New Large Egg with its new home as of yesterday. And a couple of questions.

jhoward82 · September 2013

After a year of saving, and a couple of weekends building a table, I have my new egg and homemade table (thanks NakedWhiz for the plans!). The Shower bar as a handle works well, which is good considering the extra weight of the "stones" the Egg is sitting on. Cheap lumber imperfections meant that the stones weren't perfectly flat and level and we had to use a couple of thin metal shims so the Egg wouldn't wiggle, but it is almost all set to go. I say almost because the ceramic fire ring had a 1/2" x 1/4" chip out of it and I need to swap it for one without the chip this evening. Flue and Flame in Cary is where I ordered the Egg and they were very apologetic that the chip wasn't noticed before delivery and have absolutely no objections to swapping it out. I have a small (5+ pound) pork butt thawing in the fridge, and am looking forward to a day of smoking to make some pulled pork as the first item off the BGE. Will be working to learn the temperature control enough that I am willing to attempt a test turkey, and if that goes well the oven will be freed up for Thanksgiving and we will do the Bird on the Egg. : )

The table will be garaged between uses (the reason for the wheels) so I am looking forward to a long time before I have to re-stain the wood, but even a little more protection is useful, especially to help protect any electric probes/thermometers/wireless broadcasters. The questions I have are whether or not people who do high temp cooking have modified their tables with an umbrella, and if so have you found any downsides? I am thinking of drilling a hole and using a patio style umbrella which will shade the table a bit and keep any rain off. I am debating whether I should do it on the table side and leave the Egg exposed, or try it more centrally and cover the whole thing.

jhoward82 · September 2013

Woot has umbrellas which is why I am considering it: http://www.woot.com/plus/tilt-patio-umbrellas

RAC · September 2013

Nice set up! Welcome aboard.

CPARKTX · September 2013

Sharp setup. I like the use of stone and the bottom opener with bottle-cap-catcher.

busmania · September 2013

that cap catcher looks key! I have bottle caps all over my patio. table looks great! Now use the hell out of it!

fishlessman · September 2013

i would need a bigger bottle cap catcher

Charlesmaneri · September 2013

I would shy away from umbrella because if a big wind comes it is quite possible that the wind could tip over the entire table and Egg and then you have a broken Egg I use a instant shade almost a tent with no sides it cost me like $100.00 at Wal Mart I put it up when their is a threat of rain and take down when im done Egging

Eggcelsior · September 2013

CPARKTX said:

Sharp setup. I like the use of stone and the bottom opener with bottle-cap-catcher.

@CPARKTX Bottom opener? That is an AMAZING Freudian slip. Think about it.

)

Tspud1 · September 2013

If the umbrella wasn't extended it shouldn't be a problem.

jhoward82 · September 2013

Thanks for the comments and compliments. I think I am leaning away from using an umbrella attached to the table.

For now I will probably go with a plastic container with holes for the wires for the probe, and maybe at some point in the future I will put some sort of lid on the table section, almost like a gas grill cover that I can lift and lower, but I don't want it to look like a gas grill cover.

Hmmm, maybe a green dome.... : )

Goatsegg · September 2013

I connect my Cyber Q to the back of my table with a C clamp and run the wires up through a hole in the table (cable connections are raised about 3") I use an advanced moisture retention system to keep the Cyber Q . I keep the extension cord underneath the table with a similarly high tech moisture retention system.