LBGE Table With Concrete Top

CSmith

Hey guys/girls, this is my first post. I'm new to the Big Green Egg. Just bought the large and a bunch of accessories. I decided to build my own table tho. I wasn't a fan of the wood top and my local granite shop wanted $450 for a slab so I decided to do my own concrete top. I'm planning on finishing the base tomorrow. And starting to pour the concrete top on Monday. I have already build my form with melamine. Going to be an inch and a half thick. My question is, how can I get a nice circle form. I've seen people use styrofoam, but I couldn't find anything local. Any help would be appreciated. I started the frame late yesterday evening. I'm building it all out of western cedar. 

blasting

Welcome. 

to get the circle, you can cut the circle with a router and circle cutter out of plywood.  Or you could use a string and pencil to draw it and cut it out of wood with a jig saw.

DaveRichardson

Look for a pre-cut wooden piece and coat it in wax paper.

Cheaper would be to get a piece of foam and use the pencil / compass method to draw out the size of the circle you want.  cut it a little proud and sand it smooth.

Jstroke

Take a piece of pink/blue insulation board they use for foundations. Laminate up a piece 2-3!layers then cut out your circle. Remember to give yourself some wiggle room an extra inch  maybe

CSmith

Thanks guys for the tips! So basically, get a sheet of insulating foam board and cut it. I'm making my hole roughly, 22". So maybe make the hole like 21-1/2" and then give myself a half inch to sand? Does that sound right? Lol. Do I need to use anything around the part I cut to make sure it's smooth when I poor my concrete? Maybe packaging tape?

HeavyG

Many moons ago a friend made a concrete top and for the circle he just cut a 2 or 3 inch wide strip of galvanized sheet. Marked off the length of the circumference and just joined the ends with a couple of pop rivets. It formed a nice even circle.

He did fill the interior of the metal form with wet sand so that it wouldn't deform when he poured in the concrete mix.

Worked well for him and was a cheap quick way to make a circular form.

CSmith

Have another question. I'm going to be putting the egg in the table, on top of a BGE table nest and a paver of some sort. What should be the distance from the bottom of the egg to the top of the table? My top will be 1.5" thick and my table legs are 31.5" tall. 

CSmith

Have another question. I'm going to be putting the egg in the table, on top of a BGE table nest and a paver of some sort. What should be the distance from the bottom of the egg to the top of the table? My slab will be 1.5" thick. My table legs are 31.5"

CSmith

A little update. Been working a lot so haven't had any time to work on the table. Today I had a couple hours to work on it. Got the one side framed in with corrugated tin. Built (no picture and not attached) double door, and got the concrete top mold formed. Seen a neat idea with garden edging to make the cut out for the egg. Went with fiberglass and it worked good. Got the day off so will finish the table base and shelves and attach doors and pour the concrete! My egg will be here Friday so need to hurry it up!

HoustonEgger

Nice work so far - almost exactly what I've got planned for mine so I'll be watching to see how yours turns out!

Jstroke

I like it that is sharp

CSmith

Here's one of the doors. Next picture will be with the egg in it! The top turned out decent. I'm sure I'll do another down the road. Just to wait for the egg to show up!

CSmith

Concrete top is not perfect by any means. This was my first time working with any concrete at all. It will serve its purpose tho! I still need to take some Portland and fill in the air bubbles throughout the top. And then seal it. Now to throw the last door on and reinstall the shelves under the egg. 

StillSmoken

Awesome! Looks good from here. Nice build!