Non-stock keezer lid for Frigidaire 7.2

[245trioxin]

I am planning my keezer build now. Lowes will be delivering a black Frigidaire 7.2 cf freezer in a week or two, and I am debating my collar setup. I am trying to follow Quaffer's excellent build here (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/converting-frigidaire-7-2-cu-ft-chest-freezer-162225/) with a few changes. I want to be able to completely take the freezer back to stock if I need to, so my thought is to have the collar lift up. Is there any reason that I couldn't build a new lid to permanently attach to the collar instead of using the original freezer lid? I don't know how much clearance I will have with ball locks sitting on the hump with the 2x8 collar, but my thought would be to have the lid flush with the top of the collar if possible. I imagine the lid would not need to be thick if it is well insulated with foam board, which should also help keep the weight down. I tried searching the forums for other ideas, but I have found much (I'm browsing on a mobile device). Anyone have suggestions or stories?

 

[bucfanmike]

thats how i did mine. I built an 8" collar and used a red oak plywood for a top. I caulked everything inside and then used insulation board.

 

[Chrisl77]

I made my collar with 2 layers of 1 inch boards. I used 1x8 boards to make a box that was flush with the outside of the
freezer. Then i attached a second layer on the outside of that box with 1x10s with mitered corners, with the tops of both boards flush so there was a 2 inch overhang on the bottom. I only put a 12 inch piece of the 1x10 on the back to keep the collar from getting pulled off because my keezer is in a closet. I attached the freezer lid to the top of the collar by the hinges and it seals to the top of the freezer with some 3/4 inch foam rubber insulation that is attached to the bottom of the 1x8 boards. If you wanted to dress the bottom of the 2x10's up you could get some quarter round molding for it.

 

[245trioxin]

thats how i did mine. I built an 8" collar and used a red oak plywood for a top. I caulked everything inside and then used insulation board.

Is the red oak plywood on top of the collar or flush with the top? How much clearance do you have with the kegs on the hump?

 

[bucfanmike]

Is the red oak plywood on top of the collar or flush with the top? How much clearance do you have with the kegs on the hump?

well my freezer is a different one than yours, not sure if the hump is the same. I settled on collar height by measuring with a corny sitting on the hump.

For the top I built it flush with the collar then used crown molding flush with the top to finish it.

 

[245trioxin]

For the top I built it flush with the collar then used crown molding flush with the top to finish it.

Sounds nice. Do you have any inspiring pictures? I guess I'll have to wait until my kegs ship and my freezer arrives before finalizing.