8 Tap Jockey Box Value vs. DYI

Our club uses one of our member's 8-tap jockey box at events, and that member is no longer willing to let us use it for free (I don't blame him!).

Anyway, I think his asking price of $1100.00 for a used 8 tap jockey box is a little steep. It's made with a single SS cold plate, standard shanks, standard chrome taps.

Anyone care to speculate on the value?

Also, anyone care to speculate on what it would cost for the club to make our own? We have serveral very hand DYIers, and this looks like a pretty easy project that we could undertake for far less than $1100.00.

BTW, this is also a little over 1/2 of our club's current treasury, so it's a very large expenditure, so making a good value decision is crucial here.

Thanks for the help!

I haven't seen an 8-product cold plate (sold separately anyways), but you can get 2 x 4 product plates at $180 or so plus shipping, a large cooler for $50-100, and 8 perlicks averaging maybe around $75 per faucet including hardware and lines. That puts you at around $1,100 for a brand new one with stainless faucets. His price seems a bit out of line. Unless it is a professional underbar cooler or something, those run around $1500-$1800 new I think.

I bought a 6 pass cold plate here on hbt for 110$. Just keep your eyes open

I would think that you could build one for less than that. A quick check on Northern Brewer shows a total of about $390 for the disconnects, shanks, faucets, for an 8 handle setup. You could probably find some of the hardware cheaper at other online stores. A decent cooler will be $50 - $75.

I bought a used 7 pass cold plate on ebay for around $100 shipped last year.

I bet you could put an 8 faucet setup together for less than $600 pretty easily.

I just built one for Naked City. All the little pieces add up. I bought an 8 product cold plate locally from Maurer Draft Supply for $325. Add in the cooler, 8 faucets, 8 shanks, 8 outlet gas manifold, Co2 regulator, all the nuts and stems, beer line, clamps, etc. I was all in, out the door $872.87

I've built several cold plate based jockey boxes (usually 6-tappers due to cold plate availability) for the 2 clubs plus individuals.

If you can tap into FOXX Beverage thru a local brewery, you can save some costs. A cold plate on ebay can be reasonable but beware there are differences in length of internal tubing. Some have 12' vs 18' - longer & heavier w/b better. A new or used 7-tap cold plate can be found at
http://www.chicompany.net/index.phpmain_page=product_info&cPath=376_17_58&products_id=2842 for bet $145-200

If you can accept std chrome plated faucets rather than ss Perlicks, etc - can be around $15 ea. same w/ shanks, nuts, stems, swivels, etc. shorter shanks are less. Copper & brass have been around for centuries. 100' of 3/16" ID tubing is around $25

SamsClub & misc big box stores have coolers, i suggest extremes w/ wheels. I usually only drill holes about the size of tubing (3/16" ID) so as to store tubing inside.

I'd guess a 6-tap for less than $500.

Good luck!
Dan F
LAGERS/FOSSILS




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Revived from the dead! As an update, we did buy the unit and have been using it as our club dispensing system BUT we are looking to downsize to two 4-5 tap units.

I've had it on Craigslist for about 6 month with a heavy-duty $200 (new retail) metal transport cart for $900 total, and have not even had a nibble at that price.