Another Keezer Build

[dlester]

I'm back. After you said that you fit 4 kegs into your 7 SF Kegorator I revisited mine to try it again and it worked. I fit 4 Korney kegs into my fridge. Thanks for the prompting. Here is the pic:

[/IMG]

 

[cedar_lake]

Same thing for me. I went home and rearranged my kegs, paying really good attention that each one, when put in from left to right, was as far to the left as possible. The fourth keg just barely fit, would go down far enough to close the lid, but I could not get it all the way to the floor. I'm really glad I found this thread though and tried it. I'll certainly design my coffin for four taps now!

 

[NewBrewB]

I've been thinking of the new 2.5 gal corny kegs.... just use a couple of those up on the shelf....maybe do something different like keg-carbonate one and use the CO2 tank for the other to compare? The point is---get some mileage out of the shelf.

 

[vonZwicky]

...

I was suprised with how well things are mimicking the plans. I am a rookie when it comes to carpentry but have learned that taking things slow yields impressive results.

...

Ah, you have discovered the secret to becoming a good (if not profitable) carpenter, grasshoppa.

Great job so far! Can't wait to see the final product... Isn't this the second go round for you? I seem to recall you had a tiki themed keezer, or am I way off?

Edit: Nope, not you. That's NewBrewB's awesome keezer I was thinking about.

 

[specialized]

Updating the thread to show the work I got done today. I've nearly completed the coffin box.

These two pics are just dry assembled.

Wanted to show of my routing skills. The plywood slides into the top and sides. I found it added a lot of integrity to the coffin doing it this way. Also I have two plywood "inserts". One I'm going to stain the same as the rest, and the other I'm going to paint in chalkboard. Which ever one I like the most will stay.

My insulation.

With the 525SS attached. Well I'm beat. My goal is to get it pulling pints tomorrow.

 

[specialized]

Ah, you have discovered the secret to becoming a good (if not profitable) carpenter, grasshoppa.

Great job so far! Can't wait to see the final product... Isn't this the second go round for you? I seem to recall you had a tiki themed keezer, or am I way off?

Edit: Nope, not you. That's NewBrewB's awesome keezer I was thinking about.

The secret has been working for me so far!

Just checked out brewb's keezer, its dang nice.

 

[IffyG]

I'm back. After you said that you fit 4 kegs into your 7 SF Kegorator I revisited mine to try it again and it worked. I fit 4 Korney kegs into my fridge. Thanks for the prompting. Here is the pic:

[/IMG]

How did you manage that. I couldn't get a 4th keg (all ball locks) into mine with my whole body weight on it...

 

[specialized]

Trying re-arranging the order. If you've got them started in the back left change it to front left. Scrape all the ice off the sides of the freezer if there is any. Make sure the kegs are butted against each other as far as possible. And if that all fails try shaving some of the rubber off.

 

[NewBrewB]

Just checked out brewb's keezer, its dang nice.

Thanks bro, but the irony is that I plan to unmake/remake it when I get back Stateside, with something closer to what you are doing. Press-on! *takes notes*

 

[IffyG]

Trying re-arranging the order. If you've got them started in the back left change it to front left. Scrape all the ice off the sides of the freezer if there is any. Make sure the kegs are butted against each other as far as possible. And if that all fails try shaving some of the rubber off.

Hmm... I did everything I could aside from shaving the rubber. Might be worth a shot.

 

[specialized]

Made my goal. I pulled a pint today. I got a lot more work on the top today. I'll take pics tomorrow.

 

[dlester]

Awesome, thanks for keeping us up to date.

 

[specialized]

Here's where it's at now. Obviously I still have more work ahead of me, but I couldn't wait to get a rough idea of what it would look like.

Still have to mount the paneling to the frame, connect the lid to the freezer, connect the coffin to the lid. And I still have plenty of sanding, puttying and staining. Oh yea and I also have to decide on a top surface. Oh and build a skirt. OHH and some decorative molding. Not necessarily in that order but yea those are things I've got to do.

Oh also anyone out there that has a holiday freezer can you check and see if both hinges have springs? I'm not sure if I lost one or if it didn't come with one.

 

[specialized]

Has anyone who has build a coffin style keezer ran into problems using the factory hinges? My lid weighs a ton and the thought of using the factory hinges is stressing me out . I've been thinking of buying a piano hinge. But i'm worried about puncturing a cooling line. Any other simple but elegant solutions to beef up the hinges?

 

[okgasdude]

Has anyone who has build a coffin style keezer ran into problems using the factory hinges? My lid weighs a ton and the thought of using the factory hinges is stressing me out . I've been thinking of buying a piano hinge. But i'm worried about puncturing a cooling line. Any other simple but elegant solutions to beef up the hinges?

My lid weighs a ton too, and I havnt even laid the tile yet! I did discover from another keezer picture that the hinges may come apart. It looks like just a compression spring inside. I'm going to try to take mine apart tomorrow night and see.

 

[specialized]

I've taken mine apart and have got them to attach to the new lid. The problem I forsee is the hinges not tearing out of the freezer due to the extra weight. I'm not concerned about the spring propping the lid open, to me that's a lost cause. I don't mind using a spare 2X4 to prop it.

Anyone add extra hinges and have a part number?

 

[vonZwicky]

Has anyone who has build a coffin style keezer ran into problems using the factory hinges? My lid weighs a ton and the thought of using the factory hinges is stressing me out . I've been thinking of buying a piano hinge. But i'm worried about puncturing a cooling line. Any other simple but elegant solutions to beef up the hinges?

I suspect that the factory hinges may be your best bet, unless you can find something sturdier that will match up with the same holes (that have some mass behind them for the screws to bite into). Aside from puncturing coolant lines, most of the freezer's surface is only very thin metal, in which screws will have a difficult time finding secure purchase.

My keezer design is double hinged with a very heavy collar. I Used the factory hinges to afix the collar to the freezer, and they work great. I used door hinges to hinge the freezer lid to the collar. While they work, it's not so great. The screws are only tenuously held into the thin metal of the lid, and will probably loosen over time.

Piano hinges may work, due to the shear number of screws. Somebody else here may have a great solution that neither you or I have thought of.

 

[vonZwicky]

Maybe a wooden butress (or two) that extends out a couple of inches from the back of the keezer, that the lid can rest on when the lid is fully open, taking much of the stress off of the hinges... Dunno, just started thinking about this one.

 

[Jester369]

The lid on my keezer is ridiculously heavy, but the hinges seem to be holding up just fine.

 

[specialized]

Maybe a wooden butress (or two) that extends out a couple of inches from the back of the keezer, that the lid can rest on when the lid is fully open, taking much of the stress off of the hinges... Dunno, just started thinking about this one.

that gives me an idea of making a hinged butress. It will extend away from the keezer when the lid is opened and help support it. I'll see if i can't make something out of stuff laying around the house.

here's a little sketch I made.

 

[metaltim]

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action
this has hardware from every freezer they've ever sold. I bought a white westinghouse chest fridge on CL, it was made in 1996, low and behold, I found the replacement springs (originals were done)

worth a shot, just type in serial number.

 

[specialized]

Thanks for the link. They've got tons of stuff, but unfortunately they don't sell anything made by Holiday.

 

[vonZwicky]

that gives me an idea of making a hinged butress. It will extend away from the keezer when the lid is opened and help support it. I'll see if i can't make something out of stuff laying around the house.

here's a little sketch I made.

I think you may be on to something here... Very simple, cheap, and should be easy to execute. Nice!

 

[specialized]

Wanted to post a quick update on my progress. I had set out to get the majority finished over Xmas break and I have! All that's left is tiling and a kick board. All four taps were flowing until I kicked a keg but I've already got a refill brewing. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Happy Holidays, CHEERS!

 

[Flomaster]

I love the xmas tree lights Bokah

-=Jason=-

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

What color stain is that? It looks incredible!

Can't wait to see it tiled!

 

[specialized]

What color stain is that? It looks incredible!

Can't wait to see it tiled!

It's Minwax #255 Red Mahogany on Oak. I used the Minwax pre-conditioner, let the stain penetrate for 15 minutes and applied 3 coats of satin polyurethane (sanding lightly between coats). It was quite a laborious process but the results were worth it.

 

[specialized]

Now that I'm looking into tiling, can anyone else comment on how they've attached their tiles to the top. I'm thinking liquid nails... not sure if there is something better?

 

[Flomaster]

Now that I'm looking into tiling, can anyone else comment on how they've attached their tiles to the top. I'm thinking liquid nails... not sure if there is something better?

seeing as i'll be tiling my keezer tonight allow me to chime in.

I had originally planned on just Liquid nailing my tiles to the wood, but after drooping my tile off to the "Pro" to have him polish my edges he said that Liquid nails was basically jerry rigging it and that my granite would be falling off and breaking in 6 months.

I have since purchased some 1/4" FibeRock Aqua board from Home Depot, some thin set and I am going to actually lay tile like it's supposed to be done.

but since you have a wood frame all the way around already and no worry about tiles falling off the side of the lid I'd just DGAF and use Liquid Nails.

-=Jason=-

 

[landrer]

Is that a scored "Bastard" bottle turned into a drinking glass? Nice.