Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

The trials and tribulations of a "barely used" Large BGE

findbenjamin
findbenjamin Posts: 36
in EggHead Forum
First post, and it's a doosie

One of the best things I learned while living in "Jawja" is that Q is good... real good, as in many mamas to be slapped, the next best thing was this ceramic grill called the Big Green Egg.. I lusted, but at full MSRP plus Fulton Co taxes, I (meaning my wife) couldn't justify the cost.  When I relocated back to Delaware with my wife (thanks to a no-good job market), I swore up and down that I'd get an egg and finally be able to start pulling some pork.

A few years pass and gainful employment is achieved, perusing Craigslist, I spy a $300 "barely used, good condition" Large egg with mates and a nest, in a beach town less than 2 hours drive away.  I drive down post-work, full of excitement (and trying hard to pry my foot off the gas pedal -- 65 mph is for wusses!).  Pitch black when I arrive, but an inspection with a flashlight reveals a few things, but none of them deal breakers.

Got it home and into the garage.  Lights on.  What the salt air had wrought on this poor thing. DFMT rusted, the mates frames were shot, I've seen a Yugo with less need for bondo.  Oh well, I'd planned on a table build anyway.  Gasket shot to hell, no problem, a coworker in GA told me of his 1100 degree pizza and gasket issue resulting from - Nomex it was.  The firegrate looked like it belonged to the Titanic exhibit, and the cooking grid was shot.  Thermometer, cloudy as a British summer day

So... my $300 find wasn't quite all that it cracked up to be.  Oh, speaking of cracks, I removed the old gasket to find.... part of the dome was chipped, substantially so (about 1/3 depth, 4" long), by the spring band alignment depression.  *grumble* solution... furnace cement the old piece back in.  The inside of the ceramic cap was also chipped, so more furnace cement to straighten that up.  Oh, and the spring band was installed upside down (Duane at BGE support was awesome when I reached out to them about some part questions).  

The DFMT is now in good order (I reseason cast iron skillets from yard sales so adapted the process for the top).  My local dealer has orders for a new fire grate, thermometer, mesh door.  Amazon has a Nomex gasket coming my way, along with a 69991 porcelain coated CI grid.  The nest and all the bands are getting a respray of hi-temp Rustoleum because I want to protect them from further corrosion, but don't feel like completely wearing out my Discover.

On cosmetics: any idea how to remove rust "streaking" from the exterior of the egg itself?  CLR ok?  I'd hate to make it worse, but the stains are a bit of an eyesore.  

Pics, when I've finished the project, will be posted
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    The only thing I'd change in your plans is skip the nomex and go with a rutland gasket. Welcome
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • findbenjamin
    findbenjamin Posts: 36
    Thanks Henapple.  I'm pondering the rutland gasket, and wanted to get something on there so I can use it.  What's the life expectancy one one of those? I'll probably do some higher temperature cooks - deep dish pizza in the CI skillet and steaks, of course, and it looks like over the course, I may be happier with that.

    Thanks again
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jcaspary
    jcaspary Posts: 1,479

    Welcome aboard! Way to go bringing an old Egg back to life.

    XL BGE, LG BGE, and a hunger to grill everything in sight!!!
    Joe- Strongsville, OH
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Welcome! Wish you had posted before you did all that stuff :) A few thoughts...

    Dome thermos are probably cheaper from tel tru direct. Or, just drill a tiny hole in the bottom rear of the thermo. Lets the moisture escape. Be sure to calibrate it (even the new one) every so often. Boil some water, put the thermo probe in and see what it reads. Turn the hex nut on the back to adjust to 212 if necessary (in DE, I assume you are pretty close to sea level).

    BGE grids are now stainless, no longer porcelain. Much better. Surprised the dealer didn't me toon that. Probably trying to unload his old stock.

    Some of us rarely use the DFMT. You can pretty well control temp with just the bottom vent. I use my dfmt for lo n slo only. Some don't even use it then. There is an aftermarket cap that replaces both the ceramic cap and DFMT. Made by smokeware (I think). $30something.

    Also, many of us use a Rutland gasket. Nomex is better than the original felt though.

    All that said, sounds like you still got a decent deal. Now, cook something and post pics! :)

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    edited October 2014
    Forgot to mention, try dish soap and warm water on the outside of the egg. If that doesn't do it, Simple Green should. It's probably grease, not rust.

    EDIT: Does it look anything like this? (Sorry fish :D )

    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/fishlessman/001-83.jpg

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bojangles
    Bojangles Posts: 118
    I like your writing style, @findbenjamin
    Large BGE  |  Blackstone  |  Custom Dísco  |  PolyScience Discovery
    --------------------------------------------
    my Big Green Egg has saved many-a-Sunday that my Miami Dolphins attempted to ruin.
    --------------------------------------------
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bud812
    bud812 Posts: 1,869
    Welcome.

    Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution...

    Large & Small BGE

    Stockton Ca.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • findbenjamin
    findbenjamin Posts: 36
    @bojangles - thank you, I'm a frustrated entertainer at heart... but an IT guy by trade.

    @Carolina Q - thanks.  The dealer did say that the new ones were all stainless or cast iron, but at 2x + the price of the one I got from Amazon I figured I could save and put the extra aside towards a plate setter (shhh, don't tell @mickey).  

    As the staining/streaking is around the where the mate arms (in closed position) would cover, I'd thought rust, and when it didn't shift, even remotely, with multi-surface windex, I was thinking more likely rust... but simple green might be a logical next step, as it does look similar, though not as tragic, as your image.  



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,791
    Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Nice catch-Sounds like you will enjoy the recovery and rehab project.  You are gonna enjoy the lifestyle.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,528
    Good luck with the "needs some TLC" egg, and welcome. 
    Sounds like you are getting a new grate, the High-Que is popular with many eggers, it has much better air flow than the OEM grate. 
    Welcome!
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Look forward to more posts. Welcome
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,371
    Great job at restoring an abused Egg (that's a crime in 17 states, but I guess not Jaw-Juh).  Pics of your restoration would be great (we luvs pics!)
     
    Just one nit: deep-dish pizza isn't really a high-temp cook, no more than 400.  

    “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.”

                  - Mark Twain 

    Ogden, UT, USA


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    The rutland gasket will handle anything you can cook. Try Simple Green but clean it while the egg is warm. Much easier.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • findbenjamin
    findbenjamin Posts: 36
    @henapple Thanks, I'll have it warm when I'm firing it to cure the refractory cement

    @Botch The egg was in Delaware, as I am now, and it was by the ocean, uncovered... poor thing never stood a chance.  You're right, the pizza wouldn't be a high-temperature cook - nit acceptable... my steaks will be seared at a high heat though, so I'll look into the rutland for gasket round 2.


    Photos of before and during restoration including the "how I got all the muck from the old gasket off" (those 3M discs are great!)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • findbenjamin
    findbenjamin Posts: 36
    More pictures added to the "Before and during" album.  Including the gnarly old charcoal grate, a side-by-side of the old and new thermometers, and the screen.  Apparently I must have one of the older style that wasn't fitted with the mesh as I had to bend the channel open a bit to get both the screen and lower damper to close properly -- guess I should have ordered the entire assembly - but as a Yorkshire lad it didn't seem proper to spend money where the need didn't exist.

    Another lesson learned... sometimes BGE parts are worth the extra cost.  The CI18 grid for example.  I wanted to get a porcelain cast iron one from Amazon (turns out to be Magic City Metals).  Both arrived broken in multiple places.  With the time on the phone with Amazon and the car ride (at least I have a fun car to drive!)  I could have paid myself to pick up the CI18 from my local dealer.  

    Ah well, you live, you learn... and then, you grill   
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    I see no one is asking the important question.

    Did you find Benjamin? :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tulocay
    tulocay Posts: 1,737
    Welcome
    LBGE, Marietta, GA
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • findbenjamin
    findbenjamin Posts: 36
    @eggcelsior
    Indeed an important question.  It came from our family always changing ISPs, so it was an ongoing joke  find{name} @ ISP ... for now... and for my dad, when we had @home he was in a world-wide role and was never @home.. bad humor ensues.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • findbenjamin
    findbenjamin Posts: 36
    @tulocay
    Thank you
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories