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Modifications/Fixes I made to my Lg BGE & Nest

TomH
TomH Posts: 12
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I've had my (large) BGE for about a year now... and I really enjoy using it and cooking on it. However there were a number of things I felt needed a bit of 'improvement':

1 - Replacement of the (too small) casters on the large Egg 'nest'.

2 - Making the (plastic) fold-out tables REMOVEABLE (for easier cleaning).

3 - Fixing the fire grate so it's a LOT less prone to being 'caught' (and moved out of place) by the cleanout tool while I'm agitating the old charcoal to get rid of the ahses.

4 - Repair the rotating cap on the top vent cover to it doesn't fall apart (almost voluntarily).

If you're interested in seeing my mods to my BGE, please visit:

http://www.n0ss.net/index_bge.html

Happy Grilling...!

Tom
n0ss@arrl.net

Comments

  • Grumpa
    Grumpa Posts: 861
    Great work Tom and thanks for sharing your tips.

    The wheels and fire grate fixes are now on my to do list. B)
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    never liked the way the fire grate slid around. if you put washers on big enough it will lift the grate and you will gain airflow around the circumfrance, helps for quicker lighting and less chance of built up ash during low and slows ;)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • edbro
    edbro Posts: 300
    Do you think that the fire grate bolts will add lateral pressure to the firebox as they heat up and expand? The FB already is prone to cracking.
  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    Really good ideas, thanks B)

    Capt Frank
    Homosassa,FL
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,671
    i would leave the bolt pattern a little loose. i made my lump grate bigger and it doesnt seem to be as tippy as the origional
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Beaumonty
    Beaumonty Posts: 198
    These are great suggestions. I even commented to someone that when they moved the charcoal around, they should watch the positioning of the grate. this is a good suggestion.

    do you think there is a fix that doesn't require drilling in the metal to add new holes?
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Great ideas Tom. :)
  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
    I appreciate you efforts but here are my thoughts...

    You could have bought the new nest which has 4" wheels as well as a wider stance. You could also buy the EGG® Handler which gives you a handle and ties the EGG to the nest.

    I worry about what happens to Stainless Steel at 1500°.

    Over time you'll see that your side tables will bend down because of the weakening of the metal support. I've tried it on a few different occassions and it never works for very long.

    Looks like you have a defective metal top which could be replaced under the warranty.

    I truly like your ingenuity and the ideas you had. I just wanted to give folks that read this an alternative in case they don't posses the skills you do.
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Here is a post I put together back in February of 2010
    Assembling the large nest ENL & Nest Handler NHL-1
    http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=112&func=view&catid=1&id=823812#823812
  • Beaumonty
    Beaumonty Posts: 198
    I'm thinking about getting an Egg handler because I want it to clear the concrete lip in to my garage. HOw has it worked for you on uneven surfaces?

    Is my local dealer the only option for purchasing such accessories or should i look in other sources first? I'm not a fan of internet retailers that aren't well established.
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Beaumonty wrote:
    I'm thinking about getting an Egg handler because I want it to clear the concrete lip in to my garage. HOw has it worked for you on uneven surfaces?

    Is my local dealer the only option for purchasing such accessories or should i look in other sources first? I'm not a fan of internet retailers that aren't well established.


    Beaumonty, I really like my new style nest with 4 inch wheels and with the addition of the Handler I can tilt the egg back on two wheels and move it around like a refrigerator dolly. Of course I want to be careful I remember I a have fire ring and box in there. I can roll my egg in the table and my egg in the nest in my trailer with a ramp door and tie them down and go cook somewhere else or roll them around in the yard. I'm sure if you want to go up a concrete lip on your garage it can be done. Just be careful and use caution. You can roll the egg around on uneven surfaces easily but like I said remember there is a fire ring and fire box in there. Easy peasy just go slow.

    I called around to several dealers in my area to purchase the handler. There are less than 10 around me and I found one that had the handler in stock. I believe I paid around $70. for it. Be aware they have a Handler for the old nest with 3 inch wheels NHL-2 and a Handler for the new nest with the 4 inch wheels NHL-1. I never looked on line for the Handler. Hope this helps you. Tim :)
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    Nice idea about (slightly) raising the grate. Will give that some consideration. Can't raise it too much, however, or you're start 'losing' coals to the clean-out dump.
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    I kinda doubt that they'll cause any problem. Mine sit well within the circumference of the egg body, and NOT up against the sides. There'd have to be a LOT of heat expansion before they might even think of causing a problem... Additionally, only the bottom 1/4" of the screw comes close to the sides of the egg body, it's rounded at that point, so the upper 3/4 of the screw is nowhere near anything else.
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    I can't think of anyting (else) that's withstand the heat... you certainly couldn't GLUE something in place.

    For what it's worth, my great has several (!) heat cracks in it... NONE from the (4) holes I drilled, but from the much larger 'breather' holes. Not sure if that's considered a manufacturer's defect or not however.
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    FIRST I've seen of the Egg Handler... looks like a pretty nifty addition to the Nest. UNfortunately, being frugal (my kids say I'm 'cheap'), I'll probably never invest in one, but it DOES look to be a worthwhile improvement over the original Nest.

    Thanks
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    Appreciate your comments.

    And, you're giving others several other 'alternative' suggestions, AND the warning about the potential for the table tops to 'warp' due to lack of support as a result of my having removed the 1/4" of metal in the slot is a WISE warning. I'll have to watch things closely to see if my experience follows yours.

    Thanks
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Welcome to the forum Tom. Interesting post.

    73's Kent (KC7XQ)
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    Hi Kent:

    Heheh... figgered SOMEONE would recognize the e-mail address and respond...! YOu might want to visit my main web site as well:

    www.n0ss.net

    73,

    Tom
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Went there yesterday you have some good projects up there.

    Kent
  • Tom -
    Very nice... Figures you are a ham - us radio guys are always fixing/improving something. R-R-R.

    De KH6WZ, aka kh6kine on this board
  • NU2BBQ
    NU2BBQ Posts: 98
    Hams on a BBQ forum :), guess there's a few of us.

    NU2BBQ (kb1dia)
  • TomH
    TomH Posts: 12
    Looks like we (hams) are coming out of the woodwork... heheh! Several individual replies received.

    Agreed, that we seem to gravitate to wanting to 'improve' just about anything we own... heheh! At least no PC boards or electronic components inbolved in these mods... just the expectation of better 'CHOW'..!

    C everyone on Field Day (June 26/27)... from N0SS/K0ETY

    No more 'ham' talk now... back on topic.

    Tom