So, I bought an STC-1000, mini-fridge and a stack of rigid insulation panels months ago to build this. Then they sat. And sat. I was mentally trying to figure out best to build the box and never came up with any good ideas. Then we started a bathroom remodel and as I was moving one of the old 30" base cabinets it hit me that I had what I needed! So I built a platform to raise the mini-fridge to the correct height and cut an opening in the side of the cabinet that was an inch smaller. I put weather stripping around the opening and then mounted the fridge to the cabinet.
I cut a fir strip and mounted it on the inside and then used that to screw the doors shut.
Next I cut double layers of insulation to line the inside of the cabinet (our Lowes only had 1" panels) and filled edges and gaps with expanding foam.
Next I put plexiglass around the inside to avoid exposed insulation and placed a piece of plywood in the bottom to handle the weight of the fermenters.
Hardest part was building the lid. Cut the panels to fit (with lots of shaving to get them tight. Then I cut 3/4" plywood (to have enough weight to hold it down) and glue it up (with some 1" trim cut to size.)
I lined the edges of the lid with weatherstrip and it fit nice and tight. Final steps were to drill holes to let the temperature probe and power lines for the A/C fan to circulate cold air as well as the reptile heating pad for heat.
Finally I wired up the controller to a "hot" and "cold" outlet. I fired it up with a Brett saison I wanted to warm up again and it went from 70 degrees to 80 in about 40 minutes and has been holding steady over the past day. Glad to finally have temperature control on my fermentation!
I cut a fir strip and mounted it on the inside and then used that to screw the doors shut.
Next I cut double layers of insulation to line the inside of the cabinet (our Lowes only had 1" panels) and filled edges and gaps with expanding foam.
Next I put plexiglass around the inside to avoid exposed insulation and placed a piece of plywood in the bottom to handle the weight of the fermenters.
Hardest part was building the lid. Cut the panels to fit (with lots of shaving to get them tight. Then I cut 3/4" plywood (to have enough weight to hold it down) and glue it up (with some 1" trim cut to size.)
I lined the edges of the lid with weatherstrip and it fit nice and tight. Final steps were to drill holes to let the temperature probe and power lines for the A/C fan to circulate cold air as well as the reptile heating pad for heat.
Finally I wired up the controller to a "hot" and "cold" outlet. I fired it up with a Brett saison I wanted to warm up again and it went from 70 degrees to 80 in about 40 minutes and has been holding steady over the past day. Glad to finally have temperature control on my fermentation!
