I just purchased a used GE 7.0 freezer off Craigslist that I'm going to use for my upcoming keezer build. This will be my second build, my first keezer died about a year ago. I learned A LOT from my first keezer build, including the fact that my design for that keezer is probably what lead to its death.
Anywho, for this keezer I'm trying to decide how I want to implement the collar... This will be a coffin keezer build and I will be encasing the entire thing.... I will also be extending one side of the cabinet by 10" to hold my 20# CO2 and beer gas tanks (I am planning on 5 taps, four 5 gallon cornies on the floor and one 2.5 gallon on the hump). I want to include a short collar (made from 2x4s) that I can use to mount my secondary regulators/splitters from, and I'll also drill through it so I can pass the gas lines through it. Also, I do NOT plan on using the original lid, I do not want to have to cut through it so I'll be essentially building a new lid. So my question is this... Would I be better to build the collar in to the new lid (i.e. use the original hinges mounted to the collar with the bar top mounted on top of that, and every time I open the keezer the collar will raise). Or should I attach the collar with silicone and use new hinges to allow the bar top to open.... The second option would be a lot lighter but I'm not sure what options there are for hinges. I would like to have something that will hold itself open, does anyone know of any such hinges or piston/struts that might work?
Anywho, for this keezer I'm trying to decide how I want to implement the collar... This will be a coffin keezer build and I will be encasing the entire thing.... I will also be extending one side of the cabinet by 10" to hold my 20# CO2 and beer gas tanks (I am planning on 5 taps, four 5 gallon cornies on the floor and one 2.5 gallon on the hump). I want to include a short collar (made from 2x4s) that I can use to mount my secondary regulators/splitters from, and I'll also drill through it so I can pass the gas lines through it. Also, I do NOT plan on using the original lid, I do not want to have to cut through it so I'll be essentially building a new lid. So my question is this... Would I be better to build the collar in to the new lid (i.e. use the original hinges mounted to the collar with the bar top mounted on top of that, and every time I open the keezer the collar will raise). Or should I attach the collar with silicone and use new hinges to allow the bar top to open.... The second option would be a lot lighter but I'm not sure what options there are for hinges. I would like to have something that will hold itself open, does anyone know of any such hinges or piston/struts that might work?
