New 49 cubic foot kegerator… Please help with faucets!

I recently scored the kegerator to end the search for a kegerator, True T-49 49 cubic foot commercial fridge. Got it on Craigslist for $1300 delivered. Took 2 days to scrub the years of restaurant smell off. But she is finally formal dining-room worthy.

[/URL][/IMG]

I can fit more than I will usually have ready to serve at one time, and finally have cold storage for my precious bottles. Too bad they have been living in a closet that peaks at 88F in the summer.



I have been serving directly off the faucets using the corny post adapter, but opening and closing the door a million times during a party SUCKS.

So I really want to work on the faucet situation now.

I currently have started out laying out a 24 inch wide drip tray. I purchased the 24 inch drip tray on ebay for about $40 shipped and it is on its way. For the back I plan to add a backsplash of 16 gauge stainless sheet metal of #4 polish to add a little better side wall and to drill holes in like this one on micromatic-(link below)

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/drip-trays-pid-DP-322ELD-5.html

$250 just to buy one! I plan to make one myself for less than $75.

Here is my layout so far- 7 faucets with 3 inch spacing between faucets.

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

I have installed the shanks in fridge doors before, but never in a commercial sidewall. I definitely don't want to hit anything when drilling the 8 holes (+1 for the drain tube).

I emailed True Manufacturing and they said there "could be wiring" and that they can't recommend that kind of modification. All I was hoping for was if they could tell me there was anything in the side wall…

The inside holes will end up around here where the tape is, I will move the shelves a little.

[/URL][/IMG]

Can anyone help me out? Any feedback on the spacing of the faucets vs. spacing you have on your own kegerator/keezer? For tap handles I will likely stick with small/simple, but may want to have room for a large or special one if I wanted to.

Also, any recommendations on how to drill the holes carefully ?

I thought about drilling one from the outside in with a hole saw for the shank, only deep enough to pop out the metal, then use a screwdriver or hand tool to rip out the foam and while checking for wiring.

Finally, any good online metal shops you can recommend?
I looked locally here in Dallas around google and emailed a couple places. Online it seems like 14" x 24" Stainless Sheet 16 gauge and #4 polish would go around $24-30 +shipping.

Thanks guys! Please feel free to give ideas

I can already see your tears when someone opens that door and breaks your drip tray and a faucet(or two).

I hope you plan to take that off the hinges lol.

The stainless drip tray will be 5 inches, so the door will hit the tray. I also will put a door stop on the hinge to save it. I don't usually have kids over, but if I do there will be a stern warning about touching this sucker! Neither of us are tall so it really isn't placed that high off the wall of the fridge. I also did it so I could add another or different sized drip tray higher up.

Yea a door stop would be a good idea, even adults or others that didnt know or werent trained would throw the door open like any other...especially drunk people

Im assuming theres a reason it cant be on the other wall and tap off the left side?

WOW! That thing is awesome! I agree, you need taps on it somewhere! To avoid the risk of hitting something in the sidewall, how about just in the doors? You know there isn't any wiring or tubing there, and you can pretty easily run the tubing along the sides to keep it out of the way when the doors open.

Or, (and this is the idea I like better! ) if you can figure out just one spot to drill through the wall, then build a little mini-bar to sit beside the fridge and run your lines to it. Then you just have one hole in the fridge!

Whichever way you go, make sure to show us your build, and GOOD LUCK!!

I am still contemplating definite location for the faucets. I originally was against it in door, but I guess you could route each line through the one next to it and kind of wrap it all into the hinge side of the door.

This unit was the number one piece I needed to decide on how to renovate the rest of the room. The room is a formal dining room, and we have been calling it the beer room. The mother-in-law hates it!

I'm not even completely sure I won't want to move it against another wall.

If you cut the side wall I would just barely cut it with a hole saw the use a plastic knife to cut out the foam. Since there might be wiring I would unplug it first. Wiring is not the worst thing since if you cut it you can rewire it pretty easy. coolant lines are the scariest. When I made my sanyo kegerator I used tin snips to cut my hole. That was a 2 1/2" hole as opposed to a bunch of small ones. One trick with a hole saw is if you wrap tape super tight around the hole saw at a certain depth you can stop yourself from going to deep.