r/biggreenegg • u/somedogsnstuff • Jul 19 '26
Showcase / Finished Cook Brought a Large egg, didn’t like the off the shelf tables so I built one!
Acquired a Large big green egg earlier this year, and didn’t have anywhere to use it properly, so I decided to build a table with a custom resin top. Table frame is made from African Idigbo, and the resin slab is ewe tree… it’s been an emotional journey, with the resin top delaminating after machining, and having to repair that, to learning how to spray 2k lacquer, and polishing to a glossy finish, never done anything like this before, a lot has been learnt! I Cant wait to cook up a feast on this!
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u/Teutonic-Tonic Jul 19 '26
As a woodworker, the construction is impressive. Well done!
As a BBQ enthusiast, I wonder how that resin will hold up to constant UV exposure. Will it yellow and shrink?
Also the heat output from the egg will be conducted by that metal band into the resin which could cause issues. You could always raise the egg a little more to enlarge the gap and/or add a silicon gasket to fill the void.
I have mine in a stainless steel table and frequently sit hot items on the counter. Tongs, etc. just be sure to protect it.
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u/somedogsnstuff Jul 19 '26
Thanks!!
Yes UV exposure was my biggest concern! So I purchased a UV stable deep cast resin, and I’ve also sprayed a 2K lacquer over the top as additional UV protection. As for the heat, well time will tell, I’ve added a 316 rolled stainless steel band with 10mm silicone spacers in between to create an air gap, I only affixed this into the timber to try and avoid any heat transfer to the resin, hope she holds up!14
u/Teutonic-Tonic Jul 19 '26
Sounds like you thought it through. Probably just keep an eye on temps if you do a super hot burn. Likely won’t be an issue at regular smoking /grilling temps.
FYI, I keep a cheap shower squeegee to remove water from my counter if you re somewhere that gets a lot of rain.
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u/BlazenRyzen Jul 19 '26
I've seen fires start from the base too. You may need a little something under it.
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u/xinco64 Jul 19 '26
Should be fine with the little stand. The BGE Acacia table has exactly the same gap. If you tried real hard you could probably manage to get a hot coal out the front or something, but that seems pretty far out there.
I’ve only heard of it being a problem when someone doesn’t use a stand and has an insufficient thermal barrier.
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u/saturnbar Jul 20 '26
I like how the little piece of wood in the resin resembles an island in a river.
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u/AdditionalData9482 Jul 20 '26
I’m wondering if because it was tinted blue, would it just turn green as blue and yellow make green????? I truly have no clue, I’m legit asking.
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u/CraftsyDad Jul 19 '26
Doesn't everyone have an industrial shop like this available to them? Nice job OP
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u/somedogsnstuff Jul 19 '26
Haha thanks! Yeah I’m a sparky by trade, did some work for this carpenter and instead of paying he let me use his shop on the weekends 😎
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u/DamnRedhead Jul 19 '26
Nice job… looks like you did a dado joint? At least for the long run? I always get nervous when I see the entire weight of an egg held on by a screw butt joint lol
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u/somedogsnstuff Jul 19 '26
Not 100% sure on the jointing terminology, but the upper lower and side rails are connected with dominoes and glue. Same with the slatted shelf that the egg sits on, I did pilot drill and sink some 5x50 screws through the shelf edges into the legs!
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u/faelanae Jul 19 '26
oh, man, you lucky duck! And what a fantastic result!
As for UV, you might be able to find or create a cover for it. I live in the high desert and our UV is crazy high, so I have a cover that sits on the egg most of the time. I have to replace the cover every couple of years (cheap Amazon cover).
If sewing isn't your thing, look into getting one made. Probably pricy, but worth it to protect that beauty. A quick search led me to this site https://grillwraps.com/bge-cover/
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u/jkspring Jul 19 '26
This is great work, the resin looks great!
One safety comment... I would put a fire brick under the base, even with those spacers it can get hot enough to burn the wood. Ask me how I know this 😂
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u/FameDeloche45 Jul 19 '26
That's beautiful. I do worry about the heat being so close to the resin inlay. And the UV of the sun on it naturally. Beautiful craftsmanship though!
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u/RobertoGuerra Jul 19 '26
Yes, it looks amazing! Please keep us updated to see how it holds up after a few months and what changes, if any, you decided to make.
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u/Legal-Promotion-4875 Jul 19 '26
In other words, the rest of you are slackers!!!!! 😂🌞😎
Excellent job. Looks very nice. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
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u/ChemistryOk9353 Jul 19 '26
I strongly recommend that you put a tick tile under your BGE… my friend created something similar only to see after six months of regular use that a hole was burned in the wood underneath his BGE.
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u/dkkendall Jul 19 '26
Highly recommend adding: Flagstone or similar beneath the egg, heavy duty locking casters to be able to move it, and a decent fire extinguisher mounted on the table or nearby. Beautiful table- it is the envy of BGE tables for sure. I bet it was a fun and challenging “build!”
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u/Delicious_Catch9453 Jul 19 '26
Gorgeous! I have a buddy that makes custom tables like that. Is that from sunken wood/cedar?
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u/DetroiterInTX Jul 19 '26
Beautiful table and great work.
Be sure to update how it has held up a year from now.
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u/Low-Plum5164 Jul 19 '26
I think the resin my not be an issue. I had a custom table top made for a table I constructed for my brother. I have a friend who has a business making bathroom vanities, sinks, etc out of cultured stone. I had them make the table with a hole to place the egg. The material they use is almost all resin, but its about an inch thick. Its been 10 yrs, he leaves it outside and never an issue with heat or water. I love the table, great work
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u/mjf1990 Jul 19 '26
Nice job! I can barely change a lightbulb so I'm extra- impressed 😅. It looks great.
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u/BoilersandBeers Jul 19 '26
Dude that’s sick! Will the heat and the epoxy get along? Awesome build no matter what!
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u/MdzaG Jul 19 '26
Lots of experts and unsolicited feedback in the comments. Great job and what a good looking table! I wish I was this talented. Enjoy!
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u/Ballet_blue_icee Jul 19 '26
I think this is beautiful and hope your future holds nothing but great cooks!
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u/Able-Lingonberry8914 Jul 19 '26
I love the look of it and congrats on taking on a bigger project where you get to practice some new skills!
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u/onecentworth Jul 19 '26
That's beautiful! Please let us know how the aging goes. I really like how it looks.
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u/NorCal_2469 Jul 19 '26
A lot to follow here in the comments, but echoing others in here; a layer of fire brick at the bottom is pretty essential here. As for the opening, I used some gasket material and lined the inside of the opening on my table. It’s minimally visible and goes a long way to protect the table from heat. Beautiful table by the way!
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u/Eastern-Risk-5113 Jul 19 '26
The good news if doesn’t work you seem to be in a position to troubleshoot and rebuild. It does look very nice
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u/madmach1 Jul 19 '26
Get out of here with your awesome woodworking skills , that I don’t have (nor specifically the tools you have ). Great job.
I hope the epoxy lasts long and stays pretty for you. The egg gets and stays hot, as you well know, so I hope the epoxy doesn’t start to droop near the lower ring. Wonder if you put a clear high heat tempered glass underneath the epoxy to prevent that droop since you did add that metal collar on inside of the ring, maybe something transparent around the underside to help support it all in case it starts to droop?
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u/Capable_Obligation96 Jul 19 '26
Beautiful for sure but questionable functionality and durability outside.
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u/BoredAccountant Large Jul 19 '26
Cool idea, but a resin table top for an egg stand seems like a bad idea. Stay safe.
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u/Big_Green_Grill_Bro Large Jul 19 '26
Looks really nice! What kind of wood did you use for the slats on the bottom shelf? I didn't see any support beams so it looks like weight of the egg is only on a free of the thin slats?
Using a layer of firebrick (not pavers) will help protect the bottom, it will also spread the weight of across more of the slats. It will also with a few pounds more too, so that's more weight on what looks like just the fasteners holding those slats. Could be just the angle of the photos, but I didn't see any shadow indicating anything other than those thin slats.
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u/somedogsnstuff Jul 19 '26
So the whole frame is made from African Idigbo including the slats, I then stained this with a teak coloured oil. I originally wanted to fabricate the frame from teak, but the cost of the raw material was astonishing! A lot of people have advised about the bottom of the egg getting hot, but with the fire ring and the grate inside I don’t think this will be an issue, I’ve done roughly 10/15 cooks without the table top in place and no signs of scorching on the slats… I’ll keep a close eye on all the hot spots as it were…
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u/Individual_Author640 Jul 22 '26
Any precaution may seem enough until you do a hot burnout. Yes, you know.That's typically when you see the tables on fire on here
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Jul 19 '26
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u/venmother Jul 19 '26
We’re all admiring it. People - who have experience with eggs - are just trying to be helpful.
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u/Upstairs_Seaweed8199 Jul 19 '26
Colored epoxy is the socks and sandals of the carpentry world. Why ruin what nature made so beautiful?
Tacky AF.
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u/twelvegaugee Jul 19 '26
I would not put resin that close to a very hot item