Advice for small fridge deconstruction...

I have a small Haier freezer/fridge that I want to use for a kegerator. It is the kind that has a metal ice box on top like this:



The ice box has cooling coils on the bottom and sides:



What I want to do is cut the top part (just metal, no coils) off the ice box and bend the sides in without damaging the coils (i hope) to make enough clearance for the cornys.



This is what I was thinking of doing to make the ice box smaller:



Think this will work? Any other ideas?

How about cutting a round hole in the bottom of the fridge the same diameter as the keg ?

just a thought,...

when I get home I'll shoot some pics of my fridge(same one your using) I took the hardware out of the ceeling, removed the screws holding the cooling coild nd copper tube on the back then put a socket under the tub on the inside and bent it towards the back wall slowly. then i used tin snips to cut the top and sides of the freezer box leaving ont the cooling coils. that I then screwed to the back of the fridge. removing the screws holing the coils on the back of the fridge allows you to apread the stress of the bend.

Maybe cut the top portion off and bend what's left over down so that it lays against the back of the fridge?

ggoodman said:

when I get home I'll shoot some pics of my fridge(same one your using) I took the hardware out of the ceeling, removed the screws holding the cooling coild nd copper tube on the back then put a socket under the tub on the inside and bent it towards the back wall slowly. then i used tin snips to cut the top and sides of the freezer box leaving ont the cooling coils. that I then screwed to the back of the fridge. removing the screws holing the coils on the back of the fridge allows you to apread the stress of the bend.

Click to expand...

That's a hell of an idea, i'd love to see some pics when you get them. Were you able to fit 2 corny's in it? I was going to cut out the shelves on the door and the sides and try to squeeze them in.

I think I have the same fridge too. Did the same thing ggoodman did. Plus cut off the shelves on the door (razor knife works great) and cut off the nubs for the shelves on the sides. Also removed the stock thermostat and put a different one on top. with the stock thermostat it stayed at about 33*.

hey you beat me to it. yes it will hold two cornies and a 5 lb tank. it's a tight fit but the pic above shows what needed. I painted the inside of mine black and put caster on the bottom.

ggoodman said:

hey you beat me to it. yes it will hold two cornies and a 5 lb tank. it's a tight fit but the pic above shows what needed. I painted the inside of mine black and put caster on the bottom.

Click to expand...

You were really able to hold the 2 corny's with the tank? I was planning on just running the gas lines through the sidewall. I definitely need to shave down the door and sides to fit the two kegs in, its a very tight squeeze. You were able to fit the tank in the back between the two kegs? Seems like the diameter of the tank is wider than the back ledge and I know the corny's fit tight up against it with very little wiggle room.

Edit: Wow, I guess the ledge and the tank are both 5". I thought for sure I was going to have some sort of frankenfridge with tubes coming out the sides but now it looks like it will go in clean. Plus with the coils out of the way I can run the lines through the top to the tower. Not bad for a fridge I've had since I lived in dorms!

Guess it might be a bit late to revive an old thread but could either of the people who did this (or anyone doing similar) manage to get 2 corneys in there? I have a similar looking fridge (thread and details at https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/what-can-i-do-fridge-small-ge-3-7cuft-353044/) and with the ice-box and door "modification" I could probably get 1 corney in the front but it's not wide enough (I don't think) to get 2 side by side. The only option I can think of is a 5G at the front and a 3G on the hump at the back. However, with this thread I am tempted to give it a go!