Inspired by John Beere’s Build
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-new-fermentation-cabinets-66926/
Hi I have had a conical for a while and in the summer it was too hot in my basement for good fermentation. So I decided to build a fermentation cabinet copying the ideas of John Beere’s cabinet.
Only to get in my basement it is a 24” wide stair case. So I have been searching for a freezer for a while. Most of the smaller ones the 14 gallon conical won’t fit or the shelves were fixed with the coolant running in a coil on the shelves’.
Just before Christmas I was in Sears and seen they had a Kenmore 12.1 Cu.Ft. freezer that looked like it would work. I went back from the hardware department with a tape and started measuring it all up.
The next day I went and bought one took it home, took the front door off and it just fit down the stairs.
While the door was off I took the liberty to make the adjustments, removing the lining and putting white board back in its place, then cutting holes for the thermostat and new cable powering the sockets inside the freezer coming in from the side of the door.
The thermostat I went with was the aquarium thermostat in Celsius that is able to heat and cool. I put this through the door adding a project box to the back of door to house the thermostat and plug sockets for heat and an always on live, to be able to run a stir plate. I then Ran a wire down the back, disconnecting the original thermostat and connecting it to the new one. I also added a switch so I can turn off the compressor in winter if needed.
I also added a 25watt heating pad to the side of the cabinet, to be able to heat in winter.
I then I needed to raise the conical to be able to rack straight to a 5 gallon cornius keg.
This will put the conical closer to the top. Due to this I decided to put the conical on a sliding shelf. I will then be able to slide the conical partially out of the freezer, to pour the wort directly into the conical.
This will help as I brew in the garage and use buckets to transfer the wort to the basement. It will also allow me to access the lid hatch to add hops and/or finings.
To counter balance the weight of the conical when full and half way outside of the freezer, I put ¼” bolts though the sides of the new shelving box into holes in the side of the freezer that were originally for the shelf supports.
Photo above shows latch that holds shelf in. and in back ground 1/4" bolt going into right side grommet in side of freezer to balance weight when slid out on the shelf.
Photo below shows left 1/4" bolt going into grommet that used to hold shelf like the grommet shown a couple inch above sliding shelf
Thanks Wurzel
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-new-fermentation-cabinets-66926/
Hi I have had a conical for a while and in the summer it was too hot in my basement for good fermentation. So I decided to build a fermentation cabinet copying the ideas of John Beere’s cabinet.
Only to get in my basement it is a 24” wide stair case. So I have been searching for a freezer for a while. Most of the smaller ones the 14 gallon conical won’t fit or the shelves were fixed with the coolant running in a coil on the shelves’.
Just before Christmas I was in Sears and seen they had a Kenmore 12.1 Cu.Ft. freezer that looked like it would work. I went back from the hardware department with a tape and started measuring it all up.
The next day I went and bought one took it home, took the front door off and it just fit down the stairs.
While the door was off I took the liberty to make the adjustments, removing the lining and putting white board back in its place, then cutting holes for the thermostat and new cable powering the sockets inside the freezer coming in from the side of the door.
The thermostat I went with was the aquarium thermostat in Celsius that is able to heat and cool. I put this through the door adding a project box to the back of door to house the thermostat and plug sockets for heat and an always on live, to be able to run a stir plate. I then Ran a wire down the back, disconnecting the original thermostat and connecting it to the new one. I also added a switch so I can turn off the compressor in winter if needed.
I also added a 25watt heating pad to the side of the cabinet, to be able to heat in winter.
I then I needed to raise the conical to be able to rack straight to a 5 gallon cornius keg.
This will put the conical closer to the top. Due to this I decided to put the conical on a sliding shelf. I will then be able to slide the conical partially out of the freezer, to pour the wort directly into the conical.
This will help as I brew in the garage and use buckets to transfer the wort to the basement. It will also allow me to access the lid hatch to add hops and/or finings.
To counter balance the weight of the conical when full and half way outside of the freezer, I put ¼” bolts though the sides of the new shelving box into holes in the side of the freezer that were originally for the shelf supports.
Photo above shows latch that holds shelf in. and in back ground 1/4" bolt going into right side grommet in side of freezer to balance weight when slid out on the shelf.
Photo below shows left 1/4" bolt going into grommet that used to hold shelf like the grommet shown a couple inch above sliding shelf
Thanks Wurzel
