***Big Green Egg Rescue***

S

swamprb

somebody shut me the fark up.
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Or, I hope this works!

Here are some pics of my Large BGE and the crack that put it out of service, hopefully you won't ever have to do this, but let it serve as something to look out for if it ever comes up.

100_2542.jpg


Wire brushed the interior
100_2687.jpg


Used a Dremel to channel the cracks to fill with JB-Weld
100_2688.jpg


100_2695.jpg


Did the same with the exterior-the glaze is pretty hard!
100_2694.jpg


Coat area with Furnace cement
100_2703.jpg


Add a Rutland gasket
100_2714.jpg


100_2715.jpg


Next onto the firebox!
100_2690.jpg


Channelled out the cracks, filled with JB, then coated with furnace cement, and into the oven at 500* for 5 hours.
100_2692.jpg


100_2702.jpg


The heat caused the JB to bubble under the furnace cement, but it is still very solid, I plan to coat it with another coat and heat it up before I do a charcoal burn.
100_2709.jpg


100_2710.jpg


Ordered some touch up paint for the exterior and coated the entire inner surface with the Rutland cement. I'll update the progress as it goes and hopefully I'll be Eggin' soon!
 
How did the BGE crack?

Hi Brian, I hope your JB will survive in the fire box. Mine literally turned into powder after only 4 small charcoal firings. However, I hadn't covered it with furnace cement at the time.

Weird also how the furnace cement bubbled up all over your firebox (not just over the area of the JB). Could it be due to trapped moisture? Are the bubbles solid or just air pockets? How long did you wait for it to dry before baking it in the oven?

OK, the big question: How did you crack your big BGE?
(Thought the ceramic BGEs were tougher and rated higher for heat than the red clay pot Kamados?!)

Hope the rescue goes well. I'll probably get back to my own restore (Project Humpty) next week.
________________________
MayDay
Kamado/BGE, Cobb
 
I have the same question, How did the EGG crack?
Is this a common thing. As much as I would like to have and Egg, if this is a common concern I'm not going to spend the money on it. I'm not handy so if I got one and it cracks, it would never get fixed.
 
BBQ_MAFIA said:
I have the same question, How did the EGG crack?
Is this a common thing. As much as I would like to have and Egg, if this is a common concern I'm not going to spend the money on it. I'm not handy so if I got one and it cracks, it would never get fixed.
Click to expand...

with a new egg purchased from a storefront dealer, there is a lifetime warranty so if any part of the egg cracks from normal use, it will be replaced, no questions asked. that's the risk of buying a used egg with no warranty
 
Nice job bro...Ol' Betsy may be doomed to a life of Low-n-Slow after all...(not that there's anything wrong with that!) :biggrin:
 
BBQ_MAFIA said:
I have the same question, How did the EGG crack?
Is this a common thing. As much as I would like to have and Egg, if this is a common concern I'm not going to spend the money on it. I'm not handy so if I got one and it cracks, it would never get fixed.
Click to expand...

Rick's Tropical Delight said:
with a new egg purchased from a storefront dealer, there is a lifetime warranty so if any part of the egg cracks from normal use, it will be replaced, no questions asked. that's the risk of buying a used egg with no warranty
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

I'm back on the egg wagon again.
I hppe Mrs. Mafia ia reading.:-D
 
I just repaired my Imperial Kamado firebox (it's still curing) using nothing but watered down Rutlands Furnace Cement (to a cottage cheese or sour cream consistency) and slathered the entire outer surface and eventually the inner surface.. I put it on pretty thick since I find that too thin a layer can come off in some cases..
 
osx-addict said:
I just repaired my Imperial Kamado firebox (it's still curing) using nothing but watered down (to a cottage cheese or sour cream consistency) and slathered the entire outer surface and eventually the inner surface.. I put it on pretty thick since I find that too thin a layer can come off in some cases..
Click to expand...

watered down, what?
 
I coated the interior of the BGE with Rutland Stove and Gasket cement and it sets up hard. Gonna let it dry out in the hot sun before I fire it up! Added a Rutland stove gasket to the bottom also.

100_2773.jpg


Hope this does the trick! Not Eggin's been killin' me!
 
swamprb said:
I coated the interior of the BGE with Rutland Stove and Gasket cement and it sets up hard. Gonna let it dry out in the hot sun before I fire it up! Added a Rutland stove gasket to the bottom also.

100_2773.jpg


Hope this does the trick! Not Eggin's been killin' me!
Click to expand...

Looks like a "demo" is in your near future...have you spent your "Bush" money yet...or should I be a little more pc and say "Economic Stimulus Check"...:twisted::twisted::twisted:
 
Test Burn failure

FARK!!! This is driving me nutz! I did a test burn on the Egg last night, and most of the furnace cement bubbled up and flaked off the interior of the Egg and outside of the bottom, and the interior of the firebox. The JB-Weld has held up and no sign of it failing-yet! I slow baked the firebox in my oven overnight, the furnace cement on the back is OK. I'm about ready to give it the heave-ho! I've never had any problems with the clay Kamados like I'm having with this BGE repair. I'm dying to cook on it, just want it done right!
 
That's too bad Brian. It is frustrating putting that much time on something only to have to go back to square one. Your persistence and tenacity will pay off. Hope i never have to do it.

Paul
 
Demo Eggs Include:
  • Large Egg, Egg-Mates (Side Shelves)
  • Egg Nest (Stand)
  • Ash Rake
  • Grill Gripper
  • Approx 1/2 bag of Lump Charcoal.
Retail for this package is $932.20. Your cost is $715, over $200 in savings for this once a year event.

To purchase your Demo Egg, please visit your local Eggfest Sponsor to pre-pay for the Egg.
You will need to pick the Egg up at the Pacific Northwest Eggfest between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
You must register for the Eggfest in order to purchase a Demo Egg. The Egg may still be warm, so plan accordingly.

We will also have plate setters that have been used one time with the Demo Egg available for $35 each. (You save over $10)

:evil:
 
swamprb said:
FARK!!! This is driving me nutz! I did a test burn on the Egg last night, and most of the furnace cement bubbled up and flaked off the interior of the Egg and outside of the bottom, and the interior of the firebox. The JB-Weld has held up and no sign of it failing-yet! I slow baked the firebox in my oven overnight, the furnace cement on the back is OK. I'm about ready to give it the heave-ho! I've never had any problems with the clay Kamados like I'm having with this BGE repair. I'm dying to cook on it, just want it done right!
Click to expand...

Do you know who you bought it from? Could you have them take it back for service?
 
JamesTX said:
Do you know who you bought it from? Could you have them take it back for service?
Click to expand...

The people moved a couple years ago and it was basically a gift. I probably should quit being a cheap ba$tard and just replace the bottom and be done with it. But being the cheap ba$tard that I am, I'm rationalizing the pros of buying new and having the good feeling of a lifetime warranty or getting a new bottom for @ $275 and having half a new one without that good feeling! Know what I mean??
 
swamprb said:
The people moved a couple years ago and it was basically a gift. I probably should quit being a cheap ba$tard and just replace the bottom and be done with it. But being the cheap ba$tard that I am, I'm rationalizing the pros of buying new and having the good feeling of a lifetime warranty or getting a new bottom for @ $275 and having half a new one without that good feeling! Know what I mean??
Click to expand...

Demo Eggs Include:
  • Large Egg, Egg-Mates (Side Shelves)
  • Egg Nest (Stand)
  • Ash Rake
  • Grill Gripper
  • Approx 1/2 bag of Lump Charcoal.
Retail for this package is $932.20. Your cost is $715, over $200 in savings for this once a year event.

To purchase your Demo Egg, please visit your local Eggfest Sponsor to pre-pay for the Egg.
You will need to pick the Egg up at the Pacific Northwest Eggfest between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
You must register for the Eggfest in order to purchase a Demo Egg. The Egg may still be warm, so plan accordingly.

We will also have plate setters that have been used one time with the Demo Egg available for $35 each. (You save over $10)

:evil:
:evil::evil:
 
swamprb said:
FARK!!! This is driving me nutz! I did a test burn on the Egg last night, and most of the furnace cement bubbled up and flaked off the interior of the Egg and outside of the bottom, and the interior of the firebox. The JB-Weld has held up and no sign of it failing-yet! I slow baked the firebox in my oven overnight, the furnace cement on the back is OK. I'm about ready to give it the heave-ho! I've never had any problems with the clay Kamados like I'm having with this BGE repair. I'm dying to cook on it, just want it done right!
Click to expand...

Brian, I'm thinking the cement is flaking because of the ceramic material of the BGE. If it's fine-pored, the cement will not adhere as well as it does to the old claypots which are more porous, therefore the flaking.

As for the bubbling, it means the temperature was brought up TOO HIGH and TOO FAST relative to the water content of your dried cement.

I wonder if a cracked ceramic pot could be better repaired by using a high-temperature repair glaze and then doing a ceramic firing in a potter's kiln. This would be done at very high temperatures to melt the vitreous glaze. Much higher than BBQ temperatures. :?::?::?:
________________
MayDay
Kamado/BGE, Cobb
Project Humpty
 
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