Dave,
There are definitely many possible solutions. Yours is really top drawer, especially with those side tables. Kind of like a king-sized, steroid version of my 22" Platinum One-Touch - the one with the oval thermoset side tables. GREAT JOB ON THAT BUILD!
If someone wanted to go really old-fashioned, I always thought it would be cool to make a 26" version of the Weber Sequoia. If you look at how Weber made these, they kept the wood work really simple using the same size slats to build almost everything. A 26" version would make a lot more sense. Not nearly as solid or movable as yours, of course, but it would have it's own merits. Depends a lot on where you plan to keep it and whether you have to move it to use it. And, the old-fashioned look wouldn't appeal to everyone. I do think you could make this without drilling your bowl:
Jon, I'll have to do some searching, but someone else built the one with the side tables (and oh, how I'd love to copy it.). Mine is the drop in, no drill one. I'm supposed to be putting a cut down Ranch front handle on it, but, well, that's one of the parts that hasn't been completed yet.
A 26 Sequoia would be cool as hell and something different than the 26 Performers that are floating around out there.
