TABLE PLANS

If it had it do do over again, I'd keep my eggs in a nest and buy a stainless prep table. 

@DoubleEgger I totally agree. More room, easier to move, easier to maintain and clean.

I totally agree with @DoubleEgger .  I certainly wouldn't get rid of mine cause well .... I made it  However I wouldn't do it again.  Stainless steel prep all the way from now on. 

DoubleEgger said:

EggerInCharlotte said:

Now...that's an interesting comment; DoubleEgger.  I've had that same consideration;  I have seen the "roll-in" tables where the BGE rolls (in the next) into a "slot" on the table...but, it is separate from the table. 

Why do you say that?

I think it offers more flexibility. The wood is hard to keep clean and maintain. Anything table designed for BGE is outrageously priced so I don't see the need for a roll in table. I'd look online for a used stainless prep table. It'll last forever, minimal maintenance, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than a custom stainless table. 

Agree 100%.  Still, to each his own.

I threw together a wood table for use until I get an outdoor kitchen built... and at that point, I'll upgrade to an XL Egg, too.

You can see my table by clicking the link in my sig. I used the Naked Whiz plans as a basis, and stretched them to length I was looking for. I have the large sitting in a table nest in the table, in a covered & screened-in lanai.

I'm not worried about fire or smoke. After 2+ years of use, there's no signs of smoke staining the off-white painted drywall ceiling or stucco walls. I use the spark screen in the bottom vent, and if I'm cooking above 275 deg F, I'm present at the table.

So, to answer your question, what I would do is get a beautiful built-in outdoor kitchen replete with kegerator, flat top gas griddle, a massive prep area and sink... but until that's within reach, I've got a table that costed me $150 in materials and a few weekend days of diversion from other projects.

DoubleEgger said:

If it had it do do over again, I'd keep my eggs in a nest and buy a stainless prep table. 

Interesting! I have been thinking the same thing. I don't mind the nest and just a prep table will give me what I really need. I just can't decide what to get. I would love to have a table with dry storage under it, perhaps some doors. But I suppose I could always get a cover for the table. Anyone have any advice on this?

I did cedar table but did a tile top.  Under the tile is just wunderboard  (same stuff you use in bathrooms behind tile).  Let me know if you want me to send other pictures... or swing by,  I am just south of Charlotte near Matthews.

I will be there...family in tow!!!

I have finally settled on my plan for my table; now I just have to make it happen.  You asked for suggestions, so after pondering this for months I have a lot of ideas (none of them mine...the web is wonderful).

My main goal for a plan was simplicity of construction, function (durable, strong, convenience), and keeping costs down.

(1) I am going to mostly use Scott Moore's Table A plan, at file:///J:/FAM/BBQ/table/scott%20moore%20BGE%20Table%20A-Plan.htm
He has a very helpful sketchup file (*.skp) of his table, which lets you rotate the table view in all dimensions; its great to see the underside, details of the legs, etc.  You need to download the free Sketchup viewer program to use the *.skp file. I am also cross-breeding Moore's plans with some features from the naked whiz plan that Shurdaddy mentioned. I am going to skip Naked Whiz's bottle opener collection to save money, but I love the idea!!

(2) I am going to use a 24" x 24" granite slab (3 cm thick; scrap from my ongoing kitchen renovation) under the egg. Fireplace pavers were my alternative, but I had the granite available.  I will also use the old BGE ceramic feet to create an air gap between the granite and the egg bottom. BGE doesn't make the feet any more due fire danger (BGE now sells the table nest to replace it), but my local BGE dealer gave me 3 they had lying around. I thought of using porcelain floor tile (another renovation leftover) under the egg, but learned that porcelain is a very good heat conductor.

(3) I am going to use locking casters about the same size as my nest has on it.  Moore's plan ends up with a 4" x 4" dimension on the lower leg, so I will get plate-style casters (not stem style)


(4) I am going to adjust the plans so the table top (including the casters) is good for my height.

(5) Although it goes beyond my simplicity goal, I am going to make the rounded ends of the table that Moore shows.

(6) I probably will use one of my 18 x 18" porcelain tiles on the top as a work surface and place to put hot items.  Maybe one on the lower shelf as well.

(7) To make the top a bit nicer I am going to use 5/4" x 6" x 6' select white pine boards (Home Depot sells them).  I am going to use all (or most) of the full 6' length to get a bit larger table top, but keep the outer dimension of the frame at 4'. With 1/8" gaps between the boards (6" nominal boards are really 5.5" wide), I will end up with ~1.25" of the top extending beyond the frame (with rail) on each of the two long sides.  Everything else will be common board quality white pine

(8) One thing I didn't like about Moore's plans is the egg hole results in several of the short top shelf boards near the egg rest on the top (i.e., 2" side) of a single 2 x 4 of the frame.  Some folks here at the table forum, including some who built a Moore plan table, said that it isn't a problem.  Attaching the short top boards with both  glue and screws into the 2x4 was plenty.  I am still not convinced about that (I guess I am a belt and suspenders type of guy sometimes), so I am going to adapt an idea from the Naked Whiz's plan to put a second brace (strut?) in that area so all top boards rest on 2 struts.  I may move the egg farther into the middle of the table by a few inches to accommodate this.

(9) Several coats of Helmsman Spar Poly will seal everything, and I will use it on all sides of each piece of wood before assembly. Helmsman does not come with a stain (although it naturally is a bit yellow), but natural color is fine with me.  If I stained first I would use outdoor poly with stain, but would still finish with Helmsman.  My egg & cart will live outside without a cover or roof, but Helmsman is tough stuff.

After a lot of reading online, I found how to solve my biggest question: how to cut the round hole. Free form cutting a circle with a sabre saw is NOT a method I want to try. There are 2 ways of doing it. Bboth are fundamentally the same, using a simple jig as the radius arm of a circle, with a power tool for cutting.  You can use a hand held sabre saw with a jig that is a rod (bar?) that goes to a peg or screw where you want the middle of the hole.  You can buy a set of such a jig set at tool/home improvement stores for about $10 that will work on most sabre saws.  The alternative is to use a similar jig setup on a router, and make multiple passes around the circle with a straight bit to cut a smooth hole.  A friend has offered to help me with the router method at his garage workshop (I think I owe him a smoked rack of ribs).  I will also use the router-and-jig to cut the rounded table ends (with the jig/radius as long as the table top), and then round off all the sides with the router and a simple roundover bit.

I built mine last year when I got my egg, it was not that hard just looked up the dimensions online and started building. 

i did a wood table with concrete top so its easy to clean and very functional.  in our new house i am considering doing a stationary outdoor kitchen type next but this one will last me until i can get finance approval to build what i want. i saw someone comment about wood tables and fires, that is normally caused by people who are not using a table nest, the table nest makes any table you build much safer and regardless of the material i would recommend it to protect your egg from cracking.  sitting the egg directly on a paver or something is creating a heat sync between the concrete and egg and it will cause your base to crack faster and on a wood table it keeps the wood from heating up to much while cooking.  i have had a wooden table now for about 6 years with 0 issues after using a table nest.  there are a couple options out there, there is one from JJ George (jjgeorgestore.com) and big green egg makes one any dealer should have one around.  if you more questions feel free to message me.

when I had a wood table I cut the hole with a miter saw. I also used 2x4's. It was shaped like a octagon.