Holy Lord!! 7.0 GE chest freezers @ HD for $170?!?!

[Pisty_Pete]

Yeah I know I am weird, I was actually going to take my cheapy .99c harbor freight special tape with me but couldn't find it.

Here is a pic of this freezer with a 6.5G carboy and 6G better bottle in it.

Hey Humann,

Did you try getting two 6.5gal carboys in there, by chance?

Thanks,
p

 

[Bullshivit-brew]

Can someone fill me in why people get a freezer and covert it to a fridge insted of just getting a fridge? Is it price or size or what?

 

[revbish]

sub-zero,
A chest type container (freezer) holds more kegs than a stand-up model since you're only limited by width & depth; height, which you have more of in a fridge, is not an issue.

 

[kmat123]

I picked up one of these chest freezers due to this thread. Can't wait to convert it to a keezer!

 

[missing]

Mine was delivered yesterday. I have the collar built and stained. Planning on three taps right now.

 

[humann_brewing]

Hey Humann,

Did you try getting two 6.5gal carboys in there, by chance?

Thanks,
p

I only have 1 - 6.5G carboy but I am pretty sure 2 would fit. I have plenty of wiggle room with what is in there right now.

 

[Pisty_Pete]

I only have 1 - 6.5G carboy but I am pretty sure 2 would fit. I have plenty of wiggle room with what is in there right now.

Cool, thanks. Just ordered one and a fermentation heater and dual controller. No more wildly fluctuating fermentations! Woooo.

 

[josiahcox]

Just out of curiosity what type of heater did you get? I just bought a Brewers Edge heating pad today for my new ferm camber that I built under my workbench. I'm hoping it does the trick.

I have everything to build my collar for my freezer. The Love controllers are on the way and kegging stuff was ordered today. I am going to hold off on getting shanks/taps because I want perlicks and to get 2 would be an extra $100. Christmas is coming.

Cheers to everyone who was able to snag one at the good price. Post up pics when you get yours finished. I'd love to see them.

 

[Pisty_Pete]

Just out of curiosity what type of heater did you get? I just bought a Brewers Edge heating pad today for my new ferm camber that I built under my workbench. I'm hoping it does the trick.

I have everything to build my collar for my freezer. The Love controllers are on the way and kegging stuff was ordered today. I am going to hold off on getting shanks/taps because I want perlicks and to get 2 would be an extra $100. Christmas is coming.

Cheers to everyone who was able to snag one at the good price. Post up pics when you get yours finished. I'd love to see them.

I got a FermWrap from B3. It wraps around your carboy - should be more efficient I'm hoping.
http://morebeer.com/view_product/16674//The_FermWrap_Heater

and, sadly, i missed the $170 deal, but $198 is still not bad! Delivery is this saturday...

 

[Boston813]

I have everything to build my collar for my freezer. The Love controllers are on the way and kegging stuff was ordered today. I am going to hold off on getting shanks/taps because I want perlicks and to get 2 would be an extra $100. Christmas is coming.

Cheers to everyone who was able to snag one at the good price. Post up pics when you get yours finished. I'd love to see them.

I'm in the same boat. It will be great to see the different ways people finish out the freezer with so many people having the same one.

The Red Oak collar is built (overbuilt) just waiting to route out the recesses for the hinges, stain, wood putty, and seal it.

The love controller is here but I didn't have any luck finding spade connectors that were the same size as what GE uses. I will rebuild everything with bullet connectors so if I ever go back it will be plug and play.

The shanks and taps will have to wait until Christmas or until funding permits.

I look forward to seeing what people come up with.

 

[claphamsa]

ordered! now I need a temp controller

 

[humann_brewing]

ordered! now I need a temp controller

brewmasters warehouse has 12% off today

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/cyber-monday-sale-12-off-your-order-149374/

 

[josiahcox]

So my little monster is pouring beer.

Taps and shanks are on the Christmas wish list.

 

[pdbreen]

So my little monster is pouring beer.

Nice job!! What height collar did you use (looks like 2x8) and does the extra height allow room for a cornie on the hump? If not, would a 2x10 be enough? And, it looks like you used fairly stock hinges for the double hinge - any issues with the gasket binding / not sealing?

Thanks!

 

[kmat123]

Nice job!! What height collar did you use (looks like 2x8) and does the extra height allow room for a cornie on the hump? If not, would a 2x10 be enough? And, it looks like you used fairly stock hinges for the double hinge - any issues with the gasket binding / not sealing?

Thanks!

I have this fridge and yes a 10" collar will allow for an additional corny on the hump for 5 total

 

[510brew]

d'oh, posted in wrong thread

 

[TysonWD]

I ordered that same kit yesterday and didn't seem to have a problem.

Tyson

 

[josiahcox]

I would use a 2x10 if you are planning to put a keg on the hump. The 2x8 is just a tiny bit too short. Depending on which corny kegs you have you can fit 3 or 4 without using the hump.
I had no issues with the gasket binding. The lid fits quite nicely on top of the 2 by and it seals great. The lower seal where the wood meets the freezer is D profile weather stripping I picked up at the hardware store. I have not noticed any sealing/leaking issues. I also have my probe in a bottle of water and my temp stays at a nice 42* even if you open the door to mess with stuff.
I used black door hinges for the lid on top and I used the stock hinges to attach the collar. The hinges will hold up fine. Remember you won't have it open very often and that those hinges have pretty strong springs in them.
Hope that helps.

 

[claphamsa]

anyone know how many ale pales this thing holds?

 

[BHowe]

Just to confirm, 4 on the floor and one on the hump is not a problem with a 2X10 collar?

 

[kmat123]

This will hold two bottling buckets or carboys without a collar or 5 corny kegs (with one on the hump) with a 2x10" collar. I plan on doing the same dual hinge system that josiah has pictured above.

 

[BHowe]

Any chance of 3 cornies and a carboy?

 

[josiahcox]

4 or 3 on the floor depending on what type of keg you have and one on the hump with a 2x10.
Maybe 3 cornies and a carboy but you would have to use the hump.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

I was out of town when the sale was on, and then managed to forget about it. I then went to HD about 8 days after the sale ended, and they still honored the price!
I now have a keezer with 4 cornies in it - a very tight squeeze, but I will only move them to wash and fill. (and when I have to put my upcoming Kölsch in it for secondary fermentation...)

 

[kmat123]

I bought this chest freezer from HD about a month ago and am in the process of converting it to a keezer. With a 2x10" collar it will hold 5 ball lock cornies (although it is a snug fit)

 

[josiahcox]

Nice! How did you hinge yours?

 

[kmat123]

I used the factory hinges to support the collar and bought a pair of 3" standard hinges to hinge the lid.

 

[josiahcox]

kmat - Nice buddy! :rockin:

It looks like our keezers are brothers from another mother. How are you liking the double hinge set up? I found those 3 inch hinges to be almost the perfect size.
I have yet to install shanks and taps in mine (waiting for a perlick Christmas) so opening just the top works great for the picnic taps I'm using for the time being.

 

[kmat123]

The double hinge setup is awesome! Thanks for inspiring the idea

 

[pdbreen]

Finally got the delivery from Home Depot today! But, with the delay, I had everything planned and all the parts on hand. Only I forgot how hard it is to make a square and level box using 2x10's without a jointer and planer! Oh well...

Also, in the time that passed I got a good deal on a stout faucet so I decided to up the tap count to 5 - just need have to wait for another shank to be delivered. And, the drip tray.

Construction is the same as the others - 2x10 box and double hinged.

Only thing I don't like so far is I've bumped the taps on a few times while dropping kegs in. Guess it's best to disconnect all the liquid out's before changing kegs (and use the hump for the most frequently changed keg).

The extra time also allowed me to build out the pipeline so 5 kegs were ready to drop in, and there's a lot more on the way!

Can't think of a better way to start the new year!! A special thanks to those who built this freezer out before me for the design ideas which I shamelessly borrowed.