My BBQ Table Project

[Ed Roy]

I'm a 001 novice just starting in the woodworking world and I probably should have started with something a bit less ambitious but.......

I do competitive BBQing around the country and to that end I bought a Primo Grill, you know, one of those super heavy ceramic jobs, similar to the Green egg but a good bit bigger.  As you know, size is important! I like the fact that these amazing cooking devices are made here in the USA and thanks to that purchase, I'm cooking better than ever.

Here's the issue... I'm cheap!  I bought the Primo for about $1K then I was too cheap to spring for another $500+ for a table to place it on.  Initially, I placed the grill on some heavy cement blocks and that worked but it looked really kloogy!  I decided that I just had to build a table for this grill and that's where my great woodworking adventure began.

I had purchased the Kreg Jig and was just busting to use it on something of consequence.... I couldn't see myself making something that I really didn't need or want just for the sake of making it.  That's when the lightbulb went off!  I know.. I'll save a bunch of $$$ and build a table for my new grill.  In retrospect, this is kinda like going out fishing and returning with fish that actually cost $25/lb when I could have gone to the market and bought the same fish for $7/lb. 

I realized that I would probably end up spending about the same as if I went out and bought a table at the regular retail price but my reasoning was that after I've finished this project I'll have the right to say.. "Hey, Look!  I built this!"  Plus, I'd end up with all the tools that I need to build future projects.  How can a man resist the lure of that!  The short answer is... This man can't!

So, I measured twice, cut once and built my table from the plans that I had in my head.  The only real sticking point was that this grill of mine is a big oval affair and that meant that I had to cut an oval in the top part of the table.  Hummm... simple right?  Nope, not simple at all for this novice.  After watching YouTube interminably for a number of hours tying to learn how to cut my oval, I finally decided on ordering the circle/oval cutting jig from Rockler.  That was a hoot to use and I actually cut a pretty good looking oval if I do say so myself.

The table is finished, the smoke rises regularly from the grill and the compliments have been wonderful fro not only the food that emerges from this Primo but also for the table that supports it!  Honestly, I much more proud of the compliments about the table than I am about the cooking!

Ed Roy

Lafayette, LA

The Happiest town in the United States and...

the Cajun Capitol of the World.