Acrylic Draft Tower Idea

twst1up · 10-28-2009, 04:31 AM

Have been brainstorming different ideas for my keezer in progress. While thinking of cooling fans I thought of the ones that change colours and how cool it would be utilizing the lights along with maybe some fiberoptics or leds. Started thinking of a transparent coffin or 2 pedestal tower with inline fans drawing cool air up from the freezer and back down Plexiglass is seemingly easy to work with...you can cut it, drill it...and of course beside the light show you'd be looking at all the inner workings: tubing et al.

Anyone else thought of this? Any ideas?

**bad coffee** · 10-30-2009, 12:54 AM

I've done a bit of acrylic work. It's easy if you use the right tools.

If you're going with clear acrylic, you might want to jacket all your tubing in either white tubing/heatshrink, or maybe just paint the tubes. You're correct in thinking the tubing will be seen, and if it's not spectacularly clean looking it could bother you.

IF I were going to make a clear tower, I'd have to build in a couple of LED matrix panels so I could title the taps that way. And I'd make/buy clear acrylic tap handles.

B

twst1up · 10-30-2009, 10:58 PM

Bad Coffee: i know i've seen red tubing in some folks keezers, that could be an option. Using clear tubing would expose at least a little bit to light although maybe the affect would be negligible.
Is this stuff available as piping? A transparent double pedestal tower akin to the PVC ones that some have DIYd would be pretty cool...I'd assume mitering something like that would be pretty challenging to say the least

tipicreeper · 10-31-2009, 01:55 PM

One can get clear PVC at McMaster Carr & US Plastics.
This would be alot less brittle then acrylics & glues together with PVC cement.
Although it tends to be a bit pricy.
-Cheers

JKoravos · 10-31-2009, 02:34 PM

Clear PVC also isn't really clear. The stuff I've used has a bluish tint. Cast acrylic tubing is pretty expensive, I bought a 6 foot long piece of 9" diameter acrylic tube for a display a few years ago, it was $1,000.

**bendavanza** · 10-31-2009, 06:02 PM

The red tubing you've seen is most likely for gas. I know beer line is available in 3/16" ID black, however.

twst1up · 10-31-2009, 07:11 PM

black beer line...problem solved!

**Bobby_M** · 10-31-2009, 09:08 PM

What you want is cast acrylic.

1/8" wall, 3" diameter, 30" long, $48. http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product623.html

It could look cool if you put surface mount LEDs on the end of the tubing wall.

twst1up · 10-31-2009, 09:22 PM

good catch...altho looks like you wouldn't save alot of bread going this route. What would be really cool is having one U-shaped piece, that way you wouldn't have to worry about it getting all F-dupped trying to cut/mitre it. however working it pieces would make accomodating fans/lights easier
Don't follow you regarding the LEDs tho...some kind of custom led signage designating whats on tap would be preety sweet too

CuddlyBurrito · 10-31-2009, 09:53 PM

well why don't you get a sheet of acrylic cut and assemble using acrylic glue in a rectangular prism. or make another cool shape. such as a letter, or logo. working with acrylic isn't too hard just cover with masking tape cut and sand the fuzzies. you can also bend acrylic with a heat gun over a edge or like sheet steel, also you could use a high grit paper like 1000 and give it a frosted look where you wouldn't be able to see the beer lines or leds that you stick in it.

Edit: i think that the plexiglass tower would be kick ass, but if you want to save money, just use pvc.. its cheap and can be manipulated easily. and you can paint it whatever color you would like