Converting the Frigidaire 7.2 cu ft Chest Freezer

[johnodon]

I used the 7/8" bit and the shanks fit tight and perfect.

Let me know how that other Rustoleum paint works!

Mike,

Read my reply #56. That paint is pure gold!

John

 

[mikewildt]

Mike,

Read my reply #56. That paint is pure gold!

John

Did you have to sand it down, or did you paint right over the factory paint?

 

[johnodon]

Did you have to sand it down, or did you paint right over the factory paint?

I shot it right on top of the existing finish. No sanding...just a good wipe with rubbing alcohol. It really is amazing paint. I tried the Appliance Epoxy but that seemed to chip really easily on me (probably because it is enamel based and this wan't a metal finish). I think I used about 4 cans all in all of the Universal paint.

FYI...as with the otehr paint, make sure you have a mask! This stuff is heavy!!!

I just got my hardware so I will be sure to post a pic later.

John

 

[johnodon]

Pics as promised. I'll be the first to admit...my woodworking skills leave a lot to be desired. However, I am alsoof the opinion that we here on the eats coast don't have quite the selection of wood that other regions may have. The closest thing I could find to 'Western Hemlock" at my local Lowes was "Hem-Fir". Quite obvious it doesn't have the same grain. HD only had Douglass Fir. Oh well.

The chest freezer is a 2001 Frigidaire that I got off of CL completely free. The family had a yard sale and put a price of $50 and nobody took it. So, they just put it on craigslist for free and I was the first to call...within the hour. Just good timing I guess.

Well, here is the before:

And the after:

I didn't bother to try and get any of the dents out. After all, this will live in my basement. And I'm not why the third tap looks like it is brushed nickle...maybe the flash.

To-Do List:

• Insulate the collar (none at the moment although I don't seem to be losing a lot cold)
• Add a fan for circulation. Just bought a box fan at Lowes for $9.99.
• Add 2 more faucets
• Bottle opener and catcher (in the mail)
• Secondary regulator and 2 port manifold for force carbing
• Rear mount the CO2 tank
• Driptray
• Fill with 5 Homebrews!!!

I have 2 kegs in there right now force carbing...a Boddington clone and BM's Centennial Blonde. I just took a sample of the blonde after only one day of froce carbing. I gotta say...that is a damn fine and extremely drinkable brew! I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to have a lighter beer on tap.

John

 

[Quaffer]

Pics as promised. ...
The chest freezer is a 2001 Frigidaire that I got off of CL completely free.

Johnodon, your keezer looks great! The free freezer was a great find.

How did you mount the temp controller? It looks like a switch plate and perhaps an electrical box behind it? Looks nice whatever it is.

I have 2 kegs in there right now force carbing...a Boddington clone and BM's Centennial Blonde. I just took a sample of the blonde after only one day of froce carbing. I gotta say...that is a damn fine and extremely drinkable brew! I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to have a lighter beer on tap.

I think I will have to give that BM Blonde a try. My beers tend to overshoot an already high SG target, so I am ready for a lighter beer. Easy quaffing without (some of) the next-day penalty.:cross:

 

[johnodon]

Johnodon, your keezer looks great! The free freezer was a great find.

Thanks! I really lucked out with this one. Mechanically, it seems just fine. It just has teh normal dings from being in the basement.

How did you mount the temp controller? It looks like a switch plate and perhaps an electrical box behind it? Looks nice whatever it is.

It is actually just a switch plate...no box. This was not done by desgin at all. I made the damn hole for the Love controller a little too big. So I got a black light switch plate (one that has a larger opening for the fat switches) and dremel'd it out. It was a close fit...just needed the sides taken out a bit. Once I had that cut to the right size, I gooped it up with silicone and attached it with wood screws that fit the holes. It turned out pretty good.

I think I will have to give that BM Blonde a try. My beers tend to overshoot an already high SG target, so I am ready for a lighter beer. Easy quaffing without (some of) the next-day penalty.:cross:

That beer was ready to drink in 2 weeks (or at least it would have been if I had forced carbed it 3 days ago). Really nice flavor for a light beer...slight lemony taste but not even close to overbearing. In my book, a perfect summer ale. And it definitely won't do the damage that we are used to!

John

 

[Gritsak]

Here's mine, finally. Been using it for the past few weeks, but finally got the last two shanks i needed today. I chose a slightly darker stain with more brown (looks lighter in the pics than in person). I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Crappy camera phone pics:

 

[Quaffer]

Here's mine, finally. Been using it for the past few weeks, but finally got the last two shanks i needed today. I chose a slightly darker stain with more brown (looks lighter in the pics than in person). I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Nice! I like the wood grain on your collar, and the color too.

 

[delloman]

so how many cornys can you get in this if i read the post right 3 and 2 or 3 and 1 or 6 it it is less then 6 do you use all 4 taps or just 3 thanks for the info i really like your keezer

 

[sstruhs]

New member here, and just thought i would chime in on the Keezer. I thought about doing the collar set-up but seemed like the taps would be a little low for my preference. I went with drilling the top and putting a tower on the top. I basically did the same prep to the freezer as mentioned before, sand, wipe, paint. I have figured i can put 4 kegs in mine and waiting to buy two single tap towers to complement the dual tap tower. The one benefit of the collar is the outside mount for the CO2, i am not brave enough to put a hole threw the side of mine.

Lowes Freezer - $100
Perlick Brass Tower - $66
Spray Paint - $7
Cold draft beer after work - drunken happiness

 

[HItransplant]

gorgeous man... just gorgeous. amazing what a little stained wood does to really finish something off. I bet the beer even tastes better.

thanks for the slick pictures/how to. Ill definitely be saving this thread for later. enjoy

 

[Quaffer]

so how many cornys can you get in this if i read the post right 3 and 2 or 3 and 1 or 6 it it is less then 6 do you use all 4 taps or just 3 thanks for the info i really like your keezer

I have had four Cornelius kegs in it, that's three on the floor and one on the hump. I think it would be possible to squeeze in a fifth, but one would have to build a little shelf extending the hump a bit. And, yes, I use all four taps when I am lucky enough to have four full Cornies.

 

[Quaffer]

New member here, and just thought i would chime in on the Keezer. I thought about doing the collar set-up but seemed like the taps would be a little low for my preference. I went with drilling the top and putting a tower on the top. I basically did the same prep to the freezer as mentioned before, sand, wipe, paint. I have figured i can put 4 kegs in mine and waiting to buy two single tap towers to complement the dual tap tower. The one benefit of the collar is the outside mount for the CO2, i am not brave enough to put a hole threw the side of mine.

Lowes Freezer - $100
Perlick Brass Tower - $66
Spray Paint - $7
Cold draft beer after work - drunken happiness

Welcome to HBT.
Yes, most would agree that it is best not to drill through the sides.
I beleive this is the image you were refering to?

 

[johnodon]

Added 2 more taps and bottle opener/catcher.

Last thing is to add a diptray but I really don't feel like forking out $80 - $120. So, this is what I am going to use:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_245671-5183...+mud&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=kobalt+mud

$14 is right up my alley! I'll just put the magnets on the "Kobalt" side. I don't think I will care that you won't be able to sit a glass on top of it. If that turns out not to be true, I'll just make one out of something that I can sit inside the mud tray.

Anyway, it actually matches the bottle cap catcher pretty damn close.

John

 

[Quaffer]

Last thing is to add a diptray but I really don't feel like forking out $80 - $120...

That would work.
I actually got my drip tray off of Ebay for <$20.00. If you change your mind check out http://www.barproducts.com/, search for DTS-419.

 

[Gritsak]

If you change your mind check out http://www.barproducts.com/, search for DTS-419.

That's the one i have..pics on the last page. It's a great bargain.

 

[johnodon]

Fantastic! I thought I had done a pretty thorough search for a reasonably priced diptray. FAIL!

Thanks guys. Just ordered one.

John

 

[aquajon1]

looks awesome, now I know what my next project is. living in florida I would put wheels on mine since we do not have a basement and space is limited.
hate to ask but what do you figure you spent on the project?

 

[NewBrewB]

*subscribed*

 

[Quaffer]

hate to ask but what do you figure you spent on the project?

I have not totalled it all up but I did run down some of the costs in this post. The biggest cost is a new freezer. I got mine on sale for about $199. You may be able find a used freezer for next to nothing that can be salvaged. Also the Perlick taps were on sale at the time. It can get spendy if you have to buy everything full price. Watch out for sales and shop around.

 

[windycity_brew]

New member here. First, thanks for posting this build. I've gone through several threads of builds and keep coming back to yours for the main inspiration. I've decided to use the same freezer and temp controller but was curious as to which probe you went with since you are keeping it in a glass of water. Did you go w/ a metal one (stainless or brass) or pvc?

 

[Quaffer]

...but was curious as to which probe you went with since you are keeping it in a glass of water. Did you go w/ a metal one (stainless or brass) or pvc?

I used the sensor that came with the controller, I beleive it is the TS-7. It is dipped in epoxy and it appears to be water proof.
Welcome to HBT

 

[minsco1]

I just completed a build - minus the temp. controller, which is in the mail - with this thread as the primary inspiration, thanks a lot for all of the information (that includes posters who posted their alterations and adaptations)!

 

[Indyking]

Quaffer, your set up is absolutely fantastic. I'm totally inspired by it and will try to do something similar, except my magic chef freezer is smaller (5.5 cu ft) and is white, so I will have to come up with some wood paint that goes along with white. Anyway, can you make me a favor? Can you tell me what the height of the CO2 tank including the dual gauge regulator is? I plan to put it inside the freezer and need that info to figure out how tall the collar should be before buying the wood.

 

[Teaman]

Just finishing my Kenmore black 8.8 cf build. Looks awesome and I too decided on this because of this thread and one other that showed a black keezer. I went with a 3 faucet stainless steel perlicks and am at the point to add a stainless steel bottle opener and a drip tray to finish it off. Actually just did my first keg today and it's in there carbin' up!

I'm glad I went the $ and did black. Looks really nice despite a rookie first timer build.

INDYKING.
Just saw your note. I have a 5lb CO2 with the regulator straight up it measures about 19-19.5 inches high.

 

[Quaffer]

Can you tell me what the height of the CO2 tank including the dual gauge regulator is? I plan to put it inside the freezer and need that info to figure out how tall the collar should be before buying the wood.

Thanks.
My 5# tank with regulator is just over 19" tall.
By the way, ball lock kegs stand 52" tall.

 

[Quaffer]

Just finishing my Kenmore black 8.8 cf build. Looks awesome and I too decided on this because of this thread and one other that showed a black keezer. I went with a 3 faucet stainless steel perlicks and am at the point to add a stainless steel bottle opener and a drip tray to finish it off. Actually just did my first keg today and it's in there carbin' up!

I'm glad I went the $ and did black. Looks really nice despite a rookie first timer build.

Glad to hear it!
I have no beers in mine right now! Just a keg of lemon water and Edwort's Apfelwein. I have four batches of beer in the pipeline, though, the first to be kegged next weekend.

 

[Indyking]

Just finishing my Kenmore black 8.8 cf build. Looks awesome and I too decided on this because of this thread and one other that showed a black keezer. I went with a 3 faucet stainless steel perlicks and am at the point to add a stainless steel bottle opener and a drip tray to finish it off. Actually just did my first keg today and it's in there carbin' up!

I'm glad I went the $ and did black. Looks really nice despite a rookie first timer build.

INDYKING.
Just saw your note. I have a 5lb CO2 with the regulator straight up it measures about 19-19.5 inches high.

Glad to hear it!
I have no beers in mine right now! Just a keg of lemon water and Edwort's Apfelwein. I have four batches of beer in the pipeline, though, the first to be kegged next weekend.

Thanks for the height measure guys. I already have a white small freezer, so I'm thinking 2 kegs only will fit, which is what I need, but if I had to buy a freezer I would definitely buy a black one. It looks neat with the finished wood collar. By the way Quaffer, why do you keep lemon water in the keg? To clean it?

 

[Quaffer]

By the way Quaffer, why do you keep lemon water in the keg? To clean it?

LOL! To drink! It is like flavored carbonated water that you can buy at the grocery store. I drink it with dinner and it can serve as a mixer too.

 

[Indyking]

LOL! To drink! It is like flavored carbonated water that you can buy at the grocery store. I drink it with dinner and it can serve as a mixer too.

I see, well my mom like to use lemon juice to clean stuff, because its acidity, so I thought maybe you were doing the same... LOL