I built a keezer

[BKBrews]

I painted a fridge about a year and a half ago, still looks great.

Just need to sand to 'key' the surface. Dont need to go to bare metal.

I think I used White Knight epoxy enamel - it is/was a primer as well. Did a couple of coats, looks smick.

Think it wa a litre of paint, was more than enough (used maybe half or three quarters of it, two or three coats cant remember). Used a spray gun.

Is it an issue if you go to bare metal in places? Just wondering whether the paint has trouble binding to the metal surface.

I plan on doing a coat of primer using spray and then using a foam roller/brush to actually paint the rest.

 

[Mr B]

Dont think so, the fridge I did had some surface rust and I took it to bare metal in places to get rid of this.

All looks smick,

If it goes bare metal, think you just need apaint that does priming as well.

I reckon you will get a better finish spraying rather then rolling. Cant remember for sure, but I think I thinned the top coat a little to get a better finish.

Edit: the paint was a primer as well, so metal or not was a non issue. Not 100% sure how much of an issue it would be even without this.

 

[btrots87]

Hey mate, I'm just about to undertake the same project - I bought a 210L chest freezer today. Hoping you could answer some questions:

1. How much sanding did you do prior to painting? I've started taking mine back to bare metal, but thinking that's probably not the best idea.
2. Did you take any of the plastic trims off or did you paint in place?
3. Did you prime?
4. Which paint did you use and how many ml? White Knight Epoxy Enamel?
5. Did you have a cord entering the lid panel and if so, did you cut it?

This build gets me excited to crack into mine.

1. As mentioned above, you really only need to sand it lightly just enough to rough up the surface underneath to allow the paint to stick. No need to go back to bare metal unless trying to remove rust or something. Mine had a few dents in it which I filled with some gap filler before sanding it back.

2. I didn't remove any of the plastic trims, they just got painted in place. I used a roller for the most part which gave a pretty nice even finish. Some parts around the trims or at joins in the metal I used a small brush just to get into gaps. I went for the roller since I've never spray painted anything and it seemed a bit easier and potentially less messy.

3 and 4. I didn't prime it first, and yes the paint I used was called White Knight Rust Guard epoxy enamel. It's a one step paint so no need to prime. I used satin black and gave it two coats. Don't make the mistake I did and forget to paint the hinges too. It didn't take much, I think about a 500mL can and I still have some left over. Your freezer is bigger than mine though so not sure how much you need. Just calculate the surface area you need to paint and then read the directions on the can for the coverage amount (remember to double it for a second coat etc).

5. Mine doesn't have a cord in the lid but from what I've read there should be enough cord tucked inside the freezer to allow you to get enough slack to fit a collar on and not have to cut it.

Hope this helps, I'm currently in the process of putting together a few upgrades to mine. I'm making a shelf for a drip tray and I made a wooden blackboard so I can label the taps. Loving it so far.

 

[JDW81]

I presume you've just drilled holes in the collar to run your lines/fan power cord through?

 

[mofox1]

5. Did you have a cord entering the lid panel and if so, did you cut it?

Mine had a cord going to the lid - for a lamp and some sort of display board + "turbo" mode button. The freezer didn't require the lid panel smarts to run, so I disconnected the wiring at the bottom of the unit (inside the compressor recess). I then just pulled the cable thru and have coiled it up, hanging from the back.

I intend to fix/replace/bodge the lid at some point and put my stc-1000 where the existing display panel goes, so I didn't want to do anything too destructive. Took photos and notes to record how the existing stuff was wired up.

 

[Mikeyr]

Nice job, well done!

 

[btrots87]

I presume you've just drilled holes in the collar to run your lines/fan power cord through?

The gas lines and shanks I drilled holes through the collar for, but at the moment the power cord for the fan and also the STC temp probe are just threaded out the back between the collar and the lid seal. It was easier than drilling the hole and then trying to seal it up again, and you can't see it anyway.

 

[BKBrews]

1. As mentioned above, you really only need to sand it lightly just enough to rough up the surface underneath to allow the paint to stick. No need to go back to bare metal unless trying to remove rust or something. Mine had a few dents in it which I filled with some gap filler before sanding it back.

2. I didn't remove any of the plastic trims, they just got painted in place. I used a roller for the most part which gave a pretty nice even finish. Some parts around the trims or at joins in the metal I used a small brush just to get into gaps. I went for the roller since I've never spray painted anything and it seemed a bit easier and potentially less messy.

3 and 4. I didn't prime it first, and yes the paint I used was called White Knight Rust Guard epoxy enamel. It's a one step paint so no need to prime. I used satin black and gave it two coats. Don't make the mistake I did and forget to paint the hinges too. It didn't take much, I think about a 500mL can and I still have some left over. Your freezer is bigger than mine though so not sure how much you need. Just calculate the surface area you need to paint and then read the directions on the can for the coverage amount (remember to double it for a second coat etc).

5. Mine doesn't have a cord in the lid but from what I've read there should be enough cord tucked inside the freezer to allow you to get enough slack to fit a collar on and not have to cut it.

Hope this helps, I'm currently in the process of putting together a few upgrades to mine. I'm making a shelf for a drip tray and I made a wooden blackboard so I can label the taps. Loving it so far.

Thanks for that.

Considering I don't have to prime (which saves me a few dollars already), I'll probably just buy a 1L tin for about $38. I might take it back to bare metal and fill in a few dings, but I'm not as concerned about doing that now that I know it's not necessary.

Now to find some time to get it done!

PS What size pine did you use? I'm thinking about making quite a big collar, so probably going to go for about 240x30.

 

[btrots87]

I used 30mm x 190mm pine for the collar. One thing to keep in mind though is that you will have to lift the full kegs over the collar and into the freezer so the higher the collar the harder this will be. As mine also has the added height of being on the wheeled base lifting the kegs in can be a much harder task than I would have liked. If I did it again I would probably make the collar a little bit thinner so the total height wasn't as much.

Alternatively I think I will start filling the kegs while they're already in the freezer so I'm only ever lifting empty kegs in and out.

 

[BKBrews]

Yeah that's all true. I've been looking at the 190x30 pine as well, however I'm thinking I might go up to 250mm high, as I'm going to try something a little different.

I have a tonne of subway tiles left over from my renovations, so I'm considering using something like 240x19 pine, covered in 6mm villa board, then tiled with black grout. It's seeming pretty difficult at the moment, but I'd really like to have a crack at it.

I could even use 190x19 pine and then tile the top edge as well, which will make it over 200mm finished height anyway (190 + 6mm villa board + tile adhesive + 12mm tiles I think they are).

 

[Blind Dog]

I used 30mm x 190mm pine for the collar. One thing to keep in mind though is that you will have to lift the full kegs over the collar and into the freezer so the higher the collar the harder this will be. As mine also has the added height of being on the wheeled base lifting the kegs in can be a much harder task than I would have liked. If I did it again I would probably make the collar a little bit thinner so the total height wasn't as much.

Alternatively I think I will start filling the kegs while they're already in the freezer so I'm only ever lifting empty kegs in and out.

There's no real reason why you can't hinge both the lid and the collar (unless you've fixed the collar permanently to the keezer). It makes lifting kegs in and out much easier with the collar lifted (don't forget to make sure the collar is supported whilst lifted as its fairly heavy), but you can just lift the lid by itself for maintenance, swapping lines etc. and dont need to pull it away from the wall to make room to lift the collar.

 

[BKBrews]

I'm getting nervous.... Nearly finished sanding and I plan on hitting it on the weekend with the first coat of paint. I ended up with Wattyl Epoxy Gloss Enamel in Matte Black, so hopefully it turns out alright. I've done a really thorough sanding job - pretty much taken it back to bare metal, with just a light cover of primer still in place. The paint I got says no primer required if new paint or no rust surface, so should be fine. I just want to start pouring beers!!

 

[Digga]

I also built a keezer! This is the second keg holding thing I've had so put some form of thought into it!

The freezer it's self I got second hand for a pickup ! From a vet in Maitland when sizing it up it squeezed 8 kegs on the floor but upon commission it struggles to fit 8 easily 7 and whatever (bottles and yeast atm) on the 'hump'.

 

[Digga]

The freezer as yiu can see was in a riot state, old and rusty. I cleaned it right up and used my old left over decking boards (90mm X 20mm blackbutt) for the panneling and 50mm X 135mm turpentine?? Which are recovered jetty boards (from the April storms) for the collar.
With the 8 kegs on the mindset I was going to run 8 taps as I had a 720mm drip tray and ended up with 7 taps 100mm apart.
I have a 4 way splitter out side for purging and force (Ross method) carbing, and also going to use the other 2 outlets that i haven't ran yet.. for different pressured beers to the standard 12psi that I'm running on the 6 way splitter for "normal beers".
Just hooked up 2 computer fans one blowing down and one blowing towards the taps for circulation of the cold air.
Noticed a notable difference to internal temp and also pour with these installed.

 

[Digga]

First time I've tried "long balanced beer line" cut all to 2.5m to trial it. Before I was running an in line restrictor for each line which worked ok but thought it may have been knocking out carbonation on its way. So far so good but the holding carb for different styles is turning out to be a problem. Over carbed dark and under carbed blondes. Need to set up the second reg with lower or higher pressures. Or may just go back to the inline regs.
Pleased with the outcome / appearance but still some bugs.. Also got some killer handles to try and fit to the taps.
Need some form of step down threaded rod to fit to the handles and taps. Anyone got any ideas on that????
Hope you all enjoy!

 

[user 36151]

Need some form of step down threaded rod to fit to the handles and taps. Anyone got any ideas on that????

Look up helicoil thread repair springs they might do what u need

 

[Digga]

Yeah maybe but the handle thread is heaps larger than the tap it's slept o's hoping for some better / independent solution really. Good thought though osprey!

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I also built a keezer! This is the second keg holding thing I've had so put some form of thought into it!

The freezer it's self I got second hand for a pickup ! From a vet in Maitland when sizing it up it squeezed 8 kegs on the floor but upon commission it struggles to fit 8 easily 7 and whatever (bottles and yeast atm) on the 'hump'.

Hey digga,

Where did you get the hanging blackboard keg tag things from?

 

[Porkchop]

Nice work boys! Great to see these threads inspiring people to go ahead build there own.

 

[btrots87]

Time for an update, it's taken a few months to find the time (moved from Sydney to Canberra for work) but I've finally managed to sort out a drip tray for the keezer, and while I was at it I put together a frame for a blackboard sign for the front. No more forgetting which tap is which.



Here is the blackboard, just some pine moldings that I mitre jointed to make a frame around a thin piece of MDF. I used a blackboard sticker that we had lying around the house, and stained the frame the same colour as the rest of the wood. Added some small hard drive magnets to hold it in place.



As for the drip tray, I found it hard to find one the right size but I managed to find one from Amazon. I didn't want to use a wall mount one since I didn't think it would look very good so I decided to build a wooden shelf for it that would match the rest of the woodwork. I got the design off this website - http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/10/reader-how-to-making-magnetic-drip-tray.html, and used the same drip tray as he did. Stained it to match the other woodwork and it was finished.

I think it came out pretty well personally. I couldn't find any magnets strong enough to hold it so I ended up going with some strong double sided tape. Apparently it can hold 15kg and it seems pretty strong so I think it will be fine.