This thread will probably become a construction in process thread, I am starting the process of building a home for my Big Green Egg. But first, I would like some advice to a woodworking question. Please add any other Big Green Egg Table advise as well.
I have a woodworking question –when building indoor furniture, I tend to prefer to peg and glue. I have built outdoor furniture on an assembly line before, where we used pegged over screws (perhaps very marginally better than screws alone, as pegging them over prevents visible rust). I am about to build a table for a BGE out of cedar with a poured concrete top and lower shelf (a heavy beast), with wheels to provide some ability to move (so there will be lateral stress). What does the hive think I should use as joinery? Bolts would give the advantage of being able to repair the table and accommodate shrinkage. Glue with bolts would be somewhat stronger to deal with lateral stress, but much harder to repair. Peg and glue, I just do not know if I am inviting rot, how well the “hardwood” pegs hold up outside, how well will pegs deal with cedar shrinkage (does kiln dried cedar shrink like cedar decking and fencing?). I could also use hidden pegs – which may be more rot resistant.
fwiw - my honest normal method of construction is glue, clamp, screw. Then a week or so latter I unscrew and peg. It allows me to build faster with a limited supply of clamps. Clamping before screwing snugs everything up much tighter, but limits the number of popped screws (and the screw digging into the wood). Once the screws are in place, I can remove the clamps and start over at another location. Might need to pick up another 4 pipe clamps this weekend, you can never have too many pipe clamps.
On a second note - I leaning towards a pair of large wagon wheels and giving it a garden cart look (the axle would be set close to the Egg so they would carry most of the weight), abet that will interfere with cleaning and adjusting the egg some. Far side could have smaller casters or wheels. Any opinions on this thought.
I have not finished the CAD drawings. My CAD program does not do round, so wheels are killing me, not to mention modeling the egg itself. I still need to add some braces, play with the lower shelf heigh, and add a pedestal for the egg. Nothing unique about the design as modeled so far - basic table. As designed it is 33.5 high, with a 1.5" overhang on the top. The top will be 60x32, with the Egg centered. I plan on having a solid lower shelf, with the egg raised above it (so there will be a shallow shelf under the egg itself. I am leaning this way to give more height to the shelves on the side, but recognize this may need to be in part or whole sacrificed due to the height of the casters on the far end. I could very well end up with a split level bottom shelf - I really want the extra height at least on one side.
I have a woodworking question –when building indoor furniture, I tend to prefer to peg and glue. I have built outdoor furniture on an assembly line before, where we used pegged over screws (perhaps very marginally better than screws alone, as pegging them over prevents visible rust). I am about to build a table for a BGE out of cedar with a poured concrete top and lower shelf (a heavy beast), with wheels to provide some ability to move (so there will be lateral stress). What does the hive think I should use as joinery? Bolts would give the advantage of being able to repair the table and accommodate shrinkage. Glue with bolts would be somewhat stronger to deal with lateral stress, but much harder to repair. Peg and glue, I just do not know if I am inviting rot, how well the “hardwood” pegs hold up outside, how well will pegs deal with cedar shrinkage (does kiln dried cedar shrink like cedar decking and fencing?). I could also use hidden pegs – which may be more rot resistant.
fwiw - my honest normal method of construction is glue, clamp, screw. Then a week or so latter I unscrew and peg. It allows me to build faster with a limited supply of clamps. Clamping before screwing snugs everything up much tighter, but limits the number of popped screws (and the screw digging into the wood). Once the screws are in place, I can remove the clamps and start over at another location. Might need to pick up another 4 pipe clamps this weekend, you can never have too many pipe clamps.
On a second note - I leaning towards a pair of large wagon wheels and giving it a garden cart look (the axle would be set close to the Egg so they would carry most of the weight), abet that will interfere with cleaning and adjusting the egg some. Far side could have smaller casters or wheels. Any opinions on this thought.
I have not finished the CAD drawings. My CAD program does not do round, so wheels are killing me, not to mention modeling the egg itself. I still need to add some braces, play with the lower shelf heigh, and add a pedestal for the egg. Nothing unique about the design as modeled so far - basic table. As designed it is 33.5 high, with a 1.5" overhang on the top. The top will be 60x32, with the Egg centered. I plan on having a solid lower shelf, with the egg raised above it (so there will be a shallow shelf under the egg itself. I am leaning this way to give more height to the shelves on the side, but recognize this may need to be in part or whole sacrificed due to the height of the casters on the far end. I could very well end up with a split level bottom shelf - I really want the extra height at least on one side.
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