So, I've been looking for a heat resistant table or similar to go with the Big Joe, where I can place hot ceramic straight from the BBQ without having to worry about burning wood, paint etc. Its outside and not under cover, I didn't see anything cheap and suitable, so made my own.
Started with a whisky barrel from Gumtree, £35 and £10 delivered (worth paying for delivery, they are heavy, unstable and dirty, not a good combination for the boot of your car), sanded it back, couple of coats of yacht varnish, masked off and painted the bands with some exterior black gloss. Finally topped it off with a concrete stepping stone from B&Q, cost £9.
So for about £80 all in (including materials) I have something that is practical, heatproof, will last forever ( these old whisky barrels are bombproof), and looks the business.
The stepping stone was a perfect fit, I screwed some batons onto the top of the barrel so there wasn't a void space under the stepping stone and used a silicone sealant/adhesive to stick it down and seal it on.
