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An Egg Catastrophe

Mike & Jana
Mike & Jana Posts: 19
in EggHead Forum
So our XL BGE took a tumble recently.  Our teenager was helping out and while trying to move the egg solo, it fell over in the nest.

We've enjoyed our egg tremendously for 14 years.  We are 10 years into 12 years of private College payments for the kids and a new BGE is simply not in our near future. 

I know it cannot be restored to her former glory, but I have to make an attempt at repairing her.  I cannot imaging fire clay having enough strength to hold this many pieces together.

What should I try to use?  Gorilla glue seems to be my only thought.

BTW, the bulk of our Egging is nuclear temps for Pizza.

Thanks

 
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Comments

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,131
    edited March 2019
    Agree with @Legume
    That's to much damage to safely fix. 
    Is the dome trashed as well?
    You could cement the inner pieces together and just check into replacing the base if the dome is still good.
    Sad sight to see on a Monday morning...Sorry

    Egging 101 rule...never push your Egg. Always pull it, slowly. If you push it and it hits a crack or bump and starts to fall forward it's near impossible to catch and save.
    And the XL is much more stable than the smaller Eggs.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • bubbajack
    bubbajack Posts: 1,132
    Sorry for your loss!
    I drink cheap beer so I can afford good bourbon.

    Salisbury, NC...... XL,Lx3,Mx2,S, MM, Mini BGE, FireDisc x2. Blackstone 22", Offset smoker, weber kettle 22"


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  • Mike & Jana
    Mike & Jana Posts: 19
    Thanks,

    But I MUST try to put Humpty together again.

    Even if it is just a smoker from now on.  Any suggestions are appreciated
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,131
    I know money is tight but you might want to take a look at the Athens Texas Eggfest. Their Demo Egg price on the XL is outstanding!
    https://athenseggfest.com/2019/01/22/purchase-a-demo-egg-while-supplies-last/

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,169
    Can’t help with any adhesive ideas, but at the very least I would try to wrap the finished base with chicken wire or something to contain it when it does fail eventuallly.
    Love you bro!
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Been there, but it was my dog, not my son. And it was a Mini.

    I tend to agree that it's beyond repair, but here's some reading for you. IMO, you're going to have to break it apart wherever it's cracked, but not completely broken. You need to be able to apply the ceramic adhesive to the entire surface of the break, not just smear it over a hairline crack.

    I am not endorsing this repair because I haven't tried it. I had bookmarked this info just in case. If I did it, I sure wouldn't put the egg anywhere near a flammable surface!

    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2309714#Comment_2309714

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Or buy a kettle.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,196
    That sucks. Truly sorry. I understand the teenager part. My oldest has hit a few cars recently. I remember making those mistakes too. 

    I have read you can have some success with JB Weld. Good luck, keep us posted. This could be something people are interested to see transform back into a functioning humpty. 
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,131
    Check your message box
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • milesvdustin
    milesvdustin Posts: 2,882
    Get you a 22" Weber kettle to tide you over 

    2 LBGE, Blackstone 36, Jumbo Joe

    Egging in Southern Illinois (Marion)

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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,169
    Can you cook a decent pizza on a kettle?
    Love you bro!
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,131
    Legume said:
    Can you cook a decent pizza on a kettle?

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Mike & Jana
    Mike & Jana Posts: 19
    Thanks everyone, I appreciate the condolences,
    We'll be cookin with gas for a while.
    I realize this is a First World Problem; ie I can't get my grill to 1000 degrees for perfect Pizza.
    The teenager is awesome, and was cleaning up the lania and backyard to help mom out.  He was not asked, his own initiative as usual.  He was home from College for the weekend and I was travelling.  He feels horrible and is trying to find a way to make money to buy a replacement. 
    Even if Humpty (it's new name) only does a few smokes, I'd like to get it back together again to make our son feel better about it.
    The second picture of the base is misleading.  There are no cracks.  It is at least 9 seperate pieces.
    And yes, Halé the Dog is always somewhat guilty.

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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2019
    Looks like a warranty claim to me. You were doing your normal low 'n slow and heard a "pop". Really shocked because you use your egg maybe twice a year. Yes, I'll pay the $30 shipping. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • Drummerboy
    Drummerboy Posts: 36
    That dog looks like a Sammy (Samoyed)!
    Largo, FL

    1 LG BGE
    1 Med BGE
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 8,144
    you didn't happen to get it at costco did you?
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,169
    Photo Egg said:
    Legume said:
    Can you cook a decent pizza on a kettle?

    I forgot about those.  How do they compare to a BGE for pizza?
    Love you bro!
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  • Mike & Jana
    Mike & Jana Posts: 19
    edited March 2019
    I just don't have the ability to pitch a "warranty claim" like that. 
    It really only gets a few cooks a year, special occasions when everyone's home.
    It's an American Eskimo Dog. We have 2.
    And the Egg Came from a local authorized dealer
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,131
    edited March 2019
    Legume said:
    Photo Egg said:
    Legume said:
    Can you cook a decent pizza on a kettle?

    I forgot about those.  How do they compare to a BGE for pizza?
    I honestly don't know. They make a couple similar items that fit the Kettle Grill but I have never seen them in action.
    This video does not look bad but I would prefer to have an indirect deflector below my cooking stone even with the fire pushed to the back.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy6il-xpRXM

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • johnkitchens
    johnkitchens Posts: 5,227
    edited March 2019
    I am sorry for your loss. A repair attempt scares me. If you were in the middle of a cook and it came apart you could have a lot bigger problem. Be careful and keep us posted. 

    Louisville, GA - 2 Large BGE's
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  • HendersonTRKing
    HendersonTRKing Posts: 1,803
    Devastated!
    It's a 302 thing . . .
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  • Killit_and_Grillit
    Killit_and_Grillit Posts: 4,326
    I knew it was going to be horrible and I still looked. It’s like a car crash. 

    So sorry. But I would caution putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. 

    "Brought to you by bourbon, bacon, and a series of questionable life decisions."

    South of Nashville, TN

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  • MO_Eggin
    MO_Eggin Posts: 284
    That's quite a bummer. 

    For what it's worth - I tried to repair a cracked firebox (old style without the expansion joint) which had a 1/2 - 1" gap using Rutland refractory cement that was rated for over 2000*.  The patch held for a few months but then cement started to break up, presumably due to different rate of thermal expansion compared to the ceramic.

    Good luck with your repairs.
    LBGE - St. Louis, MO; MM & LBGE - around 8100' somewhere in the CO Front Range
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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,316
    Legume said:
    Can you cook a decent pizza on a kettle?

    Kenji used to recommend these, but that was before the Roccbox and Uni's were available. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,603
    Sorry to hear of your crash.... I think Kettle is best interim option....
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
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  • bgebrent
    bgebrent Posts: 19,636
    Condolences.  I don't see it functional again.
    Sandy Springs & Dawsonville Ga
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    If you mostly just do pizza, get a pizza steel and use your oven/broiler. Works well even at 5-550° oven temps. Pre-heat oven well, then turn on the broiler. Once that heats up, launch the pizza. Only takes 3 minutes or so. I've been doing that (mostly) for several years now.

    They look like this...


    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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