# Drewgongs Kegerator



## Drewgong (25/3/18)

Gday fellas hopefully this will be a pretty quick and basic build. Starting off with my gumtree bargain $80 fridge ....yes fridge not freezer. I see most builds start out building a platform with casters on it but seeing as though this one has a fairly strong looking steel base with casters fitted already I decided to take a shortcut and just build onto the fridge itself



So off to bunnings I go and get myself as sheet of 4mm marine ply afew trim pieces of Tasmanian Oak and a few tubes of construction adhesive. Ideally to glue the ply on perfectly you would roll the fridge onto it's back but this is usually a killer for second hand fridges.





This was so much harder than it looks lol but got there in the end . I'll be spray painting that vent black and using a fairly dark stain on the timber so it blends in . I am still undecided on what I'm going to do for the top I've bought a 4 tap flooded font that will be just fed with water from a pond pump inside the fridge 



I'll be ordering 4 stainless flow control intertaps tomorrow with snaplock fittings.
Well I gotta wait 24hrs for glue to cure but then I'll be back at work so hopefully later on in the week I'll start cutting and gluing the trim on.


----------



## Maheel (25/3/18)

will the ply retain all the heat from the evap coils somtimes built into the freezer ?

or is the evap coil on the back or in with the motor on that one ?


----------



## Drewgong (25/3/18)

I've been using it to store my kegs that won't fit in my current kegerator for about 6 months now and it's always been cool to touch and keeps my beer ice cold ....its actually a fridge not a freezer not sure if that makes a difference I'm no refrigeration mechanic


----------



## Maheel (26/3/18)

should be all good then, keep the pics coming

i have to do my keezer, it's ugly rusty whiteness needs sorting...


----------



## Drewgong (26/3/18)

Glue is set and seems to have bonded perfectly. Not sure when I'll get time for the trim


----------



## Drewgong (28/3/18)

got the trim on this afternoon not sure if I should stain it or go clear ...and that strip in the centre looks to narrow


----------



## brewgasm (29/3/18)

Looking great, what stain are you thinking of using?


----------



## Drewgong (29/3/18)

No idea mate just gunna head off to bunnings and have a look


----------



## markp (29/3/18)

Drewgong said:


> No idea mate just gunna head off to bunnings and have a look



Plywood looks great with just clear on it, try it on an off cut.


----------



## Drewgong (29/3/18)

too late I stuffed I bought a stain/lacquer called teak and its completely ruined it . I have to work all weekend so I'll try and sand it all back next week


----------



## Mr B (29/3/18)

Post pics if you want opinions, surely a teak stain hasn’t ruined it....

Looked great raw


----------



## Drewgong (29/3/18)

was embarrassed to put up a pic the finish came out heaps patchy as well as too dark


----------



## brewgasm (30/3/18)

Patchy is a good look and I always shoot for patchy when I stain. I never use a two in one tho. I like to hit the timber with a blow torch before I stain. Get some closeups for us but from that pic it looks great


----------



## brewgasm (30/3/18)

You could try a gloss finish on that too


----------



## Mr B (30/3/18)

Depending on whether you rally hate it and what you are aiming for, a light sand to bring some of the underlying colour through and a clear top coat could work?


----------



## Drewgong (30/3/18)

I hope so the plan is to send the [email protected]#t out of it and hit it with some clear


----------



## brewgasm (30/3/18)

I reckon some satin estapol would be sweet (if you can use it over the lacquer..


----------



## awfulknauful (30/3/18)

I would never use a dual purpose stain/laquer, plus you have grains going in different directions, never a good look, and are they two different timbers the trim and the ply? Apart from that it is a good build.


----------



## Drewgong (30/3/18)

yeah its marine ply base and tasmanian oak trim . I hear what you are saying about the grain going in different directions on the trim but how can one avoid that ....I'd need to cut the trim out of a full sheet in one piece?


----------



## Mat B (30/3/18)

I often tint the lacquer with projects like this, rather than stain the timber. Different effect, but it's dead easy.


----------



## Drewgong (30/3/18)

what a freaking nightmare 



that's two standing pads full off puss they gunk up immediately. so I resorted to a very worn out flap disc on a battery grinder and very gently sanded it Then back to the orbital sander


----------



## Schikitar (30/3/18)

Oh mate, that's tough - how about just going over the whole thing with a solid colour? There's some great spray effects available, or chalkboard paint the whole thing..? That might be quitter talk, there's no shortage of sandpaper at Bunnings if you decide to keep going that way! 

Beer helps, have some of those and report back in for moral support!


----------



## Drewgong (30/3/18)

I have 5 kegs on at the moment so beer is no problem sending the missus to bunnings tomorrow to get more sanding pads and one of those triangular Sanders. should get mon Tues off work fingers crossed


----------



## brewgasm (31/3/18)

How strong is the bond between the ply and the fridge? It might be possible to flip the panels


----------



## wide eyed and legless (31/3/18)

Be careful on the sanding of the ply, very easy to sand through to the next layer.


----------



## malt and barley blues (2/4/18)

Agree with Schikitar, solid color some interesting finishes available.


----------



## Kev R (2/4/18)

laminate some 3mm ply over the top?


----------



## Drewgong (2/4/18)

slowly getting there was hoping to do more today but got called into work


----------



## wide eyed and legless (3/4/18)

When you have finished the sanding, it might be a good idea to give it a good wash with thinners just to be sure there is no lacquer still in the grain, otherwise it will stick out like dogs balls if you are going with a lighter colour.


----------



## Drewgong (3/4/18)

yeah I bought some clear lacquer today in aerosol so hopefully I get a more even finish . Australia post showed up this morning with some goodies


----------



## wide eyed and legless (12/4/18)

How is the build (stripping back) going?


----------



## Drewgong (12/4/18)

painful mate it needs more sanding but it's not gunna get it 


all components have finally arrived for the font hopefully get started on the top this weekend


----------



## Pnutapper (18/4/18)

Drewgong said:


> I've bought a 4 tap flooded font that will be just fed with water from a pond pump inside the fridge .



If you are going to flood your fount, it may be worth thinking about condensation and rust damage to the lid of your kegerator. Generally, flooded founts are mounted into drip trays to catch the condensate, and protect the bench top from water damage. The fount nipple also condensates when the fount is flooded, so it is also worth thinking about insulating it to prevent possible damage to the insulation in your fridge lid.

It's looking really good!


----------



## Drewgong (18/4/18)

Thanks mate I plan on tiling the top and have a flush mounted drip tray ....project is stalled as I just stuffed my back and its messing with some nerves in my leg.


----------



## wide eyed and legless (19/4/18)

Sounds like you have sciatica, ice pack and gentle exercise for your lower back to try and stretch and relax the contracted muscle which is irritating the sciatic nerve. Would've cost you $100 for a physio to tell you that.


----------



## Drewgong (4/12/18)

Hey guys long time no see finally got sick of looking at the kegerator sitting in the corner. Found some motivation just gotta get some tiles cut for the top then start plumbing everything up . The metal brackets on the corners hide my shitty woodwork skills lol


----------



## H0U5ECAT (5/12/18)

SInce you've gone to the extreme of sanding the bejezus out of that cabinet, let me give you a couple of pointers to fake it to make it.

I'm a french polisher by trade and when we use to get some absolutely destroyed pieces in, we use to cover up some bits with some nice aesthetics so suit.

You will still need to finish it in something. Trying to get beer stains out of the raw timber is going to shit you to tears.
For a good hard wearing finish, go for an external clear finish.
Something like Cabothane clear will work. But only get the water based.
Oil based will take weeks to dry.
A harder, two pack lacquer would be better, but I cant find any local hardware stores stocking it any more.

Tint the clear to make it a little darker. Not to much and definitely no more that three coats or it will look like a toffee apple.
The corner pieces you put on are a good idea, but they dont really suit.
How about some brass pieces?
Maybe a little like this...





You can find some nice brass plates that you can also cover up the joints in your timberwork.
http://thecharleygirl.com/73921/bra...lly-4-brass-chest-or-desire-with-regard-to-5/


----------



## Drewgong (6/12/18)

the brass looks cool but wouldn't completely cover my butchered join lol. I used a clear gloss lacquer from bunnings in aerosol cans . your probably shaking your head right now but I'm happy with the results


----------

