After a couple years on my wish list, I finally built my keezer. I started in mid-November, and spent about three months completing it. Initially I was planning on a basic build featuring a wood collar with taps through it. Then I came across a coffin keezer in this forum, and my entire build changed. I need to give a big thank-you to Jester and all the others who laid the groundwork for me.
Because of size constraints, I couldnt use anything too large, but I wanted something that would hold five pin lock kegs. I settled on the Kenmore 12912, a 9 cubic foot freezer.
Five empty pin locks barely fit in this freezer (three on the floor and two on the hump), which I knew would never work with full kegs. I decided to build a false bottom to level the floor with the compressor hump. I added a collar made with two pieces of 1 stock on the outside, 1.5 rigid insulation in the middle, and another piece of 1 stock on the inside. The outside piece on the sides and front is wider than the others, so it extends over the outside of the freezer to hold it in place. Both pieces on the back extend over the freezer, and are attached to it with machine screws into the existing hinge holes.
My keezer sits on carpet, so I didnt want wheels under it. I built a base out of ½ particle board, used 1x2 stock to create air ducts, and four AC Infinity AI-MPF120A fans for cooling. They are silent but move a good amount of air. I glued a piece of hardboard on the bottom of the base, so that the entire build slides on the carpet when I need to move it.
I wanted a design that let me access the freezer without having to move it. I removed the freezer top and replaced it with a two-piece top, made out of 1.5 rigid insulation, with ¼ plywood on top and hardboard on the bottom. I pushed the tower back as far as possible, for good access to the freezer. The back part of the top has a fan to cool the tower, and a hole for the beer lines. The piece of 2 square dowel on the back helps support the tower. The two pieces of cord on the main top section let me easily lift it.
I built the tower out of oak. The tower base is two pieces of ½ plywood, which attaches to the back of the collar with ¼ bolts. The top is made out of two sheets of ½ particle board, glued together. The cutout in the top sheet of particle board recesses the drip tray.
To insulate the tower, I used more of the 1.5 rigid insulation. The insulation has an inverted U shaped channel, for air circulation. I used a Dremel to shave out the bottom channels to fit the 3 holes in the top, for good air flow.
This is the tower, upside down, with the base removed and the insulation installed. At this point Ive installed my shanks and beer lines. The small cutout in the back of the foam is so I can access two of the ¼ bolts that hold the tower on. Just one of several adjustments I had to make as I went.
Heres a view from behind, with the freezer sitting on the cooling base, the gas lines in place, and the controller installed. I later moved the controller so that it faces straight up; that allows me to access it without having to move the keezer.
Inside, showing the back of the collar with the beer lines and three-way splitters. I have a 10lb CO2 tank with a dual regulator, so each splitter can have a different pressure. The center gas line is for my Nitrogen tank. Both tanks are located outside the keezer.
Here's the setup with three kegs installed. I have a fan on the inside to circulate air. The small white object is a remote temperature and humidity sensor. This view really shows how much of the freezer is accessible.
Because of size constraints, I couldnt use anything too large, but I wanted something that would hold five pin lock kegs. I settled on the Kenmore 12912, a 9 cubic foot freezer.
Five empty pin locks barely fit in this freezer (three on the floor and two on the hump), which I knew would never work with full kegs. I decided to build a false bottom to level the floor with the compressor hump. I added a collar made with two pieces of 1 stock on the outside, 1.5 rigid insulation in the middle, and another piece of 1 stock on the inside. The outside piece on the sides and front is wider than the others, so it extends over the outside of the freezer to hold it in place. Both pieces on the back extend over the freezer, and are attached to it with machine screws into the existing hinge holes.
My keezer sits on carpet, so I didnt want wheels under it. I built a base out of ½ particle board, used 1x2 stock to create air ducts, and four AC Infinity AI-MPF120A fans for cooling. They are silent but move a good amount of air. I glued a piece of hardboard on the bottom of the base, so that the entire build slides on the carpet when I need to move it.
I wanted a design that let me access the freezer without having to move it. I removed the freezer top and replaced it with a two-piece top, made out of 1.5 rigid insulation, with ¼ plywood on top and hardboard on the bottom. I pushed the tower back as far as possible, for good access to the freezer. The back part of the top has a fan to cool the tower, and a hole for the beer lines. The piece of 2 square dowel on the back helps support the tower. The two pieces of cord on the main top section let me easily lift it.
I built the tower out of oak. The tower base is two pieces of ½ plywood, which attaches to the back of the collar with ¼ bolts. The top is made out of two sheets of ½ particle board, glued together. The cutout in the top sheet of particle board recesses the drip tray.
To insulate the tower, I used more of the 1.5 rigid insulation. The insulation has an inverted U shaped channel, for air circulation. I used a Dremel to shave out the bottom channels to fit the 3 holes in the top, for good air flow.
This is the tower, upside down, with the base removed and the insulation installed. At this point Ive installed my shanks and beer lines. The small cutout in the back of the foam is so I can access two of the ¼ bolts that hold the tower on. Just one of several adjustments I had to make as I went.
Heres a view from behind, with the freezer sitting on the cooling base, the gas lines in place, and the controller installed. I later moved the controller so that it faces straight up; that allows me to access it without having to move the keezer.
Inside, showing the back of the collar with the beer lines and three-way splitters. I have a 10lb CO2 tank with a dual regulator, so each splitter can have a different pressure. The center gas line is for my Nitrogen tank. Both tanks are located outside the keezer.
Here's the setup with three kegs installed. I have a fan on the inside to circulate air. The small white object is a remote temperature and humidity sensor. This view really shows how much of the freezer is accessible.