Finally starting my keezer build

[Beernik]

Finally getting to my keezer build. Took my first baby step today.

I mirror wrapped the front. The vinyl wrap will give me a reflective surface behind the built in liquor cabinet without having to use an actual mirror.

My kid was an invaluable assistant. It was definitely a 2 - 3 person job.

I’ll start building the frame in 2 weeks.

 

[Beerstein]

Very nice. I started my new keezer on Saturday.

 

[Ragman]

oooohhhh shiny. Looks great!

 

[Beernik]

Thanks. I have a new found respect for people who do vinyl wrapping. It was a pain in the ass. It rippled along the top and corners, but that won’t be visible in the finished product.

Having a new mirror in the house at his level is really bothering my cat. I’ve always had a table cloth sitting on it, but I’ve had to pull it all the way to the ground on the front, so he doesn’t hiss at himself when he walks in the room.

I ordered PC fans and casters last night, so they’ll be here when I buy the lumber for framing it next week.

 

[Ragman]

Like I said, it looks awesome. Pretty funny about your cat. Ive made a keezer and enjoy it but its in my garage (it doesnt look as nice as yours) MY goal is to build another one that looks nice enough that the wife will let me bring it inside.

 

[Beernik]

Since it’s a coffin keezer with interior shelves, I’m going to have cutouts in a piece of plywood to set computer fans for pulling heat away from the freezer’s exterior wall.

What would be the best way to glue the fans to the plywood? Should I just go with liquid nails?

 

[Beernik]

Finalized my CAD design this morning. My apologies for being an old school 2-D guy. Even when I was doing grading & drainage plans, I had to figure it out 2-D & then pull it into 3-D for cuts & fills.

I realized with my tanks outside of the fridge, at buildout I can fit 6 kegs inside.

My wife has settled on the interior & exterior walls being a medium cherry stain. The cabinet doors & lid will be unicorn spit. I’m leaning towards a tie-dye or Jackson Pollock effect for the unicorn spit.

The pink lines across the front are plexiglass shelves for the liquor cabinet.

 

[Konadog]

Same freezer I built my keezer from! It will hold 6 kegs without issue if you put your CO2 outside or on the hump. When you mount your fans, be sure that you can replace them without to much work, so gluing them in place might be an issue. Consider using screws or a holder to mount them.

 

[Beernik]

I suppose I could take a thin piece of metal and make attachment brackets so I can screw them to the frame. Then it would be just four screws to remove to replace them.

Thanks.

 

[Beernik]

Same freezer I built my keezer from! It will hold 6 kegs without issue if you put your CO2 outside or on the hump. When you mount your fans, be sure that you can replace them without to much work, so gluing them in place might be an issue. Consider using screws or a holder to mount them.

Did you put a collar on yours?

With low profile couplers, I can close the lid without one. But I’ve started thinking a collar would make an easier space for running lines in & out and easier bends for going up the towers.

I’m not as height restricted on my design & can add up to 3 more inches.

EDIT: I also finally figured out how I’m getting 4’x8’ panel home in my Prius. HD will give me a free cut. I can have them cut it at 2’-9”. That will give me enough margin to make my 2’-5” cut and not have to worry about how true their cut line is. It will also give me a ≈14.5” piece to cut an 11” cabinet door from.

By a similar process on the sides and top, I won’t have to buy another panel for just the doors.

 

[Konadog]

Did you put a collar on yours?

Yes I did. You can check it out here: Konadogs Keezer

 

[Beernik]

Looks nice.

I’m still leaning towards just drilling through the lid for the CO2 line. I’ve got to drill two holes for the towers anyway. What’s one more?

 

[Konadog]

Yea, there's a lot you can do different when your going thru the lid. There's a thread somewhere that has gas lines thru the back of the lid with disconnects that was pretty clean.

 

[Beernik]

Finally bought some lumber and got most of the bottom frame put together.

The first trip to the hardware store, I convinced myself I didn’t need the framing screws.

The second trip to the hardware store, I picked up the framing screws.

My third trip to the hardware store (tomorrow) I’ll pick up the rest of the framing screws because I forgot about the center joist.

The center 3 joists support the side edges and center of the freezer. The two long beams run under the front and back edges of the freezer.

The battery on the drill died & the island hardware store is closed, so I called it quits for the night.

EDIT: looking at my drill & thinking about the holes I have to cut into the freezer lid, this is going to be an awesome excuse to buy a 1/2” drill.

 

[Beernik]

This project has been on hold for a few weeks. - My wife wanted a grow tent for her birthday. (PM me if you have comments/questions. It’s not a HBT subject)
- I got sick, I don’t think it was the plague.
- Got busy at work.
- My Thanksgiving week guest list went from 0 to 3 with my wife’s family deciding to surprise her for the holiday.

I’m hoping to get back to it in December.