Marc77
Well-Known Member
I'm going to build a fermentation chamber here shortly but I need help on my concept. What I want to do is build out an 8 x 3 foot fermentation chamber with a work table top. The two feet on the outside will be for fridges and then the two 2 feet sections in the middle will be for separate chambers. This way I can have two different temps. I ascii art'd the profile below:
________________________________
| Fridge 1| Beer 1 | Beer 2 | Fridge 2 |
________________________________
The top I'd like to have as a work table area so I was thinking of putting 3/4 inch plywood on top 6 long x 3 feet deep. This will go over beer 1, 2 and fridge 2. The remaining 2 x 3 foot space over the fridge 1 will be an inset to put my miter saw into. I want to make the miter saw plane even with the work table so I can lay a board down and cut it without needing something to hold it. The coup de grace will be that I'd like to put the thing on some heavy duty wheels. That way when I move I can just roll the whole contraption up into the moving van and away it goes.
So my thought is to use 4x4's for an extremely sturdy base (I've got two, eight foot 4x4's left over from another project). Wheels on the bottom obviously and then screw 3 foot sections of 2x4's on the outside of the 4x4's at 2 foot intervals. Two inch rigid insulation (r11 value) in between beer 1 and 2 sections and span the length of the bottom. For the top I'd cut out a piece of rigid insulation to fit in the top, screw that into the work table and then put the work table on top of the 2x4's. Top view in classy ascii art with the work table removed:
__________________________________________
|----------------------insulation----------------|
| ________________________________________|
| i |--------------------|--------------------| i |
| n |--------------------|-------------------| n |
| s |--------------------|-------------------| s |
| u |--------------------|-------------------| u |
| l |-------beer 1-------|------beer 2--------| l |
| a |--------------------|-------------------| a |
| t |--------------------|-------------------| t |
| i |--------------------|--------------------| i |
| o |--------------------|-------------------| o |
| n |--------------------|-------------------| n |
| ________________________________________|
|------------------------insulation--------------|
|_________________________________________|
As you can see the top insulation will fit right in over top of beer 1 and 2 and the middle barrier will be rigid insulation. That way I can have two temps and from what I remember reading a 6 sq foot area will let me fit three 6.5 gallon carboy's in each beer section.
So my questions!
1) With the 4x4's on the bottom and the 2x4's screwed into the 4x4's can I just screw the work table into the 2x4 tops and be good or do I need to screw an eight foot 2x4 to the insides of the three foot 2x4 sides and then put the work table on top?
2) If I'm putting this into a corner of a garage and 3 sides are closed off will a mini fridge have enough room to be effective? I worry that it won't get enough air and be a bad idea.
3) Can some peeps point out flaws in my overall idea, improvements or whatever?
________________________________
| Fridge 1| Beer 1 | Beer 2 | Fridge 2 |
________________________________
The top I'd like to have as a work table area so I was thinking of putting 3/4 inch plywood on top 6 long x 3 feet deep. This will go over beer 1, 2 and fridge 2. The remaining 2 x 3 foot space over the fridge 1 will be an inset to put my miter saw into. I want to make the miter saw plane even with the work table so I can lay a board down and cut it without needing something to hold it. The coup de grace will be that I'd like to put the thing on some heavy duty wheels. That way when I move I can just roll the whole contraption up into the moving van and away it goes.
So my thought is to use 4x4's for an extremely sturdy base (I've got two, eight foot 4x4's left over from another project). Wheels on the bottom obviously and then screw 3 foot sections of 2x4's on the outside of the 4x4's at 2 foot intervals. Two inch rigid insulation (r11 value) in between beer 1 and 2 sections and span the length of the bottom. For the top I'd cut out a piece of rigid insulation to fit in the top, screw that into the work table and then put the work table on top of the 2x4's. Top view in classy ascii art with the work table removed:
__________________________________________
|----------------------insulation----------------|
| ________________________________________|
| i |--------------------|--------------------| i |
| n |--------------------|-------------------| n |
| s |--------------------|-------------------| s |
| u |--------------------|-------------------| u |
| l |-------beer 1-------|------beer 2--------| l |
| a |--------------------|-------------------| a |
| t |--------------------|-------------------| t |
| i |--------------------|--------------------| i |
| o |--------------------|-------------------| o |
| n |--------------------|-------------------| n |
| ________________________________________|
|------------------------insulation--------------|
|_________________________________________|
As you can see the top insulation will fit right in over top of beer 1 and 2 and the middle barrier will be rigid insulation. That way I can have two temps and from what I remember reading a 6 sq foot area will let me fit three 6.5 gallon carboy's in each beer section.
So my questions!
1) With the 4x4's on the bottom and the 2x4's screwed into the 4x4's can I just screw the work table into the 2x4 tops and be good or do I need to screw an eight foot 2x4 to the insides of the three foot 2x4 sides and then put the work table on top?
2) If I'm putting this into a corner of a garage and 3 sides are closed off will a mini fridge have enough room to be effective? I worry that it won't get enough air and be a bad idea.
3) Can some peeps point out flaws in my overall idea, improvements or whatever?
