refurbish an egg antique

Tobykanobe

Hi folks. I recently inherited an old "big green egg" that my grandfather flew over from Japan in WWII. It's the "large" size. Funny story about that, my grandfather took orders from his fellow airforce and brought over 40 of them to the tune of $35 a piece.

Anyways, I need to refurbish this thing and start cooking on it.

1.) I want to paint it green, can someone reccomend what paint I should use. I had a friend suggest green automotive paint due to it's high temp tolerability.

2.) I need new hardware, specifically the stuff that opens the egg up.

3.) I need a grate, this shouldn't be too hard to find.

4.)Also I would like to build a table, anyone have some plans? I've seen the Naked Whiz site, wonder if there are any other plans floating around out there.

The painting of it is the big deal right now. It has been sitting outside for many decades at my dad's farm and is weathered.

Any help you can provide would be helpful!

Thanks
Tobykanobe

Spring Chicken

Are you related to Tobyonekanobe? Just had to ask.

Personally, I would just clean it up and not paint it but I'm sure others will disagree. For one thing, once the paint is applied some of it might flake off while leaving the rest to make it an eyesore.

As for parts, the Big Green Egg parts may fit but if not, you could certainly have some parts built or existing BGE parts modified. Certainly a small proce to pay for such a treasured piece of family history.

Let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

Spring "I Have No Idea Is A Poor Answer" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

Angie2B

Sure would like to see a photo of the egg before you redo it....hint......hint.... :laugh: :laugh:
--I know there are high temp grill paints out there, charbroil makes one, just not sure if it comes in green.

Old Salt

I brought my egg back from Japan in 1970 and have been using it extensively since. Make sure you keep the temp below 400* or you'll burn out the firebox and crack the housing. I thought I'd paint mine green but it didn't hold up.

Slotmercenary

Just a thought but instead of paint. with it being just past Easter maybe you can still find some green dye.... :blink:

JLOCKHART29

Would love to see a pic. I'm like some of the others, I think I would leave it as is as far as painting it. The hardwear I would redo. I doubt you will find anything that will "bolt on" as we call it in motorcycles. Might but doubt it. The hardwear on something like that is pretty simple and any good machine/weilding shop could make you a new S.S bands and hinges to match existing holes in the old boy. Would not try drilling new ones as figure pretty brittle. Hardwear stores have the S.S bolts.Repainting it is Kind of like a scratch in chrome: The more you try to pollish it out the worse it looks. Would keep it covered from now on as the materials of construction are pretty old school and water in cracks could do signifinant damage.

Old Salt

Here is mine right after I repaired it. Original color.

Tobykanobe

Tobykanobe

So as requested, there are some pics. As you can see from the pieces on the grill, this thing use to be green, then I think it was painted brown, and now I have it. What do you think about doing mosaic tiles on it like the Komodos brand of ceramic cooker.

I know some of you would like me to leave it alone, but I would really like it to look a little better than it does.

The lid isn't in the picture, bit I do have that also.

Tobykanobe

(I'm a distant cousin to TobyOneKanobe)

Tobykanobe

I tested the photos and they showed up, now they dont.....

Angie2B

Is that a hand-hold on the lid or some type of vent? Does it have a bottom vent?

--What a neat project. Do you remember your Granddad using it?

Angie2B

It's usually the size of the photos that makes them do that. Try 640x480. I saw them by hitting the reply to that box and scrolling down.

Car Wash Mike

What did you do on burgers, other than ignore everyone. :woohoo:

Mike

Angie2B

Mr CarWash,
Ah Heck ! Did I ignore you guys? :blink: I'm sorry! I get sidetracked so easily. I wish the forum brought current threads up to the top. I started that favorite movie thread and got sucked into the Hulu.com site. I've been watching "Night gallery", "Hell's Kitchen" and "New Amsterdam" episodes the last two days. :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: That is the coolest site..Right now my daughter and I are watching our own dvd of MP's "The Holy Grail". I've put a request into our library for "Lonesome Dove" and I looked up that Diary movie about WW2. I found some soldier's diary and read the whole thing. Gee Whiz! I've been busy! Oh and I had surgery this week too to remove this IV port outta my chest, which was a good thing!

Regarding the hamburgers, I've decided to make doughnut hole hamburgers and see how that goes....but how am I supposed to cook when I'm so busy watching these movies and tv shows?!! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Clay Q

Your old egg looks to be in great shape. Some parts may be interchangable with BGE and you can get a new gasket for sure.
For painting; Clean the ouside of the old egg with a damp sponge, pick up old grease on the outside with a rag and a touch of denatured alcohol then let dry. Your local hardware store sells hi-temp green spray paint for grills and stoves, two or three spray coats should do it, might take two cans of paint. Tape off anything that should not get paint. The bands can be cleaned and spray painted hi-temp black....that would make your old egg look new again.
This looks to be a fun project.
Good luck!

Angie2B

CWM,
That was probably more info than you wanted..... :laugh: :woohoo: :laugh:

Car Wash Mike

The Godfather. I will make you an offer you can't refuse if you don't show up at Omaha. :woohoo: :woohoo:
I had that cancer thing to. Never went threw what you did. The eye socket was left in tack, that was a good thing. The waiting really sucked.

Mike

Angie2B

CWM,

I didn't know you had the big "C" too. :( Doing OK now?

I have never watched any of the Godfathers. I need to add that to my list of things to watch. Is this a line out of the movie? "The Godfather. I will make you an offer you can't refuse if you don't show up at Omaha."
:side: Need to watch the movies just to get the jokes.

Car Wash Mike

Angela, you are to young. Not eggactly Omaha. It is about the mafia. Yes, I will make them an offer they can't refuse. Marlon Brando, James Caan, Robert Duval, tons of stars. If you are really interested shoot an e-mail.
Yes, I was told. I had cancer. The only place it was deadly was above my eye, well that is where it was. I was told, they were going to break my eye socket, take the cancer out then many months of reconstructive surgery.

You know the bad thing, I don't know about you. But, I fear every little bump and bruise on my body.

Mike

Tobykanobe

Thanks for the replies!

Tobykanobe