Freezer Rolling Base

[IrregularPulse]

Finally getting started on my kegerator. Wanted some input on my thoughts for a roller base for the chest freezer. I have a very basic 2x4 base built in Google sketchup. I just am pretty new to woodworking so don't know how strong stuff is. Could somebody look and see if this would be enough or overkill for my 7.0CuFt chest freezer? It will be on 4 2.5" casters rated at 175lbs each.

The casters will mount to the side-to-side boards leaving minimal clearance between the side-to-side boards and the floor. Don't want to raise the freezer too high. Let me know if you all think this is enough or overkill and if the casters can handle the freezer being rated at 175lbs each. I can get a freezer weight when I get home.

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

i have a 20 c.f. freezer on casters.

Two 2x4x62"
Two 2x4x27"
Four 3.5 inch casters

The front-to-back are attached under the side-to-side. The casters attach to the front-to-back. Holds strong

 

[IrregularPulse]

thats basically the idea I have except adding the casters to the side to side, probably on the insides of the first and 3rd front to back board. Doing this to minimize height.

Also curious about replacing the front to backs with 1" boards instead of 2x4's. Would this be strong enough?

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

I wouldn't recommend attaching the casters to the longer pieces. At that point, the lower, shorter pieces are offering no support. All they are doing is keeping the rig square. So, in that case, you could replace them with 1" pieces no problem, but you would definitely not need the middle support. For a 7 c.f. freezer, you would probably be fine with two 2x4s supporting the whole weight, I just don't want you believing the smaller pieces are doing anything for you except holding the other beams steady.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I didn't even notice that. crap. But you think just the 2 lon 2x4's would support the weight with casters on the corners? Then I'll just use the inch board for squaring.

 

[camiller]

I would recommend that you consider larger diameter casters. In general the larger the diameter the smoother it will roll over obstacles/cracks/debris etc. (debris implying your garage looks like mine ) I made the mistake of putting the table saw on smallish casters and it is a pain to move. You might think you have really smooth floors, but once it's mobile your neighbor is going to invite you to roll it over to his garage for the football game and the sidewalks are not as smooth as they look.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I am going to be building this into a bar in my basement. It will be on laminate hardwood. And it will only be rolling from under the bar out so I can open the lid and load/unload kegs. Thanks for the suggestion though. Maybe In a couple years I'll get a second mini fridge style kegerator for the garage., But a second garage bay will need to come first. Oh projects projects projects.

 

[ScubaSteve]

+1 on heavy duty casters, roughly 250 lbs each. Dude, don't overthink this...just build a rectangle the same size as the freezer's footprint. Maybe put a single crossmember in there. You're not going to jump on the keezer and roll down the street soapbox derby style, are you? I would add that you should get 3 1x6's to put around the bottom, left, and right sides like a baseboard and then stain them. It adds mucho class.

 

[Sea]

Dude, don't overthink this...just build a rectangle the same size as the freezer's footprint.

I put mine in an old rolling platform I had around that's just two 5' 2x4's with half inch plywood screwed to them, no cross bracing at all, and the cheapest casters available. My chest freezer is about 13 CU ft, and she's plenty sturdy enough.

 

[the_bird]

Yeah, this is a ten minute project (unless you want to class it up ). Get some big casters, you want them to be lockable so that it doesn't move around when you don't want it to. Cut up your 2x and put the casters right in the corners where they overlap. Eazy-peazy.

I've been putting as much stuff as I can in the basement on casters, so that it stays off the ground (moisture) and so that I can be more efficienct with my limited space.

 

[Beerthoven]

Would you use screws, nails, or brackets to hold this thing together? I've been thinking about doing something like this to allow me to move my fermentation freezer around the garage more easily.

 

[the_bird]

I use screws for almost everything. Four 2 1/2 inch screws each place the wood overlaps ought to be plenty strong (just don't use brittle dryway screws or something like that). A little wood glue would make it even stronger, but is probably unneccesary.

Again, don't overthink it.

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

i just used screws for mine.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Decking screws are the shizznit. Not sure about what metal they are (black coating, probably some kind of SS), but I could NOT strip them even with my bit slipping, and they're self tapping...no pilot holes! Saved me a lot of time on my brew rig, and that wood ain't coming apart, no way, no how. Like The Bird said, 2 1/2" will be fine.

If you want to get serious, maybe you could put some neon lights or ground effects on this thing

What about a spring-loaded drawer that holds a pistol in it.....in case someone tries to run up on you mid-pour?

 

[Bobby_M]

How about just a rectangle of 3/4" plywood? After thinking about mine for a while, in hindsight I wish I made a rectangular cradle out of bed frame angle iron.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I'm not trying to overthink it, I just haven't been building stuff for a long time and am never sure about sturdiness so most things I build are most likely overbuilt. I'm just gonna go with 2x4's for length wise and 1x2's or 1x3's for front to back on top for bracing, and attach my 2.5" casters to the 2x4 under where the 1x3's attach. Sorry for making such a big deal out of this. I was just gonna do a 2x4 square frame, but wanted to minimize height as much as possible since this will be rolling under a bar.

And i do plan on adding trim to come up around the freezer maybe an inch and aslo come down as to hide most of the casters since it will be visible from behind the bar.

 

[TimGrz]

I'm just gonna go with 2x4's for length wise and 1x2's or 1x3's for front to back on top for bracing, and attach my 2.5" casters to the 2x4 under where the 1x3's attach.

What you are suggesting with your cross bracing is basically like image (1). With the simple cross bracing as you are suggesting the platform can easily go out of square, or "racked" as people often call it (2). Now this can be averted if you were to add multiple triangles to the cross bracing but adds obviously a level of complexity that is not needed.

I would highly recommend that instead of the 1x3's for cross bracing as you suggest that you instead just use a 1/2" plywood attached to the 2x4's on the long axis to make the base (3). I would use a little wood glue and fasten the plywood to the 2x4's about every 6-8 inches to each 2x4. By using the plywood you are guarantying that the platform can never go out of square.

As an aside, if you would like additional cooling under the unit for some reason just get a hole saw, any size will do really, and select a pattern and drill some holes as you see fit.


/tg

 

[MNBugeater]

I know overkill is usually the mantra for most homebrew projects, but my rolling base was an after thought that was done in an hour or so with the execption of staining and poly coating. But it took about an hour to put this base together. Works like a champ and I did use heavy duty casters. I think they are 250 or 300 per.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I dig that logo, and I like the fact that you kept it white. I painted mine with epoxy appliance paint, but it's never as good as the original powder coat.

 

[EdWort]

I know overkill is usually the mantra for most homebrew projects, but my rolling base was an after thought that was done in an hour or so with the execption of staining and poly coating. But it took about an hour to put this base together. Works like a champ and I did use heavy duty casters. I think they are 250 or 300 per.

I like this concept for my cooler/kegerator except I will put pneumatic mongo tires on it for off roading and easy loading on a trailer.

 

[beerthirty]

This is a bit ghetto, I have a 20 CF that I placed on a twin bed bedframe. I replaced the rollers with wheels I took off of a roller blade using washers as shims to center the wheels. After being painted to match the freezer you can hardly even see it. I also noticed the freezer doesn't cycle as much with the airflow of being suspended vs sitting on the floor.

 

[EdWort]

This is a bit ghetto, I have a 20 CF that I placed on a twin bed bedframe. I replaced the rollers with wheels I took off of a roller blade using washers as shims to center the wheels. After being painted to match the freezer you can hardly even see it. I also noticed the freezer doesn't cycle as much with the airflow of being suspended vs sitting on the floor.

Ghetto? That's gotta have the BierMuncher Seal of Approval on it!

Great idea!

 

[Shifty11]

To attach the frame to the base of the freezer are you just using liquid nails? Or something like that? How are you attaching the wood frame to the bottom of the freezer??

Shaun