Michele Craft
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2019
- Messages
- 133
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- 39
Hi all, Hope everyone is doing well. A while back I had started thinking about my bar build and was reading a lot here and asking questions, then life happened, the pandemic happened, a move/house renovation was delayed and now things are settling down so I want to get back to the bar building. Chest freezers are hard to come by. My initial thought was I'd like to do a 4 tap, build it into the back bar and have it so I can roll it forward to tip the lid back for keg changes.
Going to build the bar ourselves and include a beverage cooler for cans and bottles as well as some cabinets I plan to make. I'd like to stay at about 48" wide for the keezer and given the need for 4 taps (more on that in a bit) it looks like I need about an 8.8 - 9.0 cu ft freezer depending on dimensions. Freezers are hard to come by ( damn pandemic!). I found one that we could get by mid October which is a Kenmore model 17992 8.8cu'. Looking at the dimensions excluding the hump, I have 30.43" x 15.5". When I put that in smart draw with 9.25" diameter circles, it's REALLY tight. Like I can move the circles so they JUST touch the sides and each other and it looks like I could pull it off but is there anyone that can draw the 30.43" x 15.5" and tell me if you'd do it? The co2 would be on the hump and I'd need a collar (and plan to just make a whole new lid and go up through with black iron pipe in an elongated "U" for the taps). I know there's a Midea 8.8 which will fit just fine but it's 25.5" x 17 3/4" in the well but I can't get it..... I looked at the thread that was started years ago for something close to see if it's realistic to think this Kenmore could do it but would like a gut check from someone more learned than I am. Like if things are super tight in there, is that just a PITA for changing etc? What about manifold space (figure I'd put that on the collar) etc?
Part 2 is, realistically, do I NEED 4 taps? I mean more is obviously better, right? But if I have to sacrifice space......... What are you guys using at home as far as # of taps? I don't brew but I have 2 friends that do but if they keg, it's to pin/ball locks so I pick up a bit of space.
Going to be doing a lot more reading and gathering parts and lumber (if I can get it!) but unfortunately, this back bar area and the keezer is kind of the lynch pin since it sets cabinet size on either side, as well as counter height (I'm bringing counter to it on either side and will wood top the freezer itself with a drip tray/glass rinser integrated.
thanks in advance!
Going to build the bar ourselves and include a beverage cooler for cans and bottles as well as some cabinets I plan to make. I'd like to stay at about 48" wide for the keezer and given the need for 4 taps (more on that in a bit) it looks like I need about an 8.8 - 9.0 cu ft freezer depending on dimensions. Freezers are hard to come by ( damn pandemic!). I found one that we could get by mid October which is a Kenmore model 17992 8.8cu'. Looking at the dimensions excluding the hump, I have 30.43" x 15.5". When I put that in smart draw with 9.25" diameter circles, it's REALLY tight. Like I can move the circles so they JUST touch the sides and each other and it looks like I could pull it off but is there anyone that can draw the 30.43" x 15.5" and tell me if you'd do it? The co2 would be on the hump and I'd need a collar (and plan to just make a whole new lid and go up through with black iron pipe in an elongated "U" for the taps). I know there's a Midea 8.8 which will fit just fine but it's 25.5" x 17 3/4" in the well but I can't get it..... I looked at the thread that was started years ago for something close to see if it's realistic to think this Kenmore could do it but would like a gut check from someone more learned than I am. Like if things are super tight in there, is that just a PITA for changing etc? What about manifold space (figure I'd put that on the collar) etc?
Part 2 is, realistically, do I NEED 4 taps? I mean more is obviously better, right? But if I have to sacrifice space......... What are you guys using at home as far as # of taps? I don't brew but I have 2 friends that do but if they keg, it's to pin/ball locks so I pick up a bit of space.
Going to be doing a lot more reading and gathering parts and lumber (if I can get it!) but unfortunately, this back bar area and the keezer is kind of the lynch pin since it sets cabinet size on either side, as well as counter height (I'm bringing counter to it on either side and will wood top the freezer itself with a drip tray/glass rinser integrated.
thanks in advance!