Cheap 13" Drip Tray

Hi,

Haven't posted much to the forum, but have found tons of useful info here, so thought I would make a contribution.

I wanted a 12-13" cheap drip tray and spent a while searching. Most of the shorter stainless ones are expensive ($35+) and the only cheap one I've seen is the 19" model most people get from barproducts.com, which is a little to wide big for my two-tap 5 cu. ft. keezer setup.

After a lot of searching, I found a 13" model made for commercial coffee machines. It has a stainless steel grill top and a black plastic bottom, which separate for easy cleaning. I paid $14.67 + shipping which was like $8. Came to $22.86 with shipping. It's nice quality and works well. Here's the link:

Wilbur Curtis Drip Tray Assembly, Stainless & Plastic, 13" at bettymills.com

I didn't want to drill into my freezer or glue the drip tray on, so I got some extremely strong neodynium mounting magnets from K & J Magnetics. Since I was already making an order from them and paying shipping I also got some nice, cheap disc magnets to attach the drip tray to the brackets (glued magnets to tray) for easy removal, since the mounting magnets are really hard to take off. The mounting magnets may have scratched the freezer paint job a bit.

I also got some more magnets from them for making a DIY stir plate, along with a great neodynium stir bar. I'll have to post that also at some point...

 

What size are your neodymium magnets? I don't want to glue my drip tray either, but these magnets can be very expensive... you guys have it so lucky in the states when it comes to buying things... everything seems to be so much cheaper!

I'm looking at a pack of 10-0.3" diameter x 0.11" thick magnets. I was thinking of putting 3 of each support, and two on each side of the drip tray (the supports are magnetic). Do you think this would hold two pints or 3 pints?

Thanks!

 

The mounting magnets for attaching the the brackets to the fridge are 1". Model MMS-A-X0 from K&J Magnetics.

They were not cheap (about $4 each), but they are very strong. They can definitely hold 1 full pint glass, I've never tried or needed to try more than that, but it's possible they would hold more, and a pint isn't that heavy. I think they would be the same price for you in Canada, though maybe the shipping is more (UPS)?

I attached the tray to the L brackets with these cheap disc magnets. They don't hold it on tightly, but they keep it from moving if you don't slide it too hard. I might get stronger ones for that, or glue them directly to the L brackets.

 

I would recommend tearing apart some old hard drives for the magnets.

 

Yes, if you have access to old hard drives you can same money by harvesting magnets out of them for projects like this. People do that a lot for stir plates.

I didn't have access to old hard drives, but I looked into getting hard drive magnets on ebay - a lot of people sell them on there. The K&J mounting magnets look nicer though.

 

I mostly get my neodymium magnets from hong kong ebay sellers.

sometimes they take a few weeks to show up. shouldn't be any worse in ontario than it is in utah.