Fitting A Beer Tap To A Fridge Door

[PSB]

Hi everyone this is my maiden post.

Firstly let me congratulate the members on an excellent forum. I am a brewer from way back but gave it up because the washing of bottles got the better of me!
I recently purchased a keg system and am happily brewing again. I have been able to search this forum for answers to most of the issues I have come up against. Thank you for such a valuable resourse.

I currently dispense through a gun but as you know this requires frequent opening and closing of the fridge door. I am going to purchase a tap and attach it to the front of the fridge door.

Now I am no handyman and need some advice as to how to create the hole in the door for the tap. Can anyone give me some advice/instructions as to how to do this. I will need to know what size hole to make in the door and how to cut the hole as well as any other advice you may have.

Thanks guys

Paul

 

[KoNG]

Welcome PSB..!
check out this little Dooozy

Mr Wort should have you covered for most questions, then you can ask a few more if needed.

 

[Wortgames]

Hi Paul, welcome and congratulations :beer:

Regarding the actual mechanics of fitting the tap, what you have to do is dictated by what sort of tap you get.

Most pub-type taps are designed to be removable, so they have a quick-release fitting to attach to. This fitting would screw straight into a font, but if you want to mount it through a panel (eg fridge door) you need a shank for it, as well as a tail fitting to accept the beer line. All these extra parts can be a bit pricey if you have to go and buy them individually (up to $20-$30 each) so don't necessarily buy the first used tap you see thinking you've got a bargain

Some taps are specifically designed to go straight through a panel in one piece without needing additional parts, although obviously this means they have to be cleaned in place (no big deal). If you speak to Ross at craftbrewer.com.au he will be able to help you choose a tap and parts for fridge mounting. Once you've got the tap, you'll know what sort of hole you need to drill.

Decide how many taps you are ultimately going to end up with (don't assume that one will be enough - it never is ) and therefore decide where you want the first hole to be (centre is good for 1 or 3 taps, off-centre for 2 or 4). Don't forget to consider whereabouts in the plastic door lining the tap(s) will end up.

Drill a pilot hole, then ideally use a hole saw to drill the right sized hole. If you haven't got a hole saw the right size just use the biggest drill bit you can find, then use a tapered reamer or step bit to enlarge it (a fridge skin is pretty thin steel so it's not too hard).

Hopefully that answers your question?

 

[Doogiechap]

G'day Paul,
here is my take on the process, there are many ways to skin a cat but I found mine to be pretty easy.
I bought this step drill on eBay for my Dad's Chrissy present and promptly borrowed it to bore holes in my fridge . It's great as it keeps the hole central to what you marked as well as keeping the metal skin free from damage around the hole which is tricky with larger drill bits and sheetmetal.

1) Start by covering the drillable area with masking tape so you can accurately mark out your holes bearing in mind clearances behind the door and the tap handles with your freezer door (if you have one).

2) Drill a small pilot hole right through the door after measuring TWICE.

3) When mounting you tap you may find ytour door will collapse (squash) as you tighten the nut on the shank. A good solution I found via this wonderful site is to track down some PVC tubing that's a neat fit over the shank. Trim the pipe to the same depth as your door minus the thickness of the Skin. The tube will take the pressure off the insulation of the door but the tap will be formly held against the sheetmatal skin.

4) Bust out the trusty step drill and be careful to match the hole diameter to the shank.

5) I used a hole saw to cut the rear hole (the size is determined by the PVC pipe). You can use the step drill again but you will have to use a knife to trim the excess insulation away from the hole.

6) Mount and plumb you tap and enjoy your brew :beerbang:
Good luck with it !
Cheers
Doug