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Small 'garbage' - long with pictures
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Toy Man
Posts: 416
I like modifying my eggs almost as much as cooking on them.[p]This is a pictorial of current mods to my small egg.[p]Starting at the bottom of the egg:[p]
[p]This shows the piece of aluminum placed under the egg to reflect heat. I have a lot of respect for how hot the bottom of the eggs can get. [p]Eggor's "Lucy" adjustable intake is shown. What is not shown is Eggor's idea of cutting away the metal behind the sliding intake to full width of the ceramic opening thus allowing more air in when running at "full throttle".[p]
[p]I use this piece of screening as a "high tech" spark arrestor. Future hopes are to have a built in screen like the new eggs have. I have since cut the piece of screening in half and use a half on each egg.[p]
[p]This shows one of the 4 "shims" I use to steady the egg in the table. I just cut them to size out of whatever scrap wood I have laying around.[p]
[p]Continuing up the egg, this shows my version of Eggor's idea of using a SS mixing bowl for a fire box. I used a 7.5 quart SS mixing bowl from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It fits like it was designed for the small egg. I drilled the holes and added the bail. I found the rim impossible to drill for the bail eyes - had to grind the holes with a Dremel carbide bit. Used a bail from a small plastic paint bucket I bought at Home Depot.[p]I like this mod. Very easy to remove the charcoal to clean the ash out of the bottom of the egg (see ash scoop) and to sort thru/re-arrange the charcoal - something I never used to do but find myself doing it fairly frequently now. Also no more flipping the ceramic ash grid when I stir the lump to remove ash.[p]
[p]
[p]A ash scoop to get the ash out off the bottom. Shown here in my large but I really use it for my small. I cut up a bottle of Odwalla juice. Works ok but I am still searching for a better solution.[p]
[p]Note: I used a 12 quart SS RSVP Endurance mixing bowl from Sur La Table for my large egg. It does not fit as snug as the small bowl but because there is a gap between the bowl and the fire pit I can grasp the sides of the bowl to remove it without needing a bail.[p]
[p]Next is the bottom ring/support part of Chubby's Grate Mates. I use either a ceramic baking dish or a 10" kiln disk resting on this ring when I do an indirect cook. Notice the Grate Mates on the sides. I cut the grid supports on the Grate Mates to about half their length so I could easily remove the SS fire bowl.[p]Cotronic's Thermeez ceramic tape #395-81 was used for replacement gaskets.[p]
[p]
[p]
[p]This is my variation of MickeyT's Wave exhaust cover. I cut it out of a piece of walnut, drilled a 1" hole in the center and added a piece of thin aluminum to the bottom. I also swiped Mickey's idea of using pins (cut off nails used here) to keep the cover from falling off when the lid is lifted. I use this cover as a replacement for the ceramic green top and the metal daisy wheel.[p]Next mod: A Lawn Ranger handle.[p]Toy Man[p]
[p]This shows the piece of aluminum placed under the egg to reflect heat. I have a lot of respect for how hot the bottom of the eggs can get. [p]Eggor's "Lucy" adjustable intake is shown. What is not shown is Eggor's idea of cutting away the metal behind the sliding intake to full width of the ceramic opening thus allowing more air in when running at "full throttle".[p][p]I use this piece of screening as a "high tech" spark arrestor. Future hopes are to have a built in screen like the new eggs have. I have since cut the piece of screening in half and use a half on each egg.[p][p]This shows one of the 4 "shims" I use to steady the egg in the table. I just cut them to size out of whatever scrap wood I have laying around.[p][p]Continuing up the egg, this shows my version of Eggor's idea of using a SS mixing bowl for a fire box. I used a 7.5 quart SS mixing bowl from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It fits like it was designed for the small egg. I drilled the holes and added the bail. I found the rim impossible to drill for the bail eyes - had to grind the holes with a Dremel carbide bit. Used a bail from a small plastic paint bucket I bought at Home Depot.[p]I like this mod. Very easy to remove the charcoal to clean the ash out of the bottom of the egg (see ash scoop) and to sort thru/re-arrange the charcoal - something I never used to do but find myself doing it fairly frequently now. Also no more flipping the ceramic ash grid when I stir the lump to remove ash.[p][p][p]A ash scoop to get the ash out off the bottom. Shown here in my large but I really use it for my small. I cut up a bottle of Odwalla juice. Works ok but I am still searching for a better solution.[p][p]Note: I used a 12 quart SS RSVP Endurance mixing bowl from Sur La Table for my large egg. It does not fit as snug as the small bowl but because there is a gap between the bowl and the fire pit I can grasp the sides of the bowl to remove it without needing a bail.[p][p]Next is the bottom ring/support part of Chubby's Grate Mates. I use either a ceramic baking dish or a 10" kiln disk resting on this ring when I do an indirect cook. Notice the Grate Mates on the sides. I cut the grid supports on the Grate Mates to about half their length so I could easily remove the SS fire bowl.[p]Cotronic's Thermeez ceramic tape #395-81 was used for replacement gaskets.[p][p][p][p]This is my variation of MickeyT's Wave exhaust cover. I cut it out of a piece of walnut, drilled a 1" hole in the center and added a piece of thin aluminum to the bottom. I also swiped Mickey's idea of using pins (cut off nails used here) to keep the cover from falling off when the lid is lifted. I use this cover as a replacement for the ceramic green top and the metal daisy wheel.[p]Next mod: A Lawn Ranger handle.[p]Toy Man[p]Comments
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Toy Man,[p]I like the ideas/mods.[p]One great thing about the egg, is it works great with out any modification, but some things just make egging more fun![p]Smokey
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Toy Man,[p]Can you elaborate on the purpose of "steadying" the Egg with shims? Isn't it heavy enough to stay in place?
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It is mounted in a wheeled table that gets moved around quite a bit - hence the shims to keep it locked into place while moving.[p]Toy Man
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Toy Man,
Nice work! One question; The shims might not allow expansion when your egg gets real hot, such as when your cooking pizza. They look like their in tight. Are you concerned at all?
Clay
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Toy Man,
I also enlarged the intake hole in my small. Before had a hard time getting above 500 degrees. I then made a grate out of stainless wire. Now I can get to 700 in about 15 minutes or less. I think I'll try your bowl idea. It would be much easier to clean.[p]
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I have been using them on both eggs for about 1 1/2 years.[p]No problems so far.[p]Toy Man
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smokinsop,[p]using the stainless colander is a must!!! IMHO, especially for the small.[p]most of the ash stays in the colander, just grab it by a hand made bale, shake it a few times over the lawn and your back in business.[p]The small gets a real workout at my house, and to get a shop vac is a pain in the arse...[p]I like ToyMan's idea on a custom ash scoop that you could use from the inside!!! not sure what it may look like, but way better idea than the ash rake if it works.[p]****, if I come up with something you can't make at home I'll make an extra for ya![p]Scott
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eggor,
I have a small dust bin and brush that is about 3 inches wide. I'll sometime brush down the insides to knock down the ash that is clinging to the sides adn then scoop it out with the bin. Both plastic and a couple bucks at some store. I've had it about as long as my large so I don't remember where it is from. Bit tighter in the small but still gets 90% or so of the ash.
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happy easter to you! i need to replace a draft door myself. what kind of sealer exactly did you use? did you get it from BGE? Lowes? i tried looking for a high temp clear silicone (if any such animal exists!) at auto part stores but to no avail. and anybody i talk to has no clue. i am assuming that BGE is using a high temp clear silicone as i would be hesitant to use the regular stuff. please fill me in. oh, and if you start marketing those doors i am definitley placing an order. that is too cool. cheers to you and yours!
dixeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee -
Toy Man,
How long have you been retired?
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Well Uncle Sam says I'm retired but I'm still helping people with their computer problems. [p]Egging, rafting and 4x4'ing take up the rest of the time.[p]****
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dixee6,
don't get over here to the .net side often, it's a whole different world trying to post and such, :unsure: , I made several of the draft doors for small thru the XL, if you would like one just shoot me an email to eggor44@aol.com. I don't know how to get to your profile, so you'll need to email me. As far as the silicone, any good clear silicone will work, it doesn't need to be high temp.
Scott -
Toy Man,
Do you have any time left to cook? Can't figure out what you meant about cutting Chubby grate length? Can you fit a reular cooking grid onto fire ring level without moving one of the chuuby lifters aside? Might be able to if the tab were cut?
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I cut about a 1"? off the length of the horizontal tabs that support the raised grid. Still supports the raised grid fine and I suppose you could also place the grid onto the top of the fire ring.[p]Toy Man
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Toy Man, Thanks, that's what I thought you meant. The shorter tabs may allow the grate to be placed onto the fire ring without moving the lifter. I'm always moving one to go from low to higher cook level. Any thoughts on drilling a 1/2 inch hole thru the ceramic raincap and installing draft control and some method of keeping same on top when dome lifted?
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