Collar on a mini-fridge - it can be done!

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Professor Frink

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So I was naturally not satisfied with just one tap on my kegerator, but there wasn't enough room for a second keg.
Kegerator002.jpg


So I built a collar using 4 1x6's (2 19 inch cuts and 2 32 inch cuts) and connected them with brackets:
Kegerator004.jpg


Then I attched the collar to the door of the fridge, added 1/2" siding insulation, and sealed it with waterproof caulking:
Kegerator014.jpg
 
After putting the weatherstripping on the collar, I attached the collar to the kegerator body:
Kegerator025.jpg


After adding a latch to keep the door closed and the first coat of stain:
Kegerator028.jpg


And with the tap and drip tray back on:
Kegerator033.jpg


Put the second keg in last night, hoping to get the new shank and faucet by this weekend, I can't wait:ban:
 
That's about as ugly as something I would build (see my gallery, if you don't believe me). But, everything works, and sometimes that is all that matters.
 
This is pretty awesome.

I am considering doing this and I am not sure why I hadn't thought of it myself. I have a fridge that has tht freezer thing so it isn't tall enough for kegs, but if I made a collar it could as high as the fridge but without the freezer part they would fit.

But, I would loose my fermentation fridge. Hmm...How cold can those fridges get? Now you got me thinking...
 
I've done a very similar rework on a mini fridge to make it into a fermenter. It isn't perfect (or aesthetic) by any means, but I can ferment lagers now (albeit one batch at a time).
 
It holds temp pretty well, I put a full corny in last night and it was pretty cold by this morning. The fridge ran most of the time before, but it doesn't seem to run any more often now.
 
Since your woodworking seems up to par - why not just build a bigger fridge and use the mini's innards? or wrap the whole thing in a wood finish? I could be done very classy... I don't have that kind of skill though.

AE
 
Professor Frink said:
It holds temp pretty well, I put a full corny in last night and it was pretty cold by this morning. The fridge ran most of the time before, but it doesn't seem to run any more often now.

Those minifridges don't seem to be very thick-walled, so wood with insulation is probably not much worse than the actual walls. The 2x4 is R-1.25 and the sheathing stuff for 1/2" is usually R-3. I can't imagine the rest of the fridge beats that by much. Good job!! Anyone who says it isn't pretty just hasn't had enough to drink yet.
 
I have seen plans for a bar that takes a mini fridge with door off and sealed into a box to hold full size kegs. They say it works great. As long as the beer is cold.
 
The 1/2" siding insulation I lined the wood with seems to be working really well. I used to keep the temperature setting at 3 (it goes to 10, not 11), with the extra space I pumped it up to 4 and it's keeping them nice and cold.

It might not be pretty now, but when the new tap is installed next week, she'll be beautiful to me:)
 
I was worried about that. I was going to move the current one to the left and put the other one on the right and center them, but because of the handle of the fridge, I'm just going to put the second halfway between the current one and the right edge of the door.
 
When I saw that thread, I really wanted to do that. The main reason I'm just adding another door tap is it's easier and cheaper. When I do finally upgrade to a chest freezer, I will have a tower tap.
 
Hey, I give you props for going to all that trouble to use what you already got. My lazy a** just bought a bigger fridge. I have one mini sitting outside that just collects dust.
 
Resurrecting this thread just for pure awesomeness. I have this exact same refrigerator and as trying to figure out how to handle the over hang..

Heading to homedepot now!!!
 
How did you attach the collar to the fridge? Glue? Can you attach it with brackets or would that damage the insulation too much? Please advise. Only need an inch or two to fit a bucket or carboy.
 
How did you attach the collar to the fridge? Glue? Can you attach it with brackets or would that damage the insulation too much? Please advise. Only need an inch or two to fit a bucket or carboy.

If you look at the OP's post, you can see that he used "L-brackets" to attach the collar to the door, and then, presumably, used the original hinge and used a hasp to keep it from opening on it's own. :)
 
I could see that, but what did he use to connect the collar to the fridge? Not the door.

Look at pic #3 on the first post -- OP has some foam tape or something stuck on the wood to help hold in the cold. Probably some self-stick weatherstripping tape, and then holds it shut with the hasp
 
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