Vintage cabinet kegerator build

[Mountainsax]

Thanks guys! I'm going to get a dedicated keg and lines for the pop. I have a dual gauge regulator so it won't be a problem to carb the pop and beer at different pressures!

 

[Mountainsax]

Decided to go a little different direction on the tower. We're going to do an asymmetrical "L" tower out of 4" stainless pipe. Something like this.
https://www.perlick.com/bar-beverag...g/glycol-cooled-dispensing-towers/brew-pipe/#

Here is a mockup I did the other day with some pipe I had laying around.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421615273.083016.jpg

 

[hendo80]

I like the design, but cooling the tower takes a little more thought. Were you thinking forced air? What about taking the L all the way across for a U? Either way, it's definitely a beer bar!

 

[hendo80]

Ahh, just clicked the link. Very cool. Yes, my thought is if you did the U, it would be easier/possible to do air with a couple of small fans, unless you are going glycol.

By the way, impressive welding skills!

 

[Mountainsax]

Ahh, just clicked the link. Very cool. Yes, my thought is if you did the U, it would be easier/possible to do air with a couple of small fans, unless you are going glycol.

By the way, impressive welding skills!

Decided to do two legs on the tower instead of the asymmetrical design. Easier to attach and I can run lines up both sides so it should allow for a little more insulation. I plan to air cool the tower using something similar to this. The only challenge to this design is accessing the taps to clean and install/remove them. I am thinking I'll cut an access hole in the back of the pipe and build a cover that I can just screw on or put on some kind of latch. Still formulating...

By the way, impressive welding skills!

JB Weld baby!!!

 

[ImperialStaudt]

This should be a helpful post. I saved it for myself if I ever thought of doing a black iron two legged tower.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f252/keezer-soze-yet-another-keezer-build-164158/#post1897704

 

[Mountainsax]

That's exactly what I have in my head! Thanks form the link!

Just picked up the pipe for the tower. It is 4" schedule 40 and heavy! This sucker is going to weigh 50 lbs when all is said and done!

 

[Mountainsax]

Tower pieces! Just need to find time to weld them together, cut an access plate for the back, drill holes, install flanges...
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422595678.421786.jpg

Here are a pair of '51 Mercury hood ornaments that are going to be the handles for the fridge doors.
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Started sanding the old paint.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422595810.778129.jpg

 

[hendo80]

love the hood ornaments...a beer shrine in the making! That full-on U is going to be awesome. I couldn't access the link to your cooling solution, but anything with a fan and a hose to direct the air up the tower and get it circulating should work. I'd probably build something like this but use Styrofoam instead of the project box....http://www.draft-beer-made-easy.com/towercooling.html

Be sure to insulate the inside of the tower to help prevent condensation, make it more efficient, etc...maybe using rolled foam seal, or something you can fashion into a cylinder and slide into the tubes?

wish I could do something for my kegerator and tower, but I don't really want to hack into mine (built-in with counter top tower), so I'm stuck with passive cooling where I've doubled up the insulation on my lines. It's ok, but it could definitely be colder.

 

[Mountainsax]

Thanks hendo! The cooling system is a 4"PC fan in a box with 1" line going into the tower. I'm planning to insulate with 1" foam of some sort. That should give me 2" to run all the lines. The plan is to put the foam into the pipe pieces before I weld them together so I can cut the foam into the exact shape of the pipes.

It is sanded and ready to paint!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422802076.284378.jpg

 

[Mountainsax]

I had some time today so I sanded the weld splatters off the tower, measured for the tap holes, and built the cooler fan box. It's not very fancy but I think it should work! There is a 2" hole in the back that will line up with the hole coming down from the tower. Haven't decided yet if I'll have it blow cold air into the tower or pull the warm out and draw cold in from the other leg...
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1423886528.691456.jpg

 

[CaraTX]

Thanks for posting this thread. I'm working on turning a 1964 Television into a kegerator and your post has answered lots of questions for me.

 

[Mountainsax]

Cool idea CaraTX! Have you started a thread or do you have any pics?

 

[Mountainsax]

Got the tower drilled and access panel in the back cut out. 1/4" steel takes a bit to get through!

There are a couple options that we are going to explore tomorrow to build the cover for the back access. The first is to weld a couple hinges on the piece that was cut out and figure out some gasket to fill in the spaces made by the grinder. The second is to use some 20 gauge steel sheet and build a lighter panel to cover the hole, holding it on with magnet around the rim.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1424059690.707503.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1424059710.623661.jpg

 

[Mountainsax]

The tower is powder coated! There are a few little imperfections, but after a couple beers you will never notice!

 

[beernbourbon]

wow....looks awesome!

 

[Mountainsax]

Tower is insulated...

 

[Mountainsax]

I have officially desecrated the fridge! It will now and forever, only be a kegerator!!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426305280.982349.jpg

 

[FrozenOcean]

wow, this looks super cool.

 

[hendo80]

I'm very impressed with the tower. It looks awesome!

 

[Mountainsax]

Thanks! We definitely had some talented help!
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426560790.723067.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426560804.772719.jpg
I foamed in a couple pieces of 2" PVC through the top of the fridge to just give a smoother tube to run the lines through.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426560834.940343.jpg
It's hard to see, but I have the shank elbows in line with the pipe since there wasn't much room after the insulation was put in. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426561157.927318.jpg

 

[Mountainsax]

Update: 5 taps installed, including one stout tap with nitro setup! I ordered some custom made magnetic door seals and replaced the latching handles with a couple '51 Mercury hood ornaments. Working great! I had to replace one of the fridges because it died. Took about 3 hours total to dismantle the new mini fridge, pull the old one out and install the new one. Had to do a little modification since the new fridge wasn't exactly the same dimensions and configuration as the old one.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1504815345.143943.jpg

 

[Mountainsax]

Double post deleted