HELP!!! About to buy my first Egg & build a table!

johnson8707

I need everyone's advice... I am going to buy a Large BGE this week, but I want to build a table for it first so I have a safe home for it. I need people's opinions on a few things:


- What kind of sealant is best to protect the table from the elements?

- What kind of wood is best to use for the table?

- Does have a table that has their BGE leveled "flush" with the top of the table? Do you like that design better? I know to do this you have to cut-out room for the hinge and not just the egg.

- How much room do I need to leave between the table top and the Egg? I don't want the table to catch fire!

- Wheels or no wheels?? I see a lot of people with casters or tires, but I don't imagine myself moving my BGE anywhere outside my deck.


****MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION****
- Does anyone have good table building plans? Preferably ones that have good dimensions for lengths and cut-outs.





Thanks in advance everyone!!!

NPHuskerFL

First of all welcome to our dysfunctional Familia. LG good choice. Are you dead set on a wooden table?  What area of the country are you in? 

theyolksonyou

Personally, wish I'd never built a table. Too much maintenance for the workspace. I'd get a nest and look for a side table. 

SugarHillEgger

Congrats on your soon to be purchase!

What I did was look at plans via google and pinterest and just slightly mod them to your liking.  I didn't do wheel's as they can always be added later.  I used cedar and from what I understand cypress might be a good choice too.  Also, as of now I have the green egg cover (worth the $ by the way...) but no sealant on the wood of any type.  

IMO the table is a must as the egg itself deserves the stability and functionality.  

Good luck with everything.  

tarheelmatt

I didn't put much emphasis on the table.  Just some old pine for me.  After about 2-3 months it gets nasty and black.  

I kinda wished I would have kept it in the nest and built a full table with no hole for work space and storage.  

DaveRichardson

Tables are nice. I'm still dreaming of a table. 

Regarding your our question of having the base flush with the table top, you've got a crap-ton of heat coming out of a confined space the millisecond that dome opens up. You will have a fire quickly with that design I fear. 

Here in the south, pine is the wood of choice due to its abundance. Oak is great hardwood if it's readily available and in budget. Cypress is great for weather resistance as well as cedar. 

Plans: use the google and check out The Naked Whiz. Doug has tons of info there on everything from lump to tables. 

pgprescott

The BGE table plans are on their website I think. Or just google BGE brand table plans. 

johnson8707

Thanks for the responses everyone. To answer some questions:

- I live in the very humid and hot North Florida

- I really would like to have a table for the egg to rest in. Mainly because I'm so scared the egg will tip over in the nest alone.

pgprescott

johnson8707 said:

Thanks for the responses everyone. To answer some questions:

- I live in the very humid and hot North Florida

- I really would like to have a table for the egg to rest in. Mainly because I'm so scared the egg will tip over in the nest alone.

I am neither pro or con table use. Either way has distinct benefits and draw backs. I would just add that if you get a nest and a handler, you need not worry about it tipping over at all. Even just the nest. The handler helps if and when moving it around. The handler basically ties the egg to the nest and provides a handle for transport. Good luck!

EggHeadDad

@johnson8707 - you can take table designs in many directions.  I build my latest last June and love it.  (Link to build & finish description)  Good luck with the adventure you are embarking on.  Cheers & Happy 2016.

Jeepster47

You might take a look at the metal tables ... seem perfect for hot and humid climates:

http://www.biggreenegg.com/egg-tables-custom-islands/
http://challengerdesignsllc.com/grill-carts
http://www.outdoorkitchenequip.com/home

paqman

theyolksonyou said:

Personally, wish I'd never built a table. Too much maintenance for the workspace. I'd get a nest and look for a side table. 

Yes...

xiphoid007

Here's my build for what it's worth.

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1890354#Comment_1890354

Good luck and have fun!

jtcBoynton

@johnson8707   
Welcome.

One thing to pay attention to when looking at plans is the vertical distance between the table top and the bottom shelf.  For fire safety, you will not want to place the egg directly on the bottom shelf.  Various plans make different assumptions on what goes between the bottom of the egg and the bottom shelf.  Decide what you will use and then adjust the plans to accommodate that.

Another thing to consider is placement of the egg. You indicate putting it on a deck (wood?). Wood sided house? Any overhead wood structure? Will you have the egg up next to the house?  You will have to decide what your fire safety comfort level is.  You may want to have wheels if you decide the best location for cooking and storage are not the same location.

Tspud1

If you decide on making a notch for hinge to drop down into, let me know and I can get you the measurements. You should add at least 1" around on wood tables for clearance. Good luck in your build. 

JKS

Check out Scott Moores plans on how to build a Big Green Egg table. I just finished mine up this weekend. Built out of just regular 2x4's and 2x6's. Lumber cost $75 thats including lager bolts and deck screws. Stained it and then applied urathene. Took about a day and half and a 18pk.

Duuane

I built mine out of decent pine boards, it's very similar to the one Xiphoid007 had a pic of. I sanded, stained, and built for about $130.00  I would think hard about whether you want the egg on the right, left or in the middle, unless it's built ambidextrous. If you think it's gonna be big enough, it probably isn't. I live in WNY and grill year round with the egg on my front porch, and need to move it out of the way when I'm done...I started with medium wheels, but they were a pain so I went to nice sized table saw casters...movement is smooth as butter now.