HBT members inspired me: My Keezer Project

[jlandin]

The brown truck brought my shanks and drip tray yesterday so I ran the beer lines.

Shank holes in the backsplash and duct:

Here's the insulated duct inside the coffin. For those wondering, that's R3. We'll see how it goes, I may double it up as I had extra.

The view inside the coffin looking up at the shanks entering the duct.

Beer lines ran, along with the gas lines complete.

And they're in!

Next up, my buddy is doing the tile tonight while I wire in the Love controller and install a compressor vent.

--
Josh

 

[Handle]

You are moving right along. Looks great -- can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[bakins]

I notice that you have the door propped open with a stick, has anyone put shocks on the lids to keep them open, like the hatch of a car. I know my RX-7 had some pretty small shocks for the hatch.

I used them, it works. I think I used a single 60lb one from McMaster-Carr with a similar setup as shown. Have since redid mine, so don't have it anymore.

 

[johnnyc]

The brown truck brought my shanks and drip tray yesterday so I ran the beer lines.
The view inside the coffin looking up at the shanks entering the duct.

--
Josh

So on this are the shanks just slid into holes in the pvc or are they secured somehow?

 

[jlandin]

So on this are the shanks just slid into holes in the pvc or are they secured somehow?

Not secured, though they fit pretty snug. The duct is easily removable. To do so I just back-off the shank nuts nearly all the way and push the shanks forward (extending them out of the coffin) which allows them to "leave" the duct. Then the duct can be lifted out of the female bases and laid down. All the while the beer lines are sliding out the holes (still attached to the shanks) allowing me to change a line, etc.

--
Josh

 

[schweaty]

Beautiful build! At first I thought the caps looked cool but excellent choice going with the tile. Very impressive!

 

[jlandin]

The keezer has found its final resting place in my bar next to the pool table.

The love controller is in, and the wiring complete.

The tile is in:

I ended up putting a register vent on the compressor door. That thing gives more venting that the original louver cover that was there:

I added two kegs of Alt which is still conditioning. Picking up the half-barrel of Sierra Celebration later today. I can't want to pour the first pint off the keezer!

Now I need to get brewing and fill this thing up!

--
Josh

 

[Chosenwon]

Awesome. Just awesome. Great work Josh!

 

[Teufelhunden]

Very nice work! I will start my build in a couple of months, will use alot of what you done. again, very nice.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Very freeking nice. How heavy is the lid? You use a stick or something to hold it up?

 

[jlandin]

Very freeking nice. How heavy is the lid? You use a stick or something to hold it up?

Thanks! Yes, the lid is pretty damn heavy with the porcelain tile on it now. I cut down a large-diameter wooden dow to use as a prop and I keep that in the keezer.

--
Josh

 

[skibumdc]

Shoot, you might even want to get some automotive pistons like they use on car trunks and hoods to keep that lid open.
Or maybe make it spring loaded and have a latch to keep it closed?

 

[jlandin]

Shoot, you might even want to get some automotive pistons like they use on car trunks and hoods to keep that lid open.
Or maybe make it spring loaded and have a latch to keep it closed?

It's a great idea! Someone else mentioned that too, I might give it a try.

--
Josh

 

[jlandin]

Ok, so the total build cost was $965.03, specifics below:

Qty	 Total 		Item
1	 $150.00 	14.8 Cu Ft Fridgedaire Chest Freezer (used) 
4	 $107.80 	Perlick 525SS Faucets
15	 $97.50 	Porcelain Tile (sq ft)
1	 $65.00 	Love Controller TS-13010
4	 $53.80 	5 1/8 Faucet Shanks
1	 $53.05 	4 way Air Distributer
1	 $44.95 	14"x6" Stainless Drip Tray
5	 $44.90 	Pkg Grooved Pine 5/16x3.5"
6	 $28.32 	1x3x6' Pine Boards
4	 $21.44 	Gas Ball Lock Disconnects
1	 $19.99 	4" Fan
1	 $19.97 	19/32" Pine Plywood
8	 $19.92 	2x4x96 Pine Stud
4	 $17.80 	Shank Connection Kit with Stainless Tail
3	 $17.31 	1x6x1/2" Tube Insulation
1	 $14.45 	11/32" Pine Plywood
3	 $13.59 	2x6x8 Top Choice Pine
30	 $13.20 	3/16 Beer Hose (per foot)
1	 $11.99 	Polyurethane Varnish
2	 $10.92 	2 1/2" Industrial Swivel Casters
4	 $10.64 	5/16" Barbed Swivel Nuts for Disconnects
1	 $9.70 	14x8 Air Register
2	 $8.96 	3" PVC Spigot Flange
2	 $8.92 	2 1/2" Industrial Casters
2	 $8.92 	3" PVC Sweep Elbow
1	 $8.48 	1/4" Mini Ball Valve
16	 $8.48 	5/16 Gas Hose (per foot)
3	 $5.97 	5MM White 3.3V LED (2 per pkg)
2	 $5.96 	1/4 Female Coupler
1	 $5.87 	30W Extension Cord
1	 $5.49 	Metal Film Resistors (mixed pack)
2	 $4.58 	Male Hose End Fitting
1	 $4.49 	Poly-seam-seal adhesive Caulk
3	 $4.47 	LED Holder (2 per pkg)
1	 $4.37 	#4 Worm Clamps
4	 $4.16 	Pronged T-nuts
4	 $4.00 	Stainless Shank Flanges
1	 $3.99 	Rocker Switch 12V
2	 $3.78 	1/4"x1/4" NPT
1	 $3.57 	Hinges
1	 $3.44 	 Satin White Spray Paint
1	 $2.85 	1x2x6' Pine Boards
1	 $2.61 	5/16" Flat Washers
1	 $2.49 	Roller Door Catch
1	 $1.74 	Zip Cable Ties
4	 $1.20 	5/16 Hex Bolts

 

[kegtoe]

How is the frame around the top attached? IT seems that the fram would be pretty heavy and its jsut attached to the plywood.

 

[jlandin]

First pour

Great capacity, here's 4 corney's, a 1/2 barrel of Sierra Celebration, and still a bunch of room:

Slight modifications to the store's sanke connector

Cheers!

--
Josh

 

[jlandin]

How is the frame around the top attached? IT seems that the fram would be pretty heavy and its jsut attached to the plywood.

The coffin is attached to the 3/4 plywood using L-brackets. When you do this, make sure you pre-drill all holes. The coffin itself is really not that heavy.

Here are some pics of the L-brackets from the inside of the coffin:

--
Josh

 

[skibumdc]

How come of all the kezer coffins I see no one puts a fan or blower to keep the lines cold all the way to the tap?

 

[jlandin]

How come of all the kezer coffins I see no one puts a fan or blower to keep the lines cold all the way to the tap?

I have a 12V 4" fan which is going on the right-side duct opening. My build is rather fresh (just finished what you see here this past Sunday) so I haven't installed it yet, but I will in the next few days. It will kick on with the compressor. I expect it will help serve a dual-purpose by also keeping a uniform temperature within the Freezer itself.

--
Josh

 

[kegtoe]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kegtoe
How is the frame around the top attached? IT seems that the fram would be pretty heavy and its jsut attached to the plywood.

The coffin is attached to the 3/4 plywood using L-brackets. When you do this, make sure you pre-drill all holes. The coffin itself is really not that heavy.

Here are some pics of the L-brackets from the inside of the coffin:

Landin, i was refering to the fram aroune the entire top? how is that attached? Only to the plywood on the freezer lid?

 

[skibumdc]

Landin, a suggestion.
Make the fan that flows cold air into the beer line tube run full time, NOT just when the compressor runs.
The tube will warm up above 38* before the compressor kicks on and the CO2 will break out of the beer.

I've helped a lot of people out on regular kegerators (Summit/Sanyo/Danby/True, etc.) all benefit from tower cooling tremendously. Don't see why this little addition couldn't help you as well.
I've read up a lot at Micromatic's forum. Take a gander over there and see some of the ways people have built tower coolers well.

 

[jlandin]

Landin, a suggestion.
Make the fan that flows cold air into the beer line tube run full time, NOT just when the compressor runs.

Thanks for the tip!

--
Josh

 

[jlandin]

Landin, i was refering to the fram aroune the entire top? how is that attached? Only to the plywood on the freezer lid?

Yes. There are 3 pieces of trim going on there. They are all wood-glued, corners cut on 45's, and pneumatically stapled in place. The widest piece is vertical under the 3/4 plywood. Then a skinnier piece along the outer edge of the plywood, flush with the plywood surface. The third piece is a wider horizontal overhang on the plywood surface and the second piece of trim. It's all bound together really solid, and all corners are cross-stapled.

--
Josh

 

[johnnyc]

Not secured, though they fit pretty snug. The duct is easily removable. To do so I just back-off the shank nuts nearly all the way and push the shanks forward (extending them out of the coffin) which allows them to "leave" the duct. Then the duct can be lifted out of the female bases and laid down. All the while the beer lines are sliding out the holes (still attached to the shanks) allowing me to change a line, etc.

--
Josh

Are those 4" shanks? Did you estimate right on the length you needed?

EDIT: Never mind I found the parts list. Just ordered my taps and shanks from Rapids Wholesale. Now to start construction