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So, at the present moment, I have a nice freezer that holds four kegs (three are currently in place). I own one Perlick faucet/shank combo, though it is not yet deployed - I'm living off of a picnic tap for the time being.
I mean, sure, it's awesome to open a freezer and have cold, carbed beer waiting for me. But there is so much more I could be doing with this, no?
The big four-oh is less than a month away for me; I'm thinking that I may be asking for some Lowe's gift cards and such, so that I can source the materials to put together a nice keezer build.
I was thinking about doing a simple collar, setting my taps in that collar, and calling it a day. But I've started looking at all of the amazing build people do, and I'm getting a little creative itch.
I'm not looking to spend hundreds on wood or trim, but I think that I would like to end up with something that's more attractive than a freezer.
Would anyone like to point me to some interesting - but maybe not just ridiculous - builds? I should do some research, yes?
Posted 34 days ago.
The big thing i still want to do with mine is paint it. Im just not sure how i can get the old paint off and ensure the new stuff will work correctly, preferably without taking it outside (because its in the basement, and screw moving it)
Its a simple upgrade, but when it comes to making it look spiffy, (depending on the freezer you start with) its an important one, imo.
Its a simple upgrade, but when it comes to making it look spiffy, (depending on the freezer you start with) its an important one, imo.
Oh yeah, and i want to get that stupid handle off the lid. It bugs me :(
Tap handles are kinda my next project. I have one done (drilled a baseball, works pretty nicely), and another half done (the upside down yeast vials filled with grain. Have it done other than getting the rest of the damn glue off the tube. Shits impossible to get rid of).
Oh yeah. Still need to get my 5th tap in, thats why it looks off center. Also need to get my drip tray back trimmed down to about half the height it is now.
Posted 34 days ago.
See, this was originally the exact sort of thing I was considering doing. But now that I'm seeing people do plywood boxes around their freezers and similar stuff... man, it looks like a piece of furniture, and my interest has been piqued.
Posted 34 days ago.
Those are usually called coffin keezers, Olan, and it definitely suits your complicated is better style.
They are beautiful, but the money and work aren't for me.
Posted 34 days ago.
I saw a keezer build once that had a quick disconnect for a CO2 utility line on the collar. If I ever built a keezer, I would figure out how to add that and do it.
Posted 34 days ago.
Kent disconnect with the shutoff valve.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kent+disconnect
I was blown away by their products at NHC.http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kent+disconnect
Posted 34 days ago.
http://m.imgur.com/x5ele3Y
Here's mine Olan (with bonus conical). I still need to put trim on the bottom. Coffin keezers seem like entirely too much work to me. Some chalkboard paint and stain is decently easy to do. The drip tray is completely magnetic. So you can pull it off for easy cleaning. I did a red oak exterior. It's a 1x12 so it was pricey. If you're not using the hump you could probably use a 1�6 or 1x8 to save on wood cost.
Posted 34 days ago.
I wish i could remember what i bought for my collar. i think its just 2x10 pine (maybe 2x8?), but i dont remember for sure. I dont think its hardwood, it sanded pretty easily iirc, and seems kinda...porous, for lack of a better word.
I also picked through the pile at menards for quite a while to find a piece that had a nice section to use for the front of the keezer. I was able to use a compound sliding miter saw at the shop for the company my brother works at to do nice cuts and all, so using 2x10's or whatever wasnt an issue for me. Its not absolutely perfect (slight gap in one of the corners i think, but its only noticeable if youre looking for it).
Overall i did mine for pretty cheap, and i think it turned out nicely. if i had started with a freezer that wasnt 20 years old it would have helped.
Posted 34 days ago.
Yeah, I have a few utility lines I've made with the Kent Disconnects, they're pretty awesome. I have about a foot of gas line with a female connection coming off the regulator and males lines attached to all kinds of different connectors.
They're a bit cheaper at MoreBeer!:
Posted 34 days ago.
That looks nice, Flapjack! Hah, I recognize that conical...
Paint and a collar does the job. I just like how the coffin builds make it look like furniture. Hmmm.
So, riddle me this: is there a reason to keep the CO2 tank inside the freezer?
Paint and a collar does the job. I just like how the coffin builds make it look like furniture. Hmmm.
So, riddle me this: is there a reason to keep the CO2 tank inside the freezer?
Posted 34 days ago.
I think when i asked that they said no?
Biggest reason i do is because it'd be an eyesore outside of the keezer. I guess you could build another shelf/cupboard thing off to the side of the keezer for it, but eh. My keezer is pretty big, i can afford the room inside.
Biggest reason i do is because it'd be an eyesore outside of the keezer. I guess you could build another shelf/cupboard thing off to the side of the keezer for it, but eh. My keezer is pretty big, i can afford the room inside.
Posted 34 days ago.
> is there a reason to keep the CO2 tank inside the freezer?
Not really. Boils down to preference and whether you need that space for another keg and whether you want to have holes in the collar for tubing and how to deal with that, etc.Posted 34 days ago.
That's what I was thinking.
I guess I'm just looking to maximize what I have. My freezer will take four kegs on the floor, and at least one more (I'm not sure if two would fit) on the hump.
I guess I'm just looking to maximize what I have. My freezer will take four kegs on the floor, and at least one more (I'm not sure if two would fit) on the hump.
Now, to be honest, four is probably plenty. But if I did do a coffin build, I could hide the CO2 inside the cabinet, no? Doing so would allow me to go to five, maybe six taps. Which seems like that would be worth doing, if I was to go the coffin route.
Posted 34 days ago.
When building your coffin, just make sure it will fit through a door. My buddy and I did some math/design on his freezer and we couldn't really figure out how to build it so that it would actually be movable to a different house. I don't think he ever built it, but we ended up with some screwed together hack job that he would have to take apart to get through a door, but at least it wouldn't be destroyed.
Posted 34 days ago.
Good point!
Mine's in my basement, with garage door access. It would likely go to a similar spot when we move.
Posted 34 days ago.
