I'm not a woodworker or a carpenter...with that said, table questions....

canadianeh

As the title states, I'm not a woodworker or carpenter, but I think I want to try building a table. A friend who is a carpenter has suggested I use white oak for something that will last, and withstand the sun and snow. I do want it to look good. 

The white oak will run me about $250 using naked whiz suggestions of about 55 Board Feet. They will rip the boards to 4" widths for me so they only cuts ill be making will be lengths.... 

 With that said, I personally find following naked whiz PDF and pictures terribly confusing. No offense. ;-) 

What's the simplest table plan out there that I could build from a really nice wood, and manage to successfully complete? Any other suggestions? I can't get cypress unless I special order it. 

I live on the us/can border and could go tomorrow and pick up a large BGE table from an authorized dealer in Detroit, but will cost me close to 600 by time I get it home.

henapple

For $600 you could have someone build a better table.

bo_mull

BGE has plans on their website that are fairly easy to build.

YouEnjoyMyEgg

I paid someone on craigslist to build me a table twice as good as the BGE dealer table and it cost me $325.

Skiddymarker

I've done my share of wood projects including a couple of houses, but I must admit, I've never heard of anyone using oak (red or white) for any "outdoor" projects due mostly to the cost. White oak is fairly water resistant, and is used for unprotected trailer decks as it can take a ton of abuse. It will end check, think of whiskey barrels, the staves are strong, almost water tight, but the ends will check. If you can afford it, you will have a pretty much indestructible table, heavy as hell but solid. 

MrCookingNurse

I built mine for about 200$ that includes buying a jigsaw. It was my second wood working project. You can do it!!

canadianeh

What kind of wood? The other wood I can use is Fir Timbers....which is cheap.

MrCookingNurse

I just used treated pine. I could have gotten cedar but this being my first table I was going for cheap and tuff.

Are you going to stain and seal?

As henapple said, you can hire a guy to build one for prolly under 400 that will be very nice. Much better than anything the dealer is gonna sell. Just type big green egg in Craigslist and a ton of ppl make tables.


I throughlly enjoyed making my own table. Still trying get finish done and gotta cut a hole to put my small in.

canadianeh

I was wrong. The kiln dried fir timbers are actually more than the white oak.

I think I'm going to take a stab at it myself.

MrCookingNurse

Do it big bud!
Keep us posted.

SWVABeanCounter

Way to go.  I'm neither of those and my table does not look professional, but I built it and I'm proud of it and you will be too.

Skiddymarker

canadianeh said:

What kind of wood? The other wood I can use is Fir Timbers....which is cheap.

Fir is only cheap if it is dimension lumber. Kiln dried can be pricey. The hands down choice for Canadians (I think) is cedar. Ideal for the posts, use 5/4 deck for the top and shelf. If you are in the east, you may get some furniture 2nd grade white oak at a great price, never see it on the west coast, fir/hemlock/spruce/cedar is cheap here. 

SamFerrise

Buy the best lumber you can afford.  You will be Egging on your table for a long time so do it right.  I used Southern Long Leaf Pine for mine and stained it.  I bought 2 x 8's and cut them to my specs.  I spent about $80 on lumber, $9 for Stain, $15 for stainless screws and $40 for the wheels.  I got my granite free from a griend who had his kitchen remodeled.

Chubbs

Nice table Sam!

Deckchef

Deckchef

I used my own design an Spanish cedar. It has cedar properties but is a hardwood , ran me 4.99 a board foot with a teak oil finish. Do not use any urethane (even spar ) it will eventually yellow and flake. Had mine outside going on two years now and this spring I will put another coat of oil on it happy grilling!

robnybbq

Deckchef - That is sweet.  That is exactly what I want.  If I can only find one.

canadianeh

OK.

So I went ahead and did it this weekend.

Took me a few hours yesterday and today. Made it out of cedar. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good if you ask me. I haven't built many things.

Pics to follow. I'm super pumped and glad I did it. Thanks for the words of motivation.

I'm guessing all told it still cost about $300. That includes cedar, screws, safety goggles, 3 messed up boards, marine-grade varnish.

Chubbs

Cant wait to see pics.

Leviticus

I spend lots of time in my basement making furniture. As such, a flat surface on which to sit my egg and provide a work surface was had with about $30 worth of cull pine from home depot and a gallon of deck paint. I might build something nicer if we purchase a house with a respectable backyard...

canadianeh

I never had a chance to follow up with this thread.... but here's my table.

It sits quite higher than I would have liked but I think it's OK. The firebricks are a bit high. Do I need the legs above the firebricks? 

Haven't cooked on it yet.

nolaegghead

You want that air gap more than you need really thick firebricks.  You could get away with 1 1" cement paver and get rid of the firebricks.  Nice job on the table, by the way, cedar, right?

canadianeh

nolaegghead what do you mean? What air gap, where?

I have some 1" cement pavers. I actually think the whole would need to be bigger to bring it down more.

Little Steven

He meant the air gap that is created by having the eggs on the feet. Some guys have had their tables burn underneath a single paver. I'm no woodworker either but opening the hole a bit wouldn't be to hard. Nice looking table anyway.

nolaegghead

the feet create an air gap.  If you don't have that gap, the heat transfer to the stone (or bricks) is off the charts and can transfer to the shelf on the table.

jimfastcar

I am using 2" firebricks and had some 1" angle iron cut into 6" pieces which I will use to create an air gap between the Egg and the bricks. 

Table is being built from Western Red Cedar, so I think I will be OK

I am also using 16" instead of 15" between top and bottom to create just that little extra space between the Egg and the top table

SWVABeanCounter

For someone who said they weren't a woodworker, thats an awfully nice looking table.  I think you were holding out on us.  I purchased a table nest ($18) to put between the egg and my bottom stone to provide the air gap.  My dealer didn't carry them, but ordered one for me and now keeps them in stock.

Skiddymarker

@canadianeh - great table, cedar is easy to work, withstands being outside. 

Nola was referring to an air gap under the egg. If you replace the fire brick with a paver you can put an air space between the egg bottom and the paver by using some 3/8" tile strips, some metal etc... If your fire bricks are the porous lightweight variety, they already have an air gap - built in. 

Check the clearance between the table top and the side of the egg, I liked at least 3/4 of an inch (about 2 cm) minimum. Some of the tables use even more. 

Great work - you are so a woodworker!

MikeElliott

SamFerrise said:

Buy the best lumber you can afford.  You will be Egging on your table for a long time so do it right.  I used Southern Long Leaf Pine for mine and stained it.  I bought 2 x 8's and cut them to my specs.  I spent about $80 on lumber, $9 for Stain, $15 for stainless screws and $40 for the wheels.  I got my granite free from a griend who had his kitchen remodeled.

Now that is sweet! I could see you selling those easily.