Custom BGE Handle - DIY - Warning, pic heavy

nolaegghead

I saw some nice custom handles for sale.  I thought, hey that looks like a fun project where I can watch football and actually accomplish something.

Started with a piece of cedar that went down during Hurricane Isaac.

Pictures tell the story.  Not quite done, about to encapsulate in Epoxy.  I'll post the remaining pics as I shoot them.

Little Steven

Very cool. You have nice tools!

Fred19Flintstone

Nice craftsmanship!  I guess you need a hobby on Sunday this year as the Saints have been stuck in the mud.

nolaegghead

Thanks Steve.  The kid's all grown up, gotta stimulate the economy somehow.

@Fred - Yeah, sadly.  At least they won last week.  Maybe we'll beat the Broncos tonight.  I hope so or I'll have to use one of my nice tools to slit my writs.

Little Steven

You can have my daughter and her dance bills if you want

nolaegghead

No thanks....your daughter's dance bills would feed a medium sized village in Zimbabwe.

Little Steven

Yeah man :((

henapple

I'll take one..and trade my daughter's dance bill and the time I spend building stage props.

Mickey

Well that is just cool.

Little Steven

henapple said:

I'll take one..and trade my daughter's dance bill and the time I spend building stage props.

Do you know what comps you are doing this year?

henapple

No...I know Chattanooga, Atlanta, Murfreesboro and nationals in pcb....you?

nolaegghead

Oh great. My thread's been hijacked by the dance club parent association.

Just kidding.  I encourage any and all activity on my threads. 

OK.  Just coated with epoxy.  It soaked it up like a sponge.  Needs to dry overnight, light sand and then a couple coats of spar varnish, then put on egg.

henapple

How much for one that says "I'm better than Nola"?

cspearce2

Awesome...Great Job...

nolaegghead

henapple said:

How much for one that says "I'm better than Nola"?

Pound of flesh.  You have to 1. build it yourself and 2. must say "> Nola"

nolaegghead

Oh, explanation of the handle attachment.  I originally thought I'd just cut the old metal handle, cut some slots into the new wood handle and glue it in.  Then I realized it's not gonna last if I do that.

So I took two big stainless bolts, drilled and tapped holes in the cedar.  Screwed them in, cut them to match the radius of the egg.

I used a plasma cutter to cut some fairly thick stainless scrap.  I bent that to match the radius of the egg, then drilled holes to match the existing handle mount bolts.

I back welded the bolts to the stainless strip by drilling a hole behind the bolts and welding on the back.  This way I don't have any visible welds.  Need to buff out all the discoloration from the weld, but that's a last step.

With the epoxy encapsulation and stainless, it should last forever.   Epoxy makes the light cedar very strong.  Epoxy doesn't handle UV (sun) very well, so the spar varnish will protect the epoxy. 

Always wanted to make something from wood I cut from a tree.  Now I get to check that off my bucket list and keep using milled lumber.

SmokinDAWG82

So, are you taking orders?

nolaegghead

SmokinDAWG82 said:

So, are you taking orders?

Hahaha...I wish. 

Actually, I have a small CNC machine that I need to get working.  It was a kit that I built.  I finished building it, then had some connectivity problems.  Once I get that sucker working, I can do some serious carving and inlays.  So maybe one of these days.....

cortguitarman

Holy Hell! I think you need more meat on that handle attachment. Lol

maximus1

can you send me the link to your table, I am guessing you built that yourself as well, getting ready to start mine.  Tks.  M

nolaegghead

maximus1 said:

can you send me the link to your table, I am guessing you built that yourself as well, getting ready to start mine.  Tks.  M

maximus1  Sure - http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1140407/my-home-made-egg-table-pecky-cypress/p1

Austin Egghead

Like that is totally awesome handle dude...(Sorry had to throw some californize for the Giants).  Toggling back and forth Saints are not doing so go...Giants doing better.

maximus1

tks

Little Steven

You could lose the fleur di lie and I wouldn't mind one little bit

nolaegghead

Thanks austin-dude!  Peyton drew first blood, but Brees hit Sproles and I think we got a football game.

@Little Steven - and to think I was going to make you one covered in fleur de lies.  Hurrumph!

Little Steven

henapple said:

No...I know Chattanooga, Atlanta, Murfreesboro and nationals in pcb....you?

Not sure yet but I know Florida is in there

nolaegghead

Damn Broncos. 
:((

nolaegghead

Done.   Installed.

henapple

Really nice...mine is next.

XLBalco

thats pretty f'n sweet!

yzzi

What kind of wood did you use for your table? I'd like to see pics you have of your table. Trying to accumulate ideas for when I build one.