Jockey Box — Build It or Buy It, and Where?

[AlexKay]

So I’m looking for a 2-tap jockey box with coils. Current prices for parts seem to be through the roof: $80 for a coil, $25 each for input and output shanks, $25 for a faucet … and then multiply by 2 and add $150 for a (admittedly very nice) cooler.

DIY doesn’t appear to save that much over a commercial jockey box from MoreBeer or AIH, which come in at $500. And if I buy it, someone else has to bend the coils just right and wrangle the compression fittings, which I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t enjoy.

I’m also looking at jockey boxes from Coldbreak, which has a nice website with pretty pictures and testimonials, but about which I know nothing.

Anyone have advice or experience to share?

 

[trevelynzx]

Ditched my jockey boxes and went with Pancho’s keg cooler. Works great, but i got an email the other day saying he’s halting production due to material shortages.

that said, i don’t see a way around the expense - buying will cost a little more than building so if you don’t want a project you’ll pay a little extra.

 

[pvpeacock]

I've built 3 jockey boxes over the last few years. A few things I have learned from building and using them.
1. No need for input shanks. Just drill a hole and run beer line through it.
2. Use duotight fittings and evabarrier hoses to connect your coil to your beer shank and keg disconnect. It makes it alot easier to disconnect and remove your coil to clean it and the cooler. In addition, you can potentially remove the coil and put a 2 1/2 or 3 gallon keg in the cooler instead and connect it to your shank/faucet (assuming the cooler is big enough.
3. Make sure your faucet has a spring to automatically close. Before I added a return spring, more than one moron left the tap open after pouring a beer.

P.S. I highly recommend the square coils from Beverage Time who also carries the quick connects for the coils. SS Coils & DIY Kits

 

[cactusgarrett]

I looked into build vs buy, and I settled on buying for all the reasons you mentioned. I went with this, got it on sale for $230, but even now at $330 it's still cheaper than your thoughts in the initial post. Still, to me that's better than DIY.

IF I didn't already have one and were to DIY, I'd follow all the points PVPeacock mentioned.

 

[AlexKay]

I went with “buy” and Coldbreak, counting on their return policy and my credit card’s willingness to resolve disputes in my favor, just in case something went wrong.

It arrived yesterday, and I have to say it is beautiful. And built like a tank.

So far I’ve only cleaned and sanitized it; first real test with beer and ice is in two weeks.

 

[cactusgarrett]

Bonus points for duotight and Eva barrier, but I just can't wrap my head around the liquid-in placement. I can't tell if it was placed to match where the coil outlet is or if the coil was crafted to put the outlet there. Either way, it couldn't be more in the way of a glass. Seems like if the coil couldn't be formatted differently it would have benefited from some EVA line to a different location for the liquid-in ports.

 

[AlexKay]

There's enough clearance, but I agree the inputs are much more in the way than they need to be. It shipped with right-angle hose-barb connectors. I have Duotight right angles coming in the mail.

 

[AlexKay]

Right angles give a little more space, and a much cleaner look:

EVABarrier lines covered up to avoid skunking. (Why does nobody ever worry about this as a possibility?)