Knotty Pine and Cedar Log Keezer Build

[Ohio-Ed]

Not that I have cured cancer or anything but I have a bit of experience in the wood shop myself. I think the keezer looks great and I think you did a fantastic job!

Congrats on finishing and thanks for sharing.

Ed

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks Ohio-Ed....that means a lot coming from you. BTW, your all electric AG system is amazing and I have been combing through your thread and Kal's website gathering ideas and inspiration. You obviously have the know how, when it comes to electrical systems and your build is impressive. I have minimal experience with electrical operating systems, but have a neighbor that is an EE with a background in this field. He also indulges in my home brew creations quite often on the weekends, so it's time for him to scratch my back so to speak. I can't expect him to design and fabricate the entire thing for me, so I most likely will purchase one of Kal's unassembled control panels and have him help me put it together. I think I can handle the rest of the build and components without difficulty, but the control panel scares the hell out of me! Anyways....thank you Ed and I'm sure I'll be coming to you with questions throughout the winter.

 

[countrygent73]

That keezer is awesome! Looks to me like you have 30+ years experience. Keep up the good work.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I apologize that my thread took a turn for the worst so quickly. Hopefully we can get this thing back on track. Thanks for stepping in BierMuncher.

Thanks for the compliment countrygent73, much appreciated!

 

[tattooman]

The keezer looks great! what a lot of fun to do!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks! Dennis, is that you?

 

[tattooman]

Yep! it's me! just here looking around.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Welcome to HBT tattooman. I know you have mentioned an interest in getting into home brewing. This will be your #1 resource in learning and advancing. Of course, you can use me as a resource as well. Thanks for your offer for giving me the extra CO2 that you have laying around....I'll put it to good use!

 

[tattooman]

Thanks for the invite to this site! home brewing sounds like a lot of fun, my son is interested also! it would be fun to have him helping with all the processes of brewing! not to mention sharing in the rewards!
I'll bring the cylinder to you Wednesday!

 

[futzwash]

Hey Hoppopotomus,

I really just want to thank you for your detailed thread on your build. It really helped me get an idea of what I wanted to start building. I used the same controller as you, and the pics of the frame when you were building really helped me!

Here is my thread: "Keezer 5ive"

I would appreciate any words of advice as im still in the process of building!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

No problem man....glad my thread helped! I'll jump onto your thread later this evening and give it a peek. Welcome to the keezer club... congrats!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Ok...things have been functioning well with the keezer, but I've had an issue as of late. I pulled my keg of amber out of the keezer, because it kicked last week. I swapped it out with my Cedar Pale Ale late last week. I switched my gas lines around a bit, so that the Cedar Pale Ale was on the single regulator and the other 3 existing kegs were on the 3 way manifold off of the second regulator of my dual body regulator. I purge all of the kegs and slowly dialed both regulators up to 9 psi, since my regulators seem to overshoot by around 2 psi over time.

This weekend, I noticed that my Bonzai Wheat, Blood Orange Hefe, and 60 min IPA (all off of the 3 way manifold from one of the regs) all seemed overcarbed with foaming issues. I opened the keezer and the regulator for the 3 way manifold read 14 psi and the regulator for the single keg read 16 psi. I turned off the CO2 to each keg and purged the three kegs periodically throughout the day on Saturday. By Sunday the carbonation levels were back on track, so I slowly dialed up the regulator back up to 9 psi, knowing when everything settles, they typically overshoot by 2 psi. Last night during Monday night football (Go Lions!!!) I tried to pull a pint of the wheat and frickin' foam... again. I opened the keezer again and the body for the 3 way manifold read 16 psi and the single body was at 19 psi. WTF! Any suggestions as to why my regulators would be overshooting.....never had these issues before.

I'm being very careful to slowly dial up the psi on the regulators and I keep a watchful eye on them until they seem to stabilize at 9 psi, but over time they seem to be overshooting by almost double. Are my regulators malfunctioning? It it due to the fact that my CO2 and regulators are inside the keezer? Last night I purged again and set a 5 psi, so I could pull a couple of pints during the game, which obviously created a very slow pour, but the foaming was manageable. Based on this, the beer didn't seem to be overcarbed again....yet, because there was minimal foaming at the very low serving pressure. Overtime, however, if I don't keep opening the beast up and purging + dialing them back, they will overcarb. Any suggestions would be great!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

update....called kegconnection.com and they are sending me a regulator re-building kit. They think that it is not sealing all of the way and it may have a bad diaphram . It may be an issue with the regulator being housed inside of the keezer. He said that moisture can build up in the regulator and make the diaphram go bad. I'm going to rebuild this thing as soon as I receive the kit and hopefully get my carbonation levels stabilized.

Tattooman was nice enough to offer me a 10lb. CO2 cylinder that he got from his buddy. I figured, what the hell....I should be able to fit it in my keezer and I've been looking for a spare tank. He brought it in today and it wasn't a 10lb. cylinder....it was a 20lb. cylinder. Unfortunately, there isn't a snowball's chance in hell of this thing fitting into my keezer after measuring it....it's big, almost the size of a 5 gallon keg! Now I have a different plan (like I need another project ). I now plan on putting the 20 lb. cylinder, with regulator in my pantry and running a longer gas lines through the wall, behind the fridge, into the coffin, and down into the keezer. That way I'll have instant access to the regulator for adjustments. Unfortunately, I will have to take all of the insulation out of the coffin and drill holes down through the bottom of the coffin and through the freezer lid to get the new gas line ran to the kegs. What a PITA, but it may help prevent the diaphram from going bad in the regulator. Thanks Tattooman! Any suggestions on running gas lines longer distances?

 

[NewBrewB]

I'm not educated enough to offer guidance but isn't there some conversion to use when your co2 is at room temp but the beer is cold?

...like 20 psi at room temp is 8 psi at 40 degrees? Something like that. Or was it the other way around?

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Hmmmm.....I'm not sure really, but maybe I'll do a little search to see what I can find. I'm still pretty new to the kegging scene and at this point, my regulators and CO2 have been housed in my keezer. I'll see what I can dig up.

 

[bbentley40]

Hey Hopp.. if your going to be putting your CO2 tank outside of the keezer maybe you would want to look into one of these:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=10234

I have one for my build, but I have not done the plumbing yet so you probably havent seen it. I have it going through my collar so I can attach a gas line on each side and not have to worry with a hose hanging out of my keezer if I ever need to take it out of the base. And it should be easier to seal up than just a hose too.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Nice! I just may give it a shot. I have to have my 20 lb. CO2 cylinder sent out for hydro-testing and recertification, so I won't start tackling this project for a few weeks. Couldn't find anyone around here that could do it on the spot. My HBS can send it out and although it takes a couple of weeks, they can have it re-certified and filled for $40. I haven't come up with an exact plan for running the gas lines as of yet, but this may be a helpful fitting to use. Thanks Bentley!

 

[joenads]

Nice build Hoppo! I just did a quick browse through your thread looking at all the pics. This is something I hope I can work towards after I get my AG system up and running.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks! Once you start your keezer build, let me know if I can help at all along the way. Good luck with the AG system....that's my next project!

 

[Gridlocked]

I need a hand with my kreezer build. You interested in helping me haul a freezer out of my aunt's basement and stuffing it into a trailer?

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I need a hand with my kreezer build. You interested in helping me haul a freezer out of my aunt's basement and stuffing it into a trailer?

Depends on where and when. I'm happy to help, if I can. I remember you said that you had family in Michigan, but I don't recall where. I'm back to working 14 hour days three days per week and 8 hours two days per week, so if would have to be over a weekend that I'm free. Let me know.

 

[thebigjoetrain]

this build looks amazing. I hope my project I'm working up comes close to your results. I feel I should grow a rat tail on the side of my head, quit my job, and learn from your Jedi like wood shop skills.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

LOL!....that's some funny sh*t! I'm certainly not a master in the woodshop....that's for sure. Working with cedar logs and knotty pine paneling is very forgiving, because you just cover everything up with these materials. In fact, before I started my rustic basement build, I have never worked with log and panel construction before. The beauty of a rustic build is that mistakes actually give the piece more character. A lot of the other guys on HBT have waaaaay more woodshop skills than me, with all of their dovetailing and mitering and what not. I'm just a guy with a draw knife, a miter saw, a table saw, and a drill, making it up and slapping it together as I go. To be honest, I'm shocked that the keezer turned out as good as it did. Had I tried to build an elegant pieces with nice milled trim and precision construction, it wouldn't have stood up to many of the builds on HBT.

Have you started a thread yet for your build? I would love to follow your progress and offer any advice or help along the way. I think that you should still go for the rat tail on the side of your head.....I know a good plastic surgeon.

 

[funkstrman]

Great job on the keezer, I would love to make one of these someday. You are no doubt proud of the hard work you put in. Congratulations on that masterpiece of art! Keep it up!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks for the compliment. If you need any advice or have any questions when you start your build....please let me know, I'm happy to help in any way that I can.

Well, it's official....the slate floors in the bar are grouted and sealed. I'm moving the keezer into it's final resting spot very soon. Take a peek at the last page in my Basement Bar Build thread to see the floors. Once I get the keezer in place, I'll snap some pics. Still trying to talk my wife into letting me cover the white refrigerator with thin knotty pine paneling to match the keezer, but she's not going for it. I may suggest selling the white side by side fridge and purchasing a stainless steel one, but who knows. Until I can talk her into covering the fridge with wood, it's going to stick out like a sore thumb in the bar.

 

[ishcor2000]

Here is our version of the finished "hoppo" rustic keezer clone. Missing a couple tap handles a few more coats of poly and it'll be all set.
Your thread and your answers to my PM's were very helpful in making this happen. Thanks.

Close up pic along with the mugs my wife bought me for my bday. (too bad the Wisconsin glass didn't help out bucky in the rosebowl)

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Sweet! Glad I could help you along the way....it was my pleasure. I forgot to post final pictures of my keezer in it's final resting spot, so I'll try to do so tomorrow. Nice work.....you did us "rustic keezer" builders proud! :rockin:

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Here are the last of the pics of the keezer in it's final resting spot in my "rustic bar". I still need to get a longer drip tray after converting to 4 taps. I also still am trying to find the time to get the finish on the cedar log bar stools for the redwood bar. I plan on building a cedar log framed chalk board for over the keezer to display the tap line up as well. Thanks to everyone that has followed my long drawn out thread!

 

[OatStraw]

Hey Hoppo I noticed in an earlier thread you mentioned using cement board as a base for the tile (or somthing like that) but didn't see it get incorporated. Did you end up using this, and do you think it's necassary or not?

 

[Jeebas]

Hey Hoppo I noticed in an earlier thread you mentioned using cement board as a base for the tile (or somthing like that) but didn't see it get incorporated. Did you end up using this, and do you think it's necassary or not?

Others may have a differing opinion, but I would say it is definitely necessary, otherwise you are attaching tile to a wood substrate and wood tends to move and warp over time, thus it could produce cracks in the tiling.

For the extra $10 for the backer board and maybe $10 for the mortar to attach it to the wood (and maybe the extar 1-2 hours of work and 1 day to wait until attaching the tile), its worth it.