DIY Jockey Box anyone? Or: can you self coil the SS?

nathan · 04-21-2009, 08:16 PM

A buddy with a pub would like to set up a jockey box.

Looks like it's just dispensing parts, bulkheading through a cooler, and running through SS tubing.

Any idea if rolling that tubing is doable DIY style? Anyone done another jockeybox somehow at home?

**gssmind** · 04-21-2009, 09:07 PM

I was thinking about building one of those for myself before I got my kegerator setup.
Anyways, I am all about saving money and so instead of using SS tubing I was looking into using copper tubing that you can buy for around $30-$40 at the hardware stores.
I asked around a few brewery stores for their input to see if it would work and their input was "Yes copper might work"

**Cape Brewing** · 04-21-2009, 09:09 PM

WHy not just use a cold plate made for a jockey box?? I think you can get a six outlet for something like $100.

Yeah, $100 is a lot more than $30-$40 but you'll be able to hook six taps up to is and save yourself a ton of work and headaches.

**Cape Brewing** · 04-21-2009, 09:11 PM

6 Product Cold Plate 14" x 8" - eBay (item 190302517498 end time Apr-28-09 07:08:15 PDT)

Boerderij_Kabouter · 04-21-2009, 09:13 PM

EBay cold plate FTW. Small diameter SS will be difficult to coil and will cost more than the cold plate. If you are dead set on the coil, McMaster is the cheapest place to get it (believe it or not), unless you find a great deal on ebay.

HarvInSTL · 04-22-2009, 01:38 AM

+1 for the cold plate

I built one for a buddy using a 6 outlet cold plate. Since he was only starting with 3 taps, we just passed the outputs from 1-3 into inputs 4-6. Takes a little more psi, but not much.

lustreking · 04-22-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarvInSTL

+1 for the cold plate

I built one for a buddy using a 6 outlet cold plate. Since he was only starting with 3 taps, we just passed the outputs from 1-3 into inputs 4-6. Takes a little more psi, but not much.

I too use a 6 pass cold plate for three taps. I built short jumper hoses to double up the passes if I wanted to, but I've never found the need to.

Anyway, I own both a cold plate and a stainless coil, and I like the cold plate much better.

nathan · 04-23-2009, 03:37 PM

looks like he wants to buy a cold plate, and we put together the rest.

He's got taps, but can anyone recommend a tap/shank combo for a cooler? And are all the fittings going to be 1/4" FFL to 5/16" barb with tube clamps and some vinyl tubing?

Essentially I'd like to make a parts list he can get through to get everything together so we can build this.

**IrregularPulse** · 04-30-2009, 06:52 PM

What chills the coldplate? i'mm assuming it still requires the cooler to be filled with ice/water?

Kuglehaus · 04-30-2009, 08:11 PM

Yup

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