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Moving around an XL BGE, am I being unreallistic?

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Mud Pig
Mud Pig Posts: 489
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am awaiting an XL BGE. I opted for the new design so I have to wait for the distributorship to get it in stock. If I'm lucky I'll get one from the first shipment and have it in three weeks. Now I decided to get the XL BGE, the nest, and the egg handler. My plan is to store it in my shed and then pull it onto the concrete pad in front of the shed to cook. Keeping it out of the weather in the shed when I'm not using it.

Now the shed rests on a concrete pad, which is 6 inches higher than the concrete pad in front of the shed. Its a continuous piece of concrete, you just have a step and when you enter the shed. I did buy a set of 6 inch wheel chocks meant for a car to load and unload the XL BGE and help with the 6 inch step.

How realistic am I being here? I figure you guys would know best. Can I store the XL BGE in the shed and pull it out when I want to cook and then back in when I'm done or is this EGG simply to big to handle?

Thanks in advance from a guy that doesn't want to post pics of a shattered new design XL BGE.
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Comments

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    I've never even SEEN an XL, but I know how unwieldy my large is. IMO, it's an accident waiting to happen. Perhaps you could build some sort of moveable handicapped ramp - longer, less slope. I really can't recommend it though... I have one that's about 3'x3' that I use to go up a 6" rise. Both times I've done it, I almost dropped my egg.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • grillmandan
    grillmandan Posts: 270
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    With thee egg handler and strong forearms you should have no problem.
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  • EggerDan
    EggerDan Posts: 105
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    Welcome to the 'family' and send pics of the new arrival. ;)

    I have a XL in nest with wheels. I only move it around on patio blocks. It is heavy and depending on where you grab, it feels top heavy when in rough terrain. I believe you'll need to figure out a way to lift the unit by the nest, say rope straps hooked to the nest frame. I believe that 6 inch elevation change without a good length of ramp will be precarious at best.... IMHO.

    Good Luck and let me know how it turns out.

    Daniel
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  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
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    In a wheeled table, maybe...in a simple nest, you're begging for trouble. The XL weighs over 200 pounds, and in the nest it's very top-heavy. Get that center of gravity a quarter of an inch outboard of the wheels and you've got a big problem on your hands.
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  • B & C
    B & C Posts: 217
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    nm
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    Pick a spot in the yard, put down 4 pavers, then the nest, XL, and get a cover. Leave the beast parked. B)
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  • B & C
    B & C Posts: 217
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    I wouldn't move one across a grassy yard or up a step, too much of a chance for an accident. If you had a nest with a handler setup and better wheels on the nest, a ramp to go up into the shed, and/or the egg in a table, I would think twice about it, no make that 3 times about it and would probably still not do it across a wet, soggy, soft, grassy yard. Why not come up with another plan.
    Good luck and enjoy your new egg.
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  • Mud Pig
    Mud Pig Posts: 489
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    Definitely wouldn't be moving across a grassy yard, straight concrete to concrete. That step worries me. I'd have to tilt it up on two wheels to get it up the ramp. I am a strong guy, I can bench well over 200 pounds. My big concern is when I'm wheeling it down the wheel chocks. That's a lot of weight to control.
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    Just go for it then. Wheel a 250# piece of ceramic down a concrete step everytime you want to cook a burger. Let us know how that works out.
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  • Grand Oeuf Vert
    Grand Oeuf Vert Posts: 1,631
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    Is there a reason why you just can't set it somewhere on the pad and leave it there? The BGE can handle any kind of weather. And if you are not comfortable with that, you can buy a cover for it.
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  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
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    It's not a matter of strength, but speed and dexterity. If you get a 200-pound Egg tipping over, you have a fraction of a second to respond, and to respond almost perfectly without getting crushed under it.

    I personally wouldn't put it at risk. Find a permanent home for it, or buy a wheeled table so it can't tip.
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  • Mud Pig
    Mud Pig Posts: 489
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    Well I would like to keep it out of the weather when I'm not using it. I figure its one heck of an investment in the BBQ equipment I use. Perhaps I'm overly concerned with keeping it indoors.

    Does everyone keep their's outside?
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  • B & C
    B & C Posts: 217
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    Yes, but I have a cover even though it is not necessary. I sorry for the mis-understanding about your moving the XL egg over grass.
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  • Mud Pig
    Mud Pig Posts: 489
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    The more I think about it I may just go with the nest, the shelves and roll the XL BGE under the overhang of the shed, throw a cover on her and don't sweat the weather.

    Are there any pieces that will rust on her?
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
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    I have had my XL outside for almost three years with no cover. I don't have a nest - it's in a table. I have moved it a few times for various reasons - I don't even think of moving it without taking it apart - all the guts come out, the dome comes off, and I get help with moving the base using a potlifter.

    On a scale of 1 to 10 with

    1 being low to no risk, and

    10 being high to potentially catastrophic risk

    Worrying about weather affecting your XL would be a 1 and deserves no further consideration/constipation/concernation/communication/posteration. :) Consider all the Eggs out in the weather for years in all sorts of conditions, including several inches of snow. Cover it if you like but I suggest saving the money and buying some eggcessories from ceramicgrillstore.com

    Considering moving the XL on a regular basis is a 10. Only move it when you absolutely have to. Park that bruiser in a handy spot where it doesn't have to be moved, put some lump in it, and smoke up the hood.

    Enjoy your egg.
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  • Mud Pig
    Mud Pig Posts: 489
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    I guess I got the idea of keeping it out of the weather because that's what I've done with my metal grills in the past and they've always lasted for a good long while. I need to put my ceramic thinking cap on from now on.

    :)
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  • Mud Pig
    Mud Pig Posts: 489
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    I appreciate you guys giving me a little insight into the grill, its size and what to expect with it being outside. I'm definitely just going to stick with the nest, the egghandler, and a good cover. I will literally only be wheeling it 2 ft away from the wood shed to cook and that will be on a level solid concrete pad. No lifting it into the shed.
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  • NoVA Bill
    NoVA Bill Posts: 3,005
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    I believe you're getting good advice especially for the XL. I have a medium and tried keeping it in my garage and pulling it in and out - got to be a PITA going over a small lip. No big deal but it was an accident waiting to happen. I had a table built located it on my deck and put a cover on it during inclement weather. You can't believe how much happier I am not having to move the egg around and having the table to work on and store all the toys.
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  • Mud Pig
    Mud Pig Posts: 489
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    Yeah, I can only imagine trying to get a 200 pound XL up a 6 inch concrete step. As long as the weather doesn't hurt the Egg I can leave it outside. It would be on my secondary patio so its not in the way. Likewise, when I have a lot of people over I don't like them around my grill station so I'll sit her there and throw a cover on her.

    No worries.
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