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Here's something that might be a bit different than normal:

I work in my family's machine shop, so I thought I had to stay true to my roots and make an aluminum collar. It's 6 x 2 x 1/8th wall tubing. The tap handles are machine control levers you would use on a mill. I just got it finished last night, first beer is carbing!

Color me jealous. Great work!
 
Awesome-X said:
Here's something that might be a bit different than normal:

I work in my family's machine shop, so I thought I had to stay true to my roots and make an aluminum collar. It's 6 x 2 x 1/8th wall tubing. The tap handles are machine control levers you would use on a mill. I just got it finished last night, first beer is carbing!

Nice work, I'd be concerned with the cold seep through the aluminum working the freezer too hard. Your thoughts?
 
I was worried about the same thing since aluminum is really not a good choice for the environment it's going in. I filled the inside of the collar tubing with expandable foam, although I'm not sure how much I'm gaining from that since cold could seep its way around the top/bottom walls of the tubing to reach the outer face and then dissipate from there.

In actuality though, it's been running for two days and the outside of the collar feels no colder than when I was working on the build. I'm going to say it's a success so far!
 
The new office keezer got racing stripes on Friday, today it got its first 15 gallons of beer to carbonate - one more keg to fill :tank:

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Cheap Craig's List keezer died after many years of good service. Got a small apartment size fridge (10.3 cu ft Haier) to replace it. Fits in the mud room off of the kitchen, so no trips to the basement for beer or water. (My wife and I drink a lot of seltzer, so one keg is always filled with water.) The extra freezer space is a bonus.
.

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haier_04.jpg.jpg
 
AnOldUR said:
Cheap Craig's List keezer died after many years of good service. Got a small apartment size fridge (10.3 cu ft Haier) to replace it. Fits in the mud room off of the kitchen, so no trips to the basement for beer or water. (My wife and I drink a lot of seltzer, so one keg is always filled with water.) The extra freezer space is a bonus.
.

Nice looking - do you just fill with water and force carb it? I'd like to serve sparkling water as well.
 
Nice looking - do you just fill with water and force carb it? I'd like to serve sparkling water as well.
Thanks. Lucked out with the stainless doors. I'm cheap and was going to get white, but Lowe's didn't have any in stock, so they gave me stainless for the same price. Now that I see the finished product, it would have been worth paying the extra 30 bucks.

I never do it for beer, but for water I'll set the regulator at 30-40 PSI and shake the bejesus out of the keg for as long as I can w/ the gas hooked up. (Purge head space first.) Then it goes into the kegerator at 25 PSI. Instant seltzer. The other thing you'll notice is the short serving line. Foaming's not an issue, so no need for the 10' lines recommended for beer.


edit to add:
Might be that I'm the last to know, but I found the drip trays while searching for something for our clubs NHC Club Night service. Seems to me that $17 is a pretty good deal.
 
Does anyone know where I can get a cover for a kegerator as shown on the first page ?

I want to keep outside in a covered area, but it's not completely covered.

Thanks
 
Replaced the lid with butcher block top, dual tap tower with Perlicks. Long time lurker on the forums and borrowed plenty ideas from what I saw here. Probably gonna add a black table skirt (catering style) to complete the clean look. Thanks for the inspiration, all!

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I just did a test fitting to make sure everything was right. Haier 5.0cf, fits 3 kegs plus both CO2 and Nitrogen Tank. I can't wait to try a home brewed nitro Guinness. Just a few more days before I order all the other parts I need, then about 3 weeks until both an Oatmeal Stout and a Guinness clone are done!
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Update from the above photo. Same fridge, 36 hours later. It was my first time staining anything. Right now its just sitting like that because I wanted to see how it looked. I still have 2-3 coats of polyurethane to go on the wood. I don't think it looks too bad for about $75 total investment (not including the freezer itself).

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Got free from a friend. Modified the temp controller using the course adjustment screw, removed the top, painted it black, added a base and added my own top with a collar.

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How important is it that you use the thick red tube for the gas lines? Also does it help to have the tank of CO2 inside the fridge?
 
How important is it that you use the thick red tube for the gas lines? Also does it help to have the tank of CO2 inside the fridge?

Line is for insulation and ease of recognition (also in blue) As for tank in or out it's a matter of preference. I found that the gauges on the regulators rust as do the steel tanks. I have my tanks and regulators mounted outside, for adjustment and change outs without having to open the lid. Inside also takes up cold space better suited for beer;)
 
I know this Keezer is nothing special compared to the rest of the Keezers on this forum BUT
It's mine ...it's mine ... it's mine....

DC5FDE69-F5E4-4E6D-9769-05B2DAA3DB75-2072-0000019FFA2BBBF5_zps87e73663.jpg


Perlick taps
Four kegs inside
Digital readout
Double thick hardwood collar
 
Well I finally finished my Keezer :ban: and it was quite the fun project. In my mind this was a prototyping R&D endeavor. Everything I used was as bare bones and as dirt cheap as I could find, I even built and stained my own tap handles to match it. I spent well over a month gathering the parts. I am a very patient person. :) It holds 3 corneys, a 10lb CO2 bottle and a 20CF Nitrogen Bottle. I'm pretty sure I could get 2 cornys, the CO2 bottle and a 1/4 slim barrel if I wanted to (Wife likes Mich Golden Light). Eventually I will step up into the big leagues and get something larger that can hold more.

Here is my parts list with prices
-Haier 5.0cf Chest Freezer - $30 Craigslist
-10lb CO2 bottle - $20 FULL Craigslist
-CO2 Regulator - $25 Ebay
-20CF Nitrogen Bottle w/ regulator - $50 Craigslist
-Perlick SS Faucet - $30 Ebay
-Micromatic SS Faucet - ?? Had it for a while, lets say $30
-Stout Faucet - $45 Ebay
-Towel Bar - $8 Menards (I think it is technically a cabinet handle)
-Towel - $3 Target
-Liquid Side x3...SS Shanks/washers/tailpieces/wingnuts/Bevseal Hose/barbed swivel nuts/disconnects - $120 Farmhouse Brew Supply
-Gas Side x3...Disconnects/Barbs/Fittings - $30 Farmhouse/Ace Hardware
-Temp Controller $20 Ebay
-Misc Pine lumber, 1/2"Foamboard, WeatherSeal Foam, 5"x5" Brackets, Velcro - $35 Menards
-Prestain, Stain, Lacquer, Rustoleum Black Hammered Spraypaint - $30 Menards
-5"x12"x0.75" SS Drip Tray - $20 Ebay
-Computer Fan+Cell phone charger - ?? Had them sitting around

Total cost ~ $500

Most of the expensive stuff will transfer over to the next one I build.

On tap at the moment is Guinness of course (clone) and an Oatmeal Stout. I need to get my hands on a few more corny kegs so I can get a rolling lineup going.

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syvmn said:
Well I finally finished my Keezer :ban: and it was quite the fun project. In my mind this was a prototyping R&D endeavor. Everything I used was as bare bones and as dirt cheap as I could find, I even built and stained my own tap handles to match it. I spent well over a month gathering the parts. I am a very patient person. :) It holds 3 corneys, a 10lb CO2 bottle and a 20CF Nitrogen Bottle. I'm pretty sure I could get 2 cornys, the CO2 bottle and a 1/4 slim barrel if I wanted to (Wife likes Mich Golden Light). Eventually I will step up into the big leagues and get something larger that can hold more.

Here is my parts list with prices
-Haier 5.0cf Chest Freezer - $30 Craigslist
-10lb CO2 bottle - $20 FULL Craigslist
-CO2 Regulator - $25 Ebay
-20CF Nitrogen Bottle w/ regulator - $50 Craigslist
-Perlick SS Faucet - $30 Ebay
-Micromatic SS Faucet - ?? Had it for a while, lets say $30
-Stout Faucet - $45 Ebay
-Towel Bar - $8 Menards (I think it is technically a cabinet handle)
-Towel - $3 Target
-Liquid Side x3...SS Shanks/washers/tailpieces/wingnuts/Bevseal Hose/barbed swivel nuts/disconnects - $120 Farmhouse Brew Supply
-Gas Side x3...Disconnects/Barbs/Fittings - $30 Farmhouse/Ace Hardware
-Temp Controller $20 Ebay
-Misc Pine lumber, 1/2"Foamboard, WeatherSeal Foam, 5"x5" Brackets, Velcro - $35 Menards
-Prestain, Stain, Lacquer, Rustoleum Black Hammered Spraypaint - $30 Menards
-5"x12"x0.75" SS Drip Tray - $20 Ebay
-Computer Fan+Cell phone charger - ?? Had them sitting around

Total cost ~ $500

Most of the expensive stuff will transfer over to the next one I build.

On tap at the moment is Guinness of course (clone) and an Oatmeal Stout. I need to get my hands on a few more corny kegs so I can get a rolling lineup going.

Well done and some of the most beautiful /professional looking pictures I've ever seen on here. This is a bit off topic, but what was your process for the pictures? What kind of camera and image software?
 
Butchv12 said:
Very nice --- no drip tray?

Well, I do plan to put a drip tray on but the funny thing is I've taken quite a few samples (about 10 already) out of all three taps and after I close the tap on this Perlick I haven't gotten one drop pass the pour!
Am I just lucky or these things that awesome?
I thought to myself if I don't get one single trip what's the point of the drip tray... ha ha ha
 
My camera is a Canon T3i. I used a Canon XT (released in 2006) until last fall, and finally upgraded only because the XT was draining batteries for unknown reasons. The lens for the more zoomed looking pictures is a Canon 50mm 1.8, the less zoomed pictures is the stock 18-55 kit lens. I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS6. I never do any crazy editing. I only adjust colors until what I see on the screen is the same as what my eyeball sees. If you have Lightroom, I often use "Post-Crop Vignetting" to darken the edges, its seems to give a better ambiance for product pictures like this.

Yes, the right hand faucet is a Micromatic I've had for years. I bought the Perlick thinking that they didn't make the Micromatic anymore. Its a little dissapointing that the tap handles are at different angles but its not a big deal at all. Function over form. The "form" part in this project was all entertainment value on my part.
 
Well, I do plan to put a drip tray on but the funny thing is I've taken quite a few samples (about 10 already) out of all three taps and after I close the tap on this Perlick I haven't gotten one drop pass the pour!
Am I just lucky or these things that awesome?
I thought to myself if I don't get one single trip what's the point of the drip tray... ha ha ha

What about a pour that foams over?
 
syvmn said:
Well I finally finished my Keezer :ban: and it was quite the fun project. In my mind this was a prototyping R&D endeavor. Everything I used was as bare bones and as dirt cheap as I could find, I even built and stained my own tap handles to match it. I spent well over a month gathering the parts. I am a very patient person. :) It holds 3 corneys, a 10lb CO2 bottle and a 20CF Nitrogen Bottle. I'm pretty sure I could get 2 cornys, the CO2 bottle and a 1/4 slim barrel if I wanted to (Wife likes Mich Golden Light). Eventually I will step up into the big leagues and get something larger that can hold more.

Here is my parts list with prices
-Haier 5.0cf Chest Freezer - $30 Craigslist
-10lb CO2 bottle - $20 FULL Craigslist
-CO2 Regulator - $25 Ebay
-20CF Nitrogen Bottle w/ regulator - $50 Craigslist
-Perlick SS Faucet - $30 Ebay
-Micromatic SS Faucet - ?? Had it for a while, lets say $30
-Stout Faucet - $45 Ebay
-Towel Bar - $8 Menards (I think it is technically a cabinet handle)
-Towel - $3 Target
-Liquid Side x3...SS Shanks/washers/tailpieces/wingnuts/Bevseal Hose/barbed swivel nuts/disconnects - $120 Farmhouse Brew Supply
-Gas Side x3...Disconnects/Barbs/Fittings - $30 Farmhouse/Ace Hardware
-Temp Controller $20 Ebay
-Misc Pine lumber, 1/2"Foamboard, WeatherSeal Foam, 5"x5" Brackets, Velcro - $35 Menards
-Prestain, Stain, Lacquer, Rustoleum Black Hammered Spraypaint - $30 Menards
-5"x12"x0.75" SS Drip Tray - $20 Ebay
-Computer Fan+Cell phone charger - ?? Had them sitting around

Total cost ~ $500

Most of the expensive stuff will transfer over to the next one I build.

On tap at the moment is Guinness of course (clone) and an Oatmeal Stout. I need to get my hands on a few more corny kegs so I can get a rolling lineup going.

You forgot to mention drip tray, where you got it, and the price :)
 
chessking said:
What about a pour that foams over?

I'm making Cider not beer so I don't have any kind of head on the pour....
But, I should probably put one on to rest the glasses when I'm pouring or just for that one drip I may get one day.... Lol
I do think they look better with the drip tray.... Anyone know where I can get one that's not so expensive as the ones I've seen normally? I need one that is 10"...
 
syvmn said:
Drip tray was $20 from eBay.

I've been looking on eBay and I still am not finding anything.... I'm finding nice stainless steel drip trays for 45 bucks and then I'm finding really cheap made things that looks like garbage for like 15 and 20 bucks.... Can you tell me the vendor you got yours from, maybe I can look him up directly in the search?
 
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