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

Question about repairing a cracked base

jtyrie
jtyrie Posts: 6
in EggHead Forum

I moved my large egg off of my patio and into my garage because I'm selling the house. To cook, I have to roll it out on the driveway. Well, my worst nightmare happened last night. A wheel on the nest caught on the lip of the garage floor and dumped over. It happened so fast, I didn't have time to throw my body between the egg and the floor. The base is cracked from the vent opening about 2/3 the way around.

I'm going to buy a new base but not until I have moved. I'm not going to risk breaking a new one during the move.

I bought some JB weld to try to repair it enough to use it until I move. My question, how will I get the Epoxy on the surface of the crack? Do I risk trying to open the crack up a bit so I can get the glue in? Would I just pry it open a bit with a screwdriver or chisel tip? I sense further disaster awaiting.

If anyone has experience doing this, I'd love some advice.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • GoooDawgs
    GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060

    JB weld on a base seems very risky. You dont want hot coals spilling out! I'd buy a new base now and be extra careful when moving. Lots of blankets and keep it in your car, or make sure moving company's insurance would cover it if they're moving it.

    Milton, GA 
    XL BGE & FB300
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179

    You can rip the bandaid off and be sad now or spend hours in denial messing with it and be sad after that. Im afraid it’s game over for that base.

    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458

    Just don’t, your luck could get even worse.

    Jacksonville FL
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,762

    Always pull and never push any BGE-too late here but may help someone else. FWIW-

    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
  • frazzdaddy
    frazzdaddy Posts: 2,617

    all of the asove

    Xl bge ,LG bge, two 4' crusher cone fire pits. Weber Genisis gasser and 
    Two rusty Weber kettles. 

    Two Rivers Farm
    Moncure N.C.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mEGG_My_Day
    mEGG_My_Day Posts: 1,661

    I’d buy a Webber kettle off Craig’s list or let go or such to use in the interim and wait for the move to get the new base. But that’s me.

    Memphis, TN 

    LBGE, 2 SBGE, Hasty-Bake Gourmet
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,166

    Buy a new base and save the packaging for the move.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • eggnogg
    eggnogg Posts: 7

    i was given a kamodo with a broken bottom, actually there was no bottom, just a few edge pieces. i bought a pampered chef round ceramic pizza flat, used jb weld to hold it together and high temp furnace cement to smooth out the bottoms. did a few cooks, no food, to cure the cement and blow off any vapors. it’s supposed to be food safe. so far, no issues on the inside, on the outside the thin parts shrunk up and i lost about 1/8” of feathering. no structural damage. so for me, it’s a win.this repair is a few months old and going strong.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 8,928
    https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2421448#Comment_2421448

    Dang that’s a good idea! Probably don’t even need to glue it, just a round stone to sit snug in the bottom

    South of Columbus, Ohio.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dbcmkx
    dbcmkx Posts: 3
    Cotronics has a high temperature (up to 2300 degrees F) epoxy adhesive for ceramic. The name is Resbond 907GF it can be bought through their wholesaler, Mc Master Wholesalers, phone number is 609/259-8900.  Mc Master part # is 7549A11.  Price is $33,22 for a 11oz cartridge.  That looks like a medical syringe on steroids.  Here is a link to the description: http://www.cotronics.com/vo/cotr/rm_adhesive.htm

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,196
    I used this, and it worked really well.  I picked the firebox up by the broken piece and shook it, it is fused like it was before the crack happened.  The base was more caulking cracks it had, it did not have breaks along those seams.  Still holding up. 






    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mark_B_Good
    Mark_B_Good Posts: 1,653
    Does that JB weld release any volatiles over time, or at least on the first heat up?
    Napoleon Prestige Pro 665, XL BGE, Lots of time for BBQ!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TN_Egger
    TN_Egger Posts: 1,120
    Thought this was going to be a different discussion.
    Signal Mountain, TN
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,196
    Mark_B_Good said:
    Does that JB weld release any volatiles over time, or at least on the first heat up?
    Probably, but you can see on the box it lists outdoor grills as one of its intended uses.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    edited October 2020
    My original base & firebox/ring all cracked many years ago, I got all new parts under warranty then JB Welded the old parts together & topped it off with a buddy's defective dome (glazing popped off in a few places) & added a donor hinge/band (Flapoolman) & that thing chugged along for years as a dedicated low/slow smoker until I sold it a few years ago.  If you have the room & other necessary parts there's no reason to toss a cracked base, especially at their price new...
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cookingdude555
    cookingdude555 Posts: 3,196
    I agree @Zippylip.  My frankenegg was made from warranty parts from three different eggheads in the family.  The other two didn't want their warranty parts, so I patched it together, put it in a table, and now it does occasional duty next to a ranch kettle at my moms house.  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,453
    Zippylip said:
    My original base & firebox/ring all cracked many years ago, I got all new parts under warranty then JB Welded the old parts together & topped it off with a buddy's defective dome (glazing popped off in a few places) & added a donor hinge/band (Flapoolman) & that thing chugged along for years as a dedicated low/slow smoker until I sold it a few years ago.  If you have the room & other necessary parts there's no reason to toss a cracked base, especially at their price new...
    GEEEEZZZZZ - I thought you had passed on to the great courtroom in the sky!!! Glad to see you are still here and probably still kicking insurance companies' butts!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    RRP said:
    Zippylip said:
    My original base & firebox/ring all cracked many years ago, I got all new parts under warranty then JB Welded the old parts together & topped it off with a buddy's defective dome (glazing popped off in a few places) & added a donor hinge/band (Flapoolman) & that thing chugged along for years as a dedicated low/slow smoker until I sold it a few years ago.  If you have the room & other necessary parts there's no reason to toss a cracked base, especially at their price new...
    GEEEEZZZZZ - I thought you had passed on to the great courtroom in the sky!!! Glad to see you are still here and probably still kicking insurance companies' butts!
    ha, not yet, too many insurance companies continue to act poorly towards the people, I may just have to live forever  =)
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories