Another keezer build thread

[GTaylor]

Had been trying to convince the SWMBO to let me build one for a few months and kept getting nixed. Then one day showed her some of the nice ones on here and she said if I could do that then it could stay in the house, so here goes.

Started with an older Wood 7.0 CF freezer from CL

 

[GTaylor]

After some cleaning and painting this is what I have now.

 

[Toymaker]

Nice Start!!!! Does it get cold when you plug it in?

 

[GTaylor]

The plan is to cover with 1/4" oak plywood and trim the edges with 1/2" x 4" oak trim. The lid is made of 1x12 with the left over plywood glued to the face and it will be trimmed out with the same oak. The top will be a 1/2" oak plywood with a golden oak stain and the trim will be slightly darker. Hope to get the top on and some trim work done on Thursday.

 

[GTaylor]

Tested before buying the wood and it gets nice and cold.

 

[Toymaker]

Good!

 

[JefeTheVol]

Lifting the collar on the hinges is the way to go! I hate lifting my kegs those last 6 inches...it looks like yours are 12"! Congrats.
-Jefe-

 

[GTaylor]

Got a little more work done today, cut and stained some of the trim and also put on a couple of pieces. The plywood wrap will be stained a golden oak for a two tone effect.

 

[kegtoe]

Looking sharp man! Nice job on the inside.

You could have told the SWMBO that you will assemble it indoors and when it's complete it would go outside. (mine got too big to fit out the door).

 

[GTaylor]

That's a good idea for next time, then I will just build a bar around it and call it good.

 

[chuckstout]

Nice lookin good, im doing about the same build right now, but my colors are the opposite, Early American stain on the red oak, and Golden Oak on the trim and coller,(I like the idea of using the extra pieces to wrap around the coller) im thinkin of using the chalkboard paint on the lid,

 

[GTaylor]

Initially thought about using the chalkboard paint, but think that I will put a clear credit/business card holder on the trim above the faucet and make a label to slide in there. Should be able to finish up next week, if the schedule permits.

 

[wfowlks]

Good job with the wood work, your miter joints look considerably better than mine.

A Word of caution: If you haven't already considered this, most modern freezers have cooling coils running through the sides of the freezer. This helps it to dissipate heat, over a greater surface area.

It appears that you have the wood pressed right up against the walls of the freezer, which would become problematic because you will burn out your motor and all sorts of problems.

This is a link to a post in one of the famous keezer threads, for how Jester dealt with the problem.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/keezer-project-31221/index3.html#post352938

Good Luck!

 

[CGVT]

Good job with the wood work, your miter joints look considerably better than mine.

A Word of caution: If you haven't already considered this, most modern freezers have cooling coils running through the sides of the freezer. This helps it to dissipate heat, over a greater surface area.

It appears that you have the wood pressed right up against the walls of the freezer, which would become problematic because you will burn out your motor and all sorts of problems.

This is a link to a post in one of the famous keezer threads, for how Jester dealt with the problem.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/keezer-project-31221/index3.html#post352938

Good Luck!

There is also a thread somewhere on here where a guy built his exactly like this and his keezer has been running with no problems for better than 5 years.

FWIW, I have spoken to a some AC+R guys and the consensus was that the percieved lack of heat dissipation was not a major concern.

Nice looking build, BTW.

 

[CGVT]

This link is to HOP-HEAD's build with plywood attached directly to the skin of the freezer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/another-keezer-build-w-pics-142726/

 

[wfowlks]

FWIW, I have spoken to a some AC+R guys and the consensus was that the percieved lack of heat dissipation was not a major concern.

Good to know, maybe I should stick to software and leave the mechanical to someone else

 

[GTaylor]

The way I understand it is that there is so little r-value in the 1/4" plywood that there should not be any problems with heat dissipation. Hopefully it works out like that, I don't want to try and explain to the swmbo hat I need to build another one because I fried this one.

 

[CGVT]

The way I understand it is that there is so little r-value in the 1/4" plywood that there should not be any problems with heat dissipation. Hopefully it works out like that, I don't want to try and explain to the swmbo hat I need to build another one because I fried this one.

That's pretty much how I understand it. Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread, but didn't want you to get worried and change your course mid stream.

Keep the pictures coming. I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[chuckstout]

Any new updates!

 

[GTaylor]

Not much progress today, working 12 hour shifts all weekend. Did get a couple more pieces of trim on to cover the seal. also have a limited number of clamps to work with.

 

[kegtoe]

My keezer has been going strong a few years. 1/4" wood directly against the freezer all around except the freezer greating. Wood has very low insulating value and shouldnt cause much of an issue.

 

[chuckstout]

+very clean+ looks awesome, ahh sleeps over rated lol

 

[GTaylor]

Finally had a little time to work on it today and got most of the trim on. The top has 1/2" quarter round on the inside and it will have some galley rail along the back.

 

[GTaylor]

Finished the staining and got a coat of poly on, not looking too bad. Do a couple more coats and insulate the lid then place the taps and will be ready to put into action.

 

[chuckstout]

Are you going to be adding tile or something to the top

 

[GTaylor]

Wasn't planning on it, just another 4 or 5 coats of poly. Probably put the taps in tomorrow and move it into the house for the first pour.

 

[GTaylor]

Finally got it finished :rockin:, just need to add a drip tray. Wanted to know if I used some angle brackets with some epoxy if that would hold onto the wood on the freezer?

 

[wfowlks]

Looking nice, i'm debating adding panel to my collar now

 

[thyirishmen]

Looks amazing fresh woodwork

 

[GTaylor]

Got it moved in to the house and had it's first pour .

 

[LilManBrewing]

Hmmmm, thaaatt's pretty!

 

[GTaylor]

Thanks to the HBT community for the inspiration and advice from your prior builds. Would not have been able to do this without this site.

 

[brewmaster89]

Looks great! Nice work!

 

[chuckstout]

looks amazing fresh woodwork

+1

 

[anengineer]

Got it moved in to the house and had it's first pour .

Very clean, you should be proud...good job!

 

[GTaylor]

Thanks for the comments, just glad that it passed the SWMBO's inspection and was allowed in the house.