

nolaegghead · July 2012

According to my reseach recently (and I am no expert), oak is not a good hard wood for exterior applications. It can be done, but not the wood of choice.
It seems the composite or fake deck boards have poor fire resistence. Dont know about vinyl but one would imagine it may not suitable in applications were the cult of "Trex" is regularly practiced.

Red oak isn't, but white oak is used for external applications. You can use any wood you want if you finish it correctly. If you don't want to finish or keep it covered and let it bake in the sun and soak in the rain, I'd build it out of redwood or old-growth cypress.

nolaegghead · July 2012

...or teak.

Jai-Bo · July 2012

I looked at plans and modified here and there. I built mine out of cedar...check my thread, it was an awesome experience and being hands on makes it more meaningful!!!!

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/910180/from-tree-to-table#latest

Aviator · July 2012

So cool. Yhanks for sharing. The red cedar does look great.

nolaegghead · July 2012

I looked at plans and modified here and there. I built mine out of cedar...check my thread, it was an awesome experience and being hands on makes it more meaningful!!!!

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/910180/from-tree-to-table#latest

I wish I could mill my own....something about that level of DIY. I have a pretty big band saw, been thinking about sawing some logs....

bigguy136 · July 2012

Have you thought about a steel frame wrapped in wood?

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Building a table for my XL BGE. Need advice on wood and other input.

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