# Aluminium Alloy In A Bar?



## mobrien (17/4/05)

Hi Guys,

So I have just ordered all the stuff for my kegging setup, so now its time to start sorting out the bar!

My plan is to use a bar fridge to hold two kegs (when I find the bar fridge that will suit this purpose!). I also need a font, and I want the font to be air cooled by the bar.

I am also a SCUBA diver, and one of my tanks just failed its test. My idea is to cut the bottom off the tank, which should leave me with a 150mm closed font  I polished up the side of it last night, and it comes to a nice shine, and all the tank markings around the top are kind of cool. I'll drill two holes halfway up the tank to mount the taps, and mount it on top of the fridge. Inside I'll insulate the tank, and the large hole in the top of the fridge should keep the beer lines cold all the way to the tap.

BUT...

The tank is an aluminium alloy tank. Does anyone think this would be a problem? 

I know Aluminium will corrode preferentially over steel (thats why aluminium is used as a sacrificial anode on an oil rig), so my concerns are basically:
1. There could be some corrosion of the tank where the taps are mounted through the tank. Unlikely but possible,
2. The aluminium may not retain a high polish, instead oxidising to Aluminium oxide - but this then protects the aluminium from further corrosion so that could be a good thing. This could be countered by sealing the visual surface with a clear sealant; or rigging up some way to annodise the aluminium
3. I've never seen aluminium in a bar.... is there a reason for this?

So - I'm after ideas - what do people think?!

Thanks!

Matt


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## dicko (17/4/05)

mobrien,

You could possibly get it polished and chromed - mmmm, shiny!!!!!

Cheers


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

So I figure no-one yelled "NO, don't do it because....." so that means give it a go!

Before getting too carried away I cut a hole in the bottom. For this, I drilled a hole all the way through, then used my jigsaw to cut it out. What a long and slow job! 3 blades, 1.5hours later....


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

The hole is 120mm across, so there is tonnes of room inside. I plan to use some 100mm poly pipe inside surrounded by foam to insulate it all, but we'll see how that goes when I get to it.

Next job was to file away the neck where the valve screws in, so I get a nice round top. There was a big lump on top for the valve, but a few hours with the file soon got rid of that. I then sanded it with course through to fine sandpaper, then a quick wetdry sand.

I was careful not to sand/buff off the tank markings - I like them - they are cool!


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

Now I have to find an engineering place that can weld aluminium - I want to get the valve hole filled. Then I will shape the top to a perfect round, and sand all of it back to bare metal and mirror polish it all. So this is where it stops for now until I can find the aluminium welding place.

I bought some snaplocks with extensions on them to go through the side of the tank, so it will have two taps - DA taps which I got off ebay a couple of weeks back.

I plan to insulate the entire inside of the font, and have it mounted on top of my fridge - this way it will be air cooled (I hope) and look shiny and font like. 

If it doesn't seem to be cool enough inside (due to heat rising inside it), I will use a coputer fan to blow col air from the bottom of the fridge to the top of the font, forcing the warmer air out. But that is a little down the track!

Stay tuned....

Matt


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

And here it is with the taps held in place!

M


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## jgriffin (23/4/05)

I reckon it will look good - but rather than having to fill the top, why not stick something beer related in there, like a font tap top.

Like this (not VB though!)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...6170966441&rd=1


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

oooh! I like that idea. I could put a bar name there....

something to think about there!

M


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## big d (23/4/05)

top idea mobrien.
ask any boatie that owns a tinnie and they will tell you to watch out for steel in the boat as it reacts with the aluminium.
never heard of aluminium sacrificial anodes.up here we use zinc anodes on everything that touches the sea.eg wharf,sea water pumping station.
maybe some fibre washers between the font and nut will do the trick if the main shaft doesnt touch the aluminium.

cheers
big d


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

righto - so steel on a boat: what corrodes? the steal or the aluminium boat?

And can it be stainless?

I'm thinking I can prevent any probs with thick plastic sleeving on the shaft and some kind of plastic washer

M


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

What about something like this on top:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...7316145095&rd=1

??

M


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## mobrien (23/4/05)

or this baby:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...ssPageName=WD2V

YOu've all got me thinking now!

Matt


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## big d (23/4/05)

or this


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## Wortgames (24/4/05)

mobrien - I'll give you a couple of quick tips regarding that expanding foam space filler:

1. It expands - a lot, very slowly. Makes a big mess.

2. It is sticky as hell and NOTHING cleans it off skin, so unless you want to have disgusting hands for a few days wear rubber gloves 

3. Don't try to clean or shape it while it is wet - you will make it worse.

These tips courtesy of last weekends chest freezer converting adventures...


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## mobrien (24/4/05)

Oh yeah - expanding polyurethane is messy messy stuff! And the way it makes your skin go black is just cool 

I've used it a fair bit in the past, so I'm well prepared there. A bit late for you wortgames, but a few pointers:

1. The chemical reaction that causes it to foam is one with water. If your items are dry, and its not a humid day, it will take forever to foam, and the resulting foam will be dense. Conversly, if its a humid day, you will get a faster, fluffier foam. A spray bottle of water is good to have on hand - I spray at least one surface with a mist of water, then the reaction is fairly quick. As an aside, if after 24 hours your foam is still tacky, you can just spray the entire object with water - this will finish of the reaction, set the foam, set the surface, and you can work with it in minutes then. It won't change the foaming as its already foamed! The cool thing about this is that it is waterproof glue too!

2. Getting off the foam is hard but not impossible. The sooner you try the better. but DON'T use water!!! As mentioned above it will just set it harder  Use a solvent such a metho or turps, then wash your hands with a degreasing soap such as solval (the yellow cake with sand like particles in it).

3. Polyurethane sticks well to everything! Mask off the areas around enterance holes for the foam can or along joins with masking tape and plastic wrap. Then after it sets you can just pull it all off and its clean  If you so spot rogue foam, remove it while it is wet, then spray with water - this will create the light fluffy foam which is tonnes easier to remove than the hard dense foam

Enough from me - I should get back to the font building!

Matt


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## Doc (24/4/05)

I can't offer any advice on metals etc, but I'm following this topic because from what I can see so far the project results will be awesome.
Just think of all the beers you will have to pour from it to fully test it :chug: 
Looking forward to more photos as the project progresses.

My one piece of advice would be to plan the tap placement/spacing so that you can add more later. I started with 2 taps, then three. Freezer upgrade and I'm at four currently but could easily go to five.

Doc


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## mobrien (24/4/05)

thanks for the advice Doc - I initially was planning two taps at right angles, but now am thinking two taps at 120 deg - that way I can fit another one in the middle. I'm actually even thinking about mounting the snaplock now, so down the track all I would have to do is screw the beer line in and snap on a tap 

I can't wait to keep on with this one - I think I have decided to just go with my original plan to fill the valve hole - it will be a little more timeless and be more likely to still be "cool" in 20 years! The old KISS principle....

If only aluminium welding places were open on a Sunday!!

Matt


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## Vlad the Pale Aler (24/4/05)

Last time I was in Ultimate Air in Perth, they had heaps of secondhand taptops, I picked up a Bass pale Ale for $8.


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## Doc (24/4/05)

mobrien said:


> I can't wait to keep on with this one - I think I have decided to just go with my original plan to fill the valve hole - it will be a little more timeless and be more likely to still be "cool" in 20 years! The old KISS principle....
> [post="56117"][/post]​


How about something simple on top ?
Get an 8 ball and epoxy it to a large bolt that screws in.

Beers,
Doc


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## mobrien (24/4/05)

My wife tells me I should get a scuba reg and screw it in - but have it connected to the beer......

And she says I'm crazy   !

M


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## mobrien (24/4/05)

Maybe I should mount a third tap there.... the "premium" beer

I'm confused. Just as well I'm going away for a week so I'll have time to think about it!

M


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## Wortgames (24/4/05)

mobrien said:


> Oh yeah - expanding polyurethane is messy messy stuff! And the way it makes your skin go black is just cool
> 
> I've used it a fair bit in the past, so I'm well prepared there. A bit late for you wortgames, but a few pointers:[post="56093"][/post]​



Where were you when I needed you  

I like the regulator idea - is there any way you could rig up a separate gas line to it so the scuba reg shows your keg pressure? That would be very cool...


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## mobrien (24/4/05)

Wortgames said:


> Where were you when I needed you
> 
> I like the regulator idea - is there any way you could rig up a separate gas line to it so the scuba reg shows your keg pressure? That would be very cool...
> [post="56127"][/post]​



He He - sorry - didn't know you needed some help! Next time!
I think her idea with the regs was you would get the beer through the 2nd stage mouthpiece!

I can't see anyway to actually make this work easily, or use the hole to mount a pressure gauge for the CO2 - it could be done, but not for my small bar.

Matt

P.S. Postmix using the 2nd stage purge button... he he - how cool would that be??


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## mobrien (7/5/05)

OK - I've been away for a week, but managed to hit the shed this morning and strip the tank back to bare metal and polish up one side. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

I've found a place that can fill the valve hole for me - now I just need to get out there during the week to get it done.

Matt


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## Doc (7/5/05)

Nice and shiney. That is going to come up looking brilliant.

Doc


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## deadly (8/5/05)

soo shiney
is shiney - is good!


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## mobrien (21/6/05)

Righto - after a bit of a break, this project is back on track. I dropped the SCUBA tank at the local aluminium fabricators today - he says its no prob to fill in the top, and is also drilling the holes for the four snaplock fittings - I don't have a 21mm drill bit on hand!

So give it a week, and I should have some shineyness to show!

Matt


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## KoNG (21/6/05)

Nice one Matt, i hadnt seen this thread previously.. but it all looks great.
having just read it from start to end it was funny that at first it was 2 taps... then the thought of just sorting a third now was a good idea... THEN your latest just has "the FOUR fittings".. so typical isnt it.!
keep us tuned in.


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## mobrien (21/6/05)

>> it was funny that at first it was 2 taps... then the thought
>> of just sorting a third now was a good idea... THEN your
>> latest just has "the FOUR fittings".. so typical isnt it.!

LOL - yes, thats the way it. 

Should I own up to already having bought the extra two taps, including a guniness tap.

Or that I spent ages laying out the taps so that down the track I could easily add another two and it all still look good 

I'll post photos when I get it back from the fanrication shop.

Now all I need is the freezer!

Matt


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## KoNG (22/6/05)

you may have to give that diving away so you can add another font.


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## mobrien (25/6/05)

he he - no way I'm giving up diving!

But... my last two taps arrived today (thanks ebay!) - so here are my four taps all in the new snaplock adapters...

Come on Tuesday - I want my font back 

Matt


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## mobrien (28/6/05)

Woo! Its here!

So I got the tank back, with the valve hole filled and the holes for the taps drilled. About 15 minutes with the file to round off the time, and 5 minutes with a rough polish - I had to see what it is going to look like!

And so, without further ado, here it is! Lots of polishing to go, and the fittings need to be put on tight rather than just finger tight, but you get the idea!

Matt


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## Doc (28/6/05)

Simply AWESOME.
What an item of absolute beauty.
Top job.

Beers,
Doc


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## warrenlw63 (28/6/05)

Top stuff.  

Paint your tap handles metallic, candy apple red and you've got yourself a pure work of art. :super: :super: 

Just watch your dog doesn't try and cock his leg on it though.  

Warren -


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## AndrewQLD (28/6/05)

Looks fantastic, brilliant idea. What did you have in mind for a drip tray? It would be good if you could make a semi circle one to go around the bottom of the tank.

Andrew


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## deadly (28/6/05)

impressive..most impressive


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## mobrien (28/6/05)

Thanks for the comments guys! I'm pretty pleased with it myself! Now if I could just find the right freezer to mount it on top of!

For the drip tray I plan to have a nice curved tray - will have to make is special for it, but thats all ok. Although, I just found this one on ebay which I am temped by....

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Matt


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## Scotty (28/6/05)

That looks great mobrien. Excellent Job


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## Hoops (28/6/05)

That's come up fantastic! top work. I was a bit sceptical that it may look a bit boring but your photos have put those concerns to rest.
I like the stamps on the tank too, adds character to it.
You've managed to combine what seems to be 2 of your passions into 1. Great stuff.

now......when's the brewday to show them off????

Hoops


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## GMK (28/6/05)

As a suggestion for a drip try - get 2 pizza trays.
Sit the tank so it touches one edge, draw around the tank and either:
- add say 15mm for the hieght of the lip sothat u can then bend it up , or
- cut the tray so that it fits and take/cut the surplus edge so taht u can get that welded on to the bottom.
Now u have teh base of the drip tray and it all fits beutiful.

with the second pizza tray - draw the size needed on it and either :
- add the height of the lip. Cut it out to this and drill 10mm holles.
Now bend the lip down so that it will stand up like an upside down U in the bottom of the tray all snug.
- or cut it to fit and weld the lip on so that it sits/acts as feet.

Whallah...a matching aluminim drip tray that fits exactly the Font.

I hope u can understand what i am aiming at and it helps.


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## Ross (28/6/05)

God i hate you artistic types - Looks bloody great!!! Well done


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## Phrak (2/6/06)

Thanks Mandrakar for finding this topic.

Matt, how did the finished product turn out, and have you got any tips you'd pass on to others considering building their own fonts?

Tim.
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showtopic=10372


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## mobrien (3/6/06)

Hi Tim,

There has been no progress for a while - the font is still where the last photos show it - I moved house when I was halfway through the project, and then of course life got crazy! That said, in two weeks time I have three weeks holiday, and its on the list of things to do in that time - as well as panelling the freezer I have to get it all looking good!

I am planning on insulating the font and air cooling the beer lines - I'll post more on the thread when I get back to it!

M


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## browndog (3/6/06)

Well Mobrien, you better be inviting a few of the local AHB Brewers around to give you a hand and give advise to any of the novice boys who come by.

cheers

Browndog


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## Finite (4/6/06)

In the words of Paris Hilton.............


thats hot


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## mobrien (8/10/06)

Things have been quiet on the bar building font, as I was stuck on the drip tray. But found the perfect item, 1m x 0.45m on ebay!





So I got all excited, whilst I am waiting for it to get here, so I finished the outside of the font. Sanded for about 3 hours, finishing off with 800 wet and dry, then 1200 steel wool, and then "Silvo" polish.




I also have the freezer now, and its all wired and ready to go.




Finally, the couple of trees I slabbed a year ago are just about dry, so I think everything is falling into place. Time to get this baby working!

I was just speaking to my wife about it, and she has decided that once it is done it will go in the house, not under the house - so its just getting better and better.

Now I just have to sort out the inside of the font (insulation; computer fan air circulation) and build the bar. Might even have it done for christmas 

M


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## Ross (8/10/06)

Nice work mate :super: ...

I'm looking forward to catching up for a few in the near future :beer: 


cheers Ross...


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## Doc (8/10/06)

Looking great.
Have you thought about getting it chromed to really make it shine ?
As for insulation, how about just getting some insulation trunking to go around the beer lines in the font ?

Doc


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## mobrien (8/10/06)

I did think about chroming it, but it was going to be very costly! And until my wife gets a job again instead of studying, its not going to happen 

The plan is to insulate the inside of the font, then have a poly pipe going around the lines. At the freezer end of the poly pipe, a computer fan attached, so 2 deg air is blown over the lines to the top, the warm(er) air coming back down the outside. In theory, this should mean cold beer to the tap, so minimal waste - and it seems easier than trying to work out a way to flood the font (which would be really cool, but I can't get my head around it).

M


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## mobrien (14/10/06)

Got the drip tray today so had to sit it all together! Very happy here!

M


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## Jye (14/10/06)

Its looking pretty big and full on... I love it :beerbang:


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## browndog (14/10/06)

When are we up for the christening Mobrien, I'm just up the road Mate  

cheers

Browndog


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## mobrien (15/10/06)

Yeah, will be letting you know - the plan is a brew day at my place to christen it.... whenever that may be 

M


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## *hop*cone* (15/10/06)

How are you attaching the font to the tray and bar? Have you thought about getting the font proffessionally polished and then sprayed with a hardened clear acrylic. Or even anodised in a silver if that is posible.


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Yesterday was the day. Time to finish this sucker!

First step was to make some special bolts. I got cup head bolts, filed (OK, used an angle grinder!) off one side and put a bend in the middle. The flat side was so the bolt could slide down the inside of the SCUBA cylinder, and then not rotate as I tightened it. The bend was to get the bolt straight, as I had to drill the holes on an angle.




Then I drilled four holes in the base of the cylinder - this took ages as the cyclinder is about 25mm thick in the base, and I started small and worked my way up to the right size with plenty of cutting oil.

At Bunnings I found a gasket for between the font and the drip tray in the form of a sewer line o ring! *exactly* the right size!


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

NExt step was plumbing the font. First I hooked up the bev line into the back of my snaplock tap adapters and stems. This involves putting a tiny metal piece into the tube (no idea what it is called!) which I do by heating up the bevva line with boiling water. A nut then slides over the top and tightens into the back of the stem, creating a seal using the now splade bevva line as the o ring. pretty neat.




Then it was "just" a matter of screwing the nut on the back of the stem - the nut is way inside the font, so I felt like a vet checking a cow for pregnancy...

Before I tightened the nuts, I put the taps on, to make sure they were going to be straight!


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Time to cut up the freezer. Holes drilled for the font and also the drain from the drip tray... The stainless skin destroyed my hole cutting bit... but I made it through.

_Notice the nice white top of the freezer? more on that later.....  _ 




The drip tray sat nicely on top, and then I drilled the holes for the bolts. I used the gasket to mark the holes so they would be exact, and was careful to orient the taps to the front!


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Next I got a little tricky - I needed something inside the freezer to hold the bolts, and not collapse the lid of the freezer as I tightened the bolts. Wood could split, and MDF or the like would get rotten over time. So sitting at the table in the morning, I'm looking around the kitchen - "What I need is a nice piece of plastic, just like that chopping board"




Blue chopping board? We never had a blue chopping board!  

Now was time to finish plumbing the font. John guest fitting for the other end of the bevva line, to go into the restrictors. Another hard job, but soaking in hot water helps!




And then the restrictors and keg out attachments - all with hose clamps of course!


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

On the home straight now - a tube for the drain with a u-beaut hose clamp with a had twist side, rather than a screw!




And "Yeah baby", we're done!




We have an old Queeslander, and under the house is an old stables with feed door. My wife and I were trying to work out where to put the bar, and I'm looking at the old stables.... The feed doors were bolted shut, and had been painted many times in place - but a few minutes work and I had it open and working! The freezer and bar goes just behind there - now just need to tidy up behind the bar!


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Now you would think the story ends there - save for maybe a photo of the bar with a beer - which of course will happen later today when it is all cooled down. But there is more in this twisted tail of woe!

In the last photo, the observant of you will notice that the top of the freezer is now woodgrain - not white.

Now I could say that I was very clever and blended it in - but that would be a lie. It is actually a different freezer than the rest of the photos.

"huh?" I hear you say. 

Let me explain. The freezer was all done. It was beautiful. I was feeling not unlike Tom Hanks when he made fire in that crappy commercial of a movie for fedex. I was man. I had made a bar.

But I *had* to put the final touch, and make it neat. I mean, it goes without saying. 

So it was time to mount the gas manifold. So I screwed it to the side of the freezer. Two screws through the lip, and then had to do the two into the side of the freezer.

Now what is the chances of hitting anything? bugger all - and my logic was if a screw hit the fridge line, its so small it would just skim off the side. I mean, it just not possible.

Anyone see where this is going?

So I screwed the self tapper in, and then...


FFFFFFFFFFSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

I didn't say a word.


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Now this is where an understanding wife is priceless. She just says "OK, where do we get another freezer"! 

So onto ebay, trading post and courier mail - and sure enough, a nice freezer in the courier mail for $140. Three hours driving later, another hour redoing the holes, and we're finished. Again.

And the hole? Well I did a bit of an autopsy, and opened up around the hole carefully using a drill bit going at 1000 km/hr and basically butchered around it... I hit the gas line dead center - 1mm above or below and I would have been fine.

In this photo, the total hole is about 5mm across - its not as big as it looks!


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

So thats it - more photos later as I get liquid actually coming out of this baby!

M


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## Jye (1/1/07)

Looks fantastic, what a great way to bring in the new year with the birth of a new bar :beerbang: 

Bugger about the first freezer :angry: how did you attach the manifold to the second freezer? ... double sided tape


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## FNQ Bunyip (1/1/07)

Well done , Another great home made bar.. 

What the hell did we all do befor brewing and building brew gear...

:beer:

Enjoy a few from it you deserve them..


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## fixa (1/1/07)

Nice work mate!!! looks fantastic. i can almost taste the beer coming from it...


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## browndog (1/1/07)

Excellent work Mo, I can feel a christening coming on!

cheers

Browndog


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## Adamt (1/1/07)

Sorry to hear for your loss. But don't throw that dead freezer shell away, you just got yourself a fermenting insulator!


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## dicko (1/1/07)

Jye said:


> Bugger about the first freezer :angry: how did you attach the manifold to the second freezer? ... double sided tape



Hi mobrien,

Very well done and a top post loaded with good info.
I am about to do a similar thing to a freezer. 
It will be going into our new house and I have conviced my wife to allow me to buy a new freezer.  
Which raises the question;
How do you attach the gas manifold inside the freezer without causing any damage??
BTW, I will not be having a collar of wood as I am fitting an Andale 3 tap font to the top.

Cheers


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Ahhh - beers at lunch!

Still got to get the restricters dialled in 100% (a little too much head still), but I better not do any more now.... 4 beers on tap, all trying to get dialled in... and I can't seem to not pour full glassess.... nor throw away good beer...


left to right:

Wit beir
Aussie Ale
Munich Lager
Amber ale (very dark and malted!)


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

dicko said:


> Hi mobrien,
> 
> Very well done and a top post loaded with good info.
> I am about to do a similar thing to a freezer.
> ...



Excellent! Go luck with the project.

to answer your question - at the moment the manifold is just sitting loose (!!) - but the plan is to get a piece of plastic and glue it to the side - then I can screw to the side without having to search the trading post afterwards!

M


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## dicko (1/1/07)

mobrien said:


> Excellent! Go luck with the project.
> 
> to answer your question - at the moment the manifold is just sitting loose (!!) - but the plan is to get a piece of plastic and glue it to the side - then I can screw to the side without having to search the trading post afterwards!
> 
> M


   
Good idea, maybe a piece of that blue cutting board that you used under the font.
I had thoughts of making a frame that fitted down one internal end of the freezer and attach everything to that.
I know one thing tho, if I stuff the new freezer my life wont be worth living h34r: 
Cheers


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## FNQ Bunyip (1/1/07)

What about just useing silicon or sikaflex to glue it .

you can slip a bit of wire trace behind it and cut it off if ever needs be. like a cheese slicer.. Ive mounted all sorts of things with it.

:beer:


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## dicko (1/1/07)

FNQ Bunyip said:


> What about just useing silicon or sikaflex to glue it .
> 
> you can slip a bit of wire trace behind it and cut it off if ever needs be. like a cheese slicer.. Ive mounted all sorts of things with it.
> 
> :beer:



Ah! FNQ B,

Sikaflex, thats the way to go.
They use that stuff when they assemble coach (bus) bodies to stick the side panels onto the frame.
I used it on a fishing boat a few years ago and "it sticks like you know what to a blanket"
Cheers mate. :beer:


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## tangent (1/1/07)

man that drip tray is awesome. completes the set-up perfectly almost. you need a semi round one. how much do you want for that one?


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Been at a bit more - no manifold mounting or anything like that - but I did finish up the font cooling system!

I bought a 12v car fan (one that plugs into the cigarette lighter) from supercheap at the sale on the 30th - I just cut up my old scanners power supply (12v) and wired it all up - works a treat. So now sitting under the font, the fan blows cold air up its clacker! All wired to the controller, so turns on when the freezer is on and off when its not.




I'll have to get some sickaflex to do the manifold mounting too 

And Tangent - I'd love to get a semi round one, and help you out with a drip tray - but you know... the bolts and the 2nd freezer - don't thinks its going to move from this one :beerbang:


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## Wortgames (1/1/07)

dicko said:


> How do you attach the gas manifold inside the freezer without causing any damage??
> BTW, I will not be having a collar of wood as I am fitting an Andale 3 tap font to the top.



Hi Dicko,

I wondered that myself but I actually just have my manifold sitting in there loose on top of the kegs. It makes life much easier to remove all the gas lines when rearranging kegs anyway. I have modified my manifold to have a QD post as the input, when I take the thing travelling I have a sodastream bottle in there, but at home I just have a long line from the big bottle coming in under the lid and plugging into the manifold. This also has the advantage of giving me a nice long gas line with a QD on it, which I can use around the place without having to move the gas bottle :super: 

I have fitted taps through the front of a chest freezer though, and if you're keen to drill holes then I reckon there is only one way to do it. You need to remove the plastic trim at the top of the walls, and dig out the foam insulation with a screwdriver and vacuum cleaner until you can see where all the lines are. Then you can measure and mark your holes between them.

For the taps, I used some short lengths of PVC pipe to hold the two skins apart and create a tube for the tap shanks to screw up tight against, then filled the void with that expanda-foam stuff and replaced the trim.


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## Linz (1/1/07)

mobrien said:


> Excellent! Go luck with the project.
> 
> to answer your question - at the moment the manifold is just sitting loose (!!) - but the plan is to get a piece of plastic and glue it to the side - then I can screw to the side without having to search the trading post afterwards!
> 
> M




Screw it to the under side of the freezer lid........


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## mobrien (1/1/07)

Linz said:


> Screw it to the under side of the freezer lid........



Me likes!

M


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## dicko (1/1/07)

Hi Wortgames,

I have considered that as well, but I currently use a fridge with a "T" piece for two kegs and I find it is a PITA mainly because the lines are stiff and seem to have a "mind of their own" and organise themselves int the most difficult position to gain access to the ball valves when I need to turn one or the other off.
I have done a lot of "grovelling" (sp)  to get this set up and I can't be seen to be complaining (as observed by my wife)  about access etc.

Howdy Linz,

That is also a good thought.
The freezer should be here in a fortnight so I will pursue all options.

Cheers guys and thanks for your help :beer:


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## Linz (1/1/07)

I also drilled thru the back edge of the lid, so that the cooling lines are no probs either...


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## dicko (1/1/07)

Linz said:


> I also drilled thru the back edge of the lid, so that the cooling lines are no probs either...
> View attachment 10729



Hi Linz,

Thanks for the pic.
Just thinking aloud, but, if I kept the manifold close to the entrance point of the "gas in" line,(close to the lid hinge and mounted on the lid) then it should all stay reasonably neat, given that those hoses are as stiff as a honeymooners "thingo".  :lol:
I hope to be posting pics of my project as it goes along.

Cheers


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## fixa (27/3/07)

Guys;
Sorry to drag up an old topic...

I'm chasing the font snaplocks like these in post #56 




Anyone know where i can source these? Without outrageous prices? :blink: 

Cheers


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## GMK (27/3/07)

Yep - i sell them for 55.00 ea will deal on bulk purchase.


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## mobrien (2/10/07)

Hi guys,

Just been down finishing this project off - got some of of the cool decal holders from Ross ages ago, and finally got it all sorted.

Because I am a lazy bum, I cut some white perspex to fill the center of the decal holder - that way I can use it as white board and just write the brew on their in whiteboard pen!

Anyway - this is how it turned out (ignore the crap in the shed behind the bar!!)

M


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## bindi (2/10/07)

What a classic and it's unique  Bloody well done.


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## danman (2/10/07)

that does look like a fantastic font,originality has been at the forefront of your artwork mate, massive congrats on the finished product.
cheers,dan


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## tangent (2/10/07)

you've set the standard for the next flooded font project, and i like the texta flags


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## sathid (17/12/07)

Nice work mate!

Sorry to bring up an old post, but where did you get those snaplocks?

Cheers,

Troy


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## paulwin (17/12/07)

sathid they are called panel adapters , beertech in perth have them for $50 dollars 
cheers paul


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## sathid (17/12/07)

Thanks mate.


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## sathid (18/12/07)

Just had a look. Beertech seem very pricey on all of their products, and those shanks look to be chromed, rather than stainless (also have a narrower diameter shaft than the ones in this thread). Does anyone else have them?

Want it to suit a ventmatic


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## Thunderlips (18/12/07)

sathid said:


> Want it to suit a ventmatic


Try Craftbrewer.
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=866

They have the snaplocks for fonts too.
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=827


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## sathid (18/12/07)

Are they the same fitting?

Really would like something shorter than 4 inches long. Wont fit in the font I have planned.


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## paulwin (18/12/07)

sathid said:


> Are they the same fitting?
> 
> Really would like something shorter than 4 inches long. Wont fit in the font I have planned.



what have you got planned , we may be able to help a bit more
cheers paul


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## sathid (19/12/07)

A home made font


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## Thunderlips (19/12/07)

sathid said:


> A home made font


Oh, well those shanks are for going through fridge doors.
That's what I thought you meant by "shank".
If your making a font like mobrien you wont be needing any of those.
It's hard to tell and I'm no font expert but it looks like he's just got snaplocks screwed into that thing.


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## mobrien (19/12/07)

Hi Guys,

Its funny to see this thread revived!

What info are you after on my font? The tap conectors are snaplocks, and through the SCUBA tank it was a threaded adapter - there are some photos on post 56 of this thread that explain it. The snaplocks are screwed to the adapters in the photo, and the beer lines to the back with the olive (inside the line) and the compression fitting. If that all doens't make sense, I have a spare in the shed I can take photos of.

I got all my stuff second hand from Andale in Brisbane - I told the guy what I wanted, what I was doing, and he rang me when the right stuff came in. Was about $100-$150 all up, but thats a very foggy memory!

Any other questions just ask!

M


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## sathid (21/12/07)

Thanks for the reply. I've tracked down the fitting I wanted at Beertech (it's not on their website). Thanks for the heads up Paulbb.

I'm just about to order my tap and adapter from Craftbrewer, and was wondering what the correct fitting between the panel adapter snaplock, and a ventmatic tap would be?

is it this: Adapter shank and coupling nut?


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