Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Medium BGE Refurb and Handle Ideas

Options
Enders
Enders Posts: 29
in EggHead Forum

Here's a question for the forum. 

I got an old Medium BGE off craiglist.  It's in rough shape: cracked firebowl (of course), cracked top, Fire Ring has one crack, door is the old type (black and rusted), the top is single function, thermo dead, the handle is the old type (bale wire type) broken.

Here's what I've done:

- New Stainless door + mesh

- New Thermo

- New gasket (not yet installed)

- New top provided by forum member (Pictures as soon as it arrives)

Here, finally is my question: I'm thinking of buying a medium handle and just drilling holes and adding the new handle to my old scissor type bands.

Has anyone done this?  Did it work ok?  I'm about to purchase, but would love to hear if others have done it?

 

Thanks!!!  Pics soon!

XL BGE, Medium Project Egg

Indianapolis

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Enders
    Enders Posts: 29
    Options

    Wow- Not lots of tinkerers here huh....

    Well, I contacted Sullivans Hardware, one of my local dealers, and they gifted me a handle for my project egg!  What great folks.  I went ahead a bought a CI grid as a thank you.  Great folks.  Previously they had also taken a stainless door right off another grill to sell it to me!  If you're in Indianapolis, these are great folks to deal with.  This isn't even the dealer I bought my egg from!

    XL BGE, Medium Project Egg

    Indianapolis

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Options
    I'd like to before pics
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,894
    Options
    Since it is a scissor type band that really does date it. My medium is 13 years old but even by then they had ditched the scissor and gone to a locking lever band. If it were me  the first time that scissor failed I'd pop for a spring assisted current model band. As for innards I assume you just plan to stick with the broken pieces - right? - but when you do replace them you probably need to measure well, or at least be sure you can return the parts in case they don't fit. Over the years some changes have been made to fire boxes and fire rings. BTW what is the outer condition of your ceramic? Can you post any pictures of your work in progress?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,894
    Options
    As for making a new handle fit in a bale type band - here is the metal piece I bent and then bolted to the protruding tabs in my mini egg that had the bale style handle.
    image
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Options
    I agree with Ron's advice, buy new bands.  Rehab'd a large, it had the locking hinge.  Dealer gave me a new tel-tru for cooking at his annual fest, great owner.  Salvaged a SS draft door, free of charge.  Bands were $90 back then.  I'm sure they have gone up considerably.  Nomex was $10 from my dealer.  So total cost was $100.  Have considered a custom paint job like Wilecoyote's Golden Egg.  It will likely be a gift to my son when he gets his own place.    
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited April 2014
    Options
    @RRP‌... I really like your handle Ron! I thought it would be sort of a novel idea to have one made for my LBGE with NPHuskerFL with some color differences. Forget the forum member or company that does this. Link? Thanks Blake.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,894
    edited April 2014
    Options
    Thanks - All my egg handles are from the LawnRanger. Back then he was only using "found wood" so every handle was different and unique. I believe he got burnt out making them and has taken a break, though now he is making custom spoons!

    BTW Mike got started making his grid lifters - again the handles are one of a kind and I swear mine was the best he ever made!!!
    image

    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,894
    Options
    Focker said:
     It will likely be a gift to my son when he gets his own place.    
    LOL - his own place??? He's only 6 isn't he?
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Options

    Yea, we got a while. lol

    Seems like the first 6 have flown by.

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,894
    Options
    Focker said:

    Yea, we got a while. lol

    Seems like the first 6 have flown by.

    I sure hope to meet the future mayor of Moline in June! 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Options

    HAHAHAHAHA

    Looking forward to Peoria. ;)

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Enders
    Enders Posts: 29
    Options
    RRP, thanks for your comments and welcome to the discussion!; I love your custom handle. I'll post some pics when I get home tonight. Yes I plan to use all the cracked ceramics, no reason not to. My lower portion of the outer ceramics are fine with the exception of a spot where the ceramic chipped. I may just paint it. The top is cracked and repaired but @jhl192‌ sent me his extra top, replaced by dealer due to a chip at delivery. There is a color difference in the outer ceramics, but who cares!

    XL BGE, Medium Project Egg

    Indianapolis

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories