Sub $10 Drip tray idea.

If you can find an old computer hard drive, the actuator arm is between two very powerful magnets. Plus side is that the magnets are typically chrome plated too.

Typically, these magnets are made of neodymium iron boron (NdFeB)

You can find them on ebay all the time....Item

cinredman said:

If you can find an old computer hard drive, the actuator arm is between two very powerful magnets. Plus side is that the magnets are typically chrome plated too.

Typically, these magnets are made of neodymium iron boron (NdFeB)

You can find them on ebay all the time....Item

Click to expand...

I have probably over a dozen hanging out on a cabinet in the garage. Strong little suckers! If you are not careful, they can pinch you real good!

Just thought I would include my experience with the Lowe's smoker box. Step-by-step with pictures of course!

Step 1: Get the stuff at Lowe's. Parts include the smoker box and 2 packages of 2 medium sized magnets. They are pretty strong.



Step 2: Open the thing and remove the top. The pole that holds it on just slid right out for me, YMMV.



Step 3: Seal the box somehow so it will hold liquid. I used gorilla glue...hasn't leaked yet.

Step 4: Put the magnets on the box. Yes, the box is magnetized, and yes it will hold it well. As you can see, I also flipped the lid over and am holding it on with the two middle magnets. This is probably optional.



Step 5: Slap it on your keezer, kegerator, fridge, or cooler (probably wouldn't work as well on a cooler. As you can see, I really did slap it on there since it is crooked.



Total cost: $14

hey I have the widmer and the esb redhook tap too!

elmetal said:

hey I have the widmer and the esb redhook tap too!

Click to expand...

Got those ones for cheap, but I still like em! =) Gotta show some love for the PNW beers, even if it's the big guys.

my widmer was not so cheap let's not talk about that.

as far as widmer hefeweizen goes, I've never even had it! I just loved the handle.

is it a real hefeweizen or an american wheat?

elmetal said:

my widmer was not so cheap let's not talk about that.

as far as widmer hefeweizen goes, I've never even had it! I just loved the handle.

is it a real hefeweizen or an american wheat?

Click to expand...

It's american. It's pretty good though, but I definitely prefer a Paulaner, or a Franziskaner. (Tap #2)

sorry!

but yeah I love hefeweizen. def my favorite style. I have to give widmer a shot though, even if it is an american wheat


I have a couple of different widmer beers near where I live but I can't find their hefeweizen. is it that rare?


can't wait to go home and drink my latest creation!

elmetal said:

sorry!

but yeah I love hefeweizen. def my favorite style. I have to give widmer a shot though, even if it is an american wheat


I have a couple of different widmer beers near where I live but I can't find their hefeweizen. is it that rare?


can't wait to go home and drink my latest creation!

Click to expand...

Hefeweizen is by far the most popular and easiest to get. I cannot even find a bar or store that doesn't carry it out here. It's made in Portland though...so it's only about a 3 hour drive from me. No idea what it's like east of the rockies.

I'm in florida, I can safely say that if I ask anyone in the street if they like Widmer, 999 or maybe even 100 out of 100 they would say: "what's widmer?" or "is that the new bud/michelob beer?"

I wish we had the different breweries that yall have in the PNW

I can get the Widmer here all verities. So its just a regional thing if you can't get it locally. I prefer Paulaner since the Widmer is an American Wheat its good but not a hefe.

yeah paulaner is pretty good

But then again I will take my rendition of Edworts over just about anything

springer said:

But then again I will take my rendition of Edworts over just about anything

Click to expand...

The Franziskaner tap is currently full of my rendition. I concur.

ahhh! where do you get your glassware? I can't find a decent place to get a hefe glass or imperial pint glasses for the life of me!

elmetal said:

ahhh! where do you get your glassware? I can't find a decent place to get a hefe glass or imperial pint glasses for the life of me!

Click to expand...

My friend owns a bar and gets me glasses for free. I need to go see her the supply is getting low.

cyberbackpacker said:

I still say this is the way to go:

Bar Products, Bar Supplies, Kitchen Equipment, Wine Accessories and lots more.

Stainless Steel Drip Tray DTS-419
Stainless Steel Drip Tray
This heavy duty drip tray is constructed of stainless steel and is easy to clean. Perfect for under the beer taps or soda fountain. Measurements are: 19 1/2" X 4" X 1". Click photo for more info.

Just my .02

Click to expand...

I just ordered one of these. BUT that website and ordering system has got to be the worst designed piece of crap I have ever encountered.

My "transaction was declined" 4 times and it never told me why. I think it was because I formatted the expiration date as 03/12 instead of 0312. It made me exit the website and then come back and repopulate the cart and and then go through the payment process each time.

blackdot

(10)

I picked up one of these smoker boxes for a drip tray from Lowe's. It wasn't a Perfect Flame but was branded "Master Forge." Regardless, it looks the same and cost the same. A couple of magnets later and it is perfect. Thanks for the idea.

Spending more than $10 seemed dumb to me since this is just meant to catch beer.

I saw this post today and I made this drip tray for $14 and took me about ten min to water proof it and install it.
I took the rod that held the lid on out and flipped the lid upside down and used four medium strength magnets to hold the lid to the bottom and also the whole thing to the fridge! Oh and it holds a beer no problem and that is a Dog Fish Head 90 Minute IPA clone and it is amazing!

I just made one of these today. Love all these great ideas I find on here.

I get out of work in 8 minutes and I am going directly to Lowe's. I was looking online at drip trays and just couldn't convince myself to spend $30-$40 dollars on a drip tray. No more Home Depot buckets for me!!

Hopenstein said:

No more Home Depot buckets for me!!

Click to expand...

lol, I use empty Chinese food containers

$10?! That's too much. Actually, I was all ready to try the smoker box... but the ones I found were a little short.

... But (at the local dollar store), I picked up 3" x 11" rectangular white ceramic dishes that people use to serve appetizers or sushi. They're not bad if you have a tower.

Wish I would of saw this post first. I've been trying to build a dip tray out of a SS mud tray...and some duct work. Been trying to get the holes right but looks like crap. Then I see this. Just rushed to Lowes and there they are hidden on a shelf. I think they look great. Trying to go the magnet route to attach. I need a few more to strengthen but no biggie.

Man I love this site

By the way I made those Chalk board tap handles for $7 each with stuff from Lowes

Schumed said:

Wish I would of saw this post first. I've been trying to build a dip tray out of a SS mud tray...and some duct work. Been trying to get the holes right but looks like crap. Then I see this. Just rushed to Lowes and there they are hidden on a shelf. I think they look great. Trying to go the magnet route to attach. I need a few more to strengthen but no biggie.

Man I love this site

By the way I made those Chalk board tap handles for $7 each with stuff from Lowes

Click to expand...

Ok, you got me... 7 bucks!.... what did you use, parts list.
thanks

By the way flipping the lids upside down...great idea!

Here is my part list for my $7 tap handles:

3/8 threaded insert - 1.68
5/16 threaded insert - 1.49
pine plinth block - trim section - 1.99
early American wooden leg - trim section 1.49

Drill 1/2 inch hole for 3/8 threaded insert bottom of leg to screw into faucet

Drill 3/8 hole into block for 5/16 insert screw in leg to the block

Paint

If you have a drill press should be very easy. I didn't I used a clamp and eye balled with a normal drill not perfect but it worked

All you need to make any tap handle is put a 3/8 insert into anything

Another cheap way is to use a stainless steel mud pan used for drywall. They are about $15 bucks and already waterproof.

I tried the SS Mud pan....problem I found is that it won't sit flush against the kegarator since its not a true rectangle you would need to go with some L brackets or something to attach...

Also need some cover I tried to make a similar lid like these but failed

There is a post out there about the SS mud tray build and looks good but doesn't beat the price or effort with these

Thanks for the idea guys. One smoker tray and two packages of magnets later....it's strong enough to hold a beer but not something I would be totally trustworthy of. I guess I can now remove my orange 100% cotton drip tray from below now!

Right now I'm using some extract buckets that I stick to the side of the keezer with hard drive magnets. They hold on tight enough to fill them at least a third of the way. Don't ask me how I know that! Let's just say my neighbor wasn't allowed to pour his own beer for a while!!! I am considering moving my keezer from the garage to the partially enclosed patio/screen room, this easy DIY build would spruce it up a bit more for my viewing pleasure. Thanks to all who pioneered this!

I built one of those drip trays out of the smoker box and it works awesome. I love this forum and all of the great DIY ideas.

Schumed said:

I tried the SS Mud pan....problem I found is that it won't sit flush against the kegarator since its not a true rectangle you would need to go with some L brackets or something to attach...

Also need some cover I tried to make a similar lid like these but failed

There is a post out there about the SS mud tray build and looks good but doesn't beat the price or effort with these

Click to expand...

If you use thick round magnets (~1/4") on the bottom and real thin rare earth magnets on the top it works perfectly. Mine is slightly tilted forward, but it works real well.

These smoker boxes have gone up in price quite a bit since the OP. However, today I found one at TJ Maxx for $7 and just had to give it a go.

Mine has a removable lid, so I flipped it over and the magnetism holds to to the body just fine.