I have had my Stampede (Req Teq RT-590) for almost a year now. You can buy a folding front shelf off the Req Teq website. It costs about $100. The only downside is that there have been reports that the brackets interfere with the cover. Those not using a cover don't have to worry about this. I ordered and use the Req Teq cover. For the record, the cover is awesome and fits the grill perfectly.
I fooled around with some designs for a front shelf. I could get a custom stainless steel shelf, without the brackets for 120$. That price drops significantly if we do a group buy. For example, a count of 20 would only be 65$ each. The shelf would be 11GA brushed stainless, bends on the front and sides, and with the word STAMPEDE cut out towards the top. To do this correctly I would need to: 1. Buy the one for 120 to show it off. 2. Get 20 people to pay up front 3. Then put in the order, which will take some time to complete. I'm not sure if that is likely. You can leave a comment if you're interested! Maybe this goes viral and we get 100 people that want the custom Stampede front shelf!
On to the work!
I already had the brackets. To install the bracket, I needed to enlarge the middle mounting holes. Then I used the existing grill bolt to mount the bracket. A small hole was drilled and a sheet metal screw was used for the lower hole. This mounted the folding brackets to the grill.
Here is the link to the folding brackets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M2UYPHS
I decided to go with a black cutting board. This particular one is 30x18x0.5 inches and is NSF rated for commercial food service. When it arrived I laid it on the brackets and took some measurements to center it and keep it slightly away from the grill body. Then I found some self tapping screws and washers (only need 4) that were less than 1/2 inch long. I should have drilled pilot holes - the board was a bit tougher than I expected - but I was able to make due. With the board centered, I drove the screws home and luckily they did not penetrate the top of the board.
Here is the link to the cutting board: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083F7VX2T
Here is what it looks like when it's done!
