Keezer build -- Front overhang?

[TuttleCreekBrewing]

Hey all! So seeing as the GE 7.0 cf freezers are back under $200 at HD (with free delivery!), I'm sketching out my first keezer build. After seeing some of the amazing creations on this board, I'm really in awe of what you all have come up with, and hope that mine comes out even half as good!

For all of you that have built these before -- did you leave a front overhang on yours, like a bar? I don't mean a little 2" lip overhang, I mean a 10" or 12" overhang so you can stick stools underneath and sit at it like a bar.

Most of the builds I've seen don't include this, and I was wondering why. Just space concerns? Does the weight of someone leaning on the overhang tip the unit over (I wouldn't expect it to, especially when the keezer is stocked with beer, but maybe)?

For me, the keezer will sit in my living room and will actually take the place of an existing chair, so I was thinking I'd stick a couple bar stools under the keezer so I don't lose a seat in the living room. Football games are already tight enough for my friends and I without removing a seat!

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Good idea or bad idea to build the keezer as a bar? If you have built a keezer, which way did you build it and why?

Thanks all and keep up the great work!

 

[Phyrst]

I'm curious about this as well as I plan to build a Keezer maybe starting next spring. I think I've seen some designs that do it, but just about everyone says the coffin keezer tops are extremely heavy. Extending the front out another foot will just add a lot more weight, and that will make the lid harder to open as well as put more stress on the hinges. I'm not saying it's impossible, but most people seem to be too nervous to try it.

 

[DerekJ]

If you use it like a bar and have seating on the tap side, you are going to need some way to lock the taps so they don't get accidentally bumped. IMHO this is a bad idea. The taps will make it awkward for seating. The only way I would even consider it is to use a tower, but that still seems awkward to me. Good luck!

 

[TuttleCreekBrewing]

Extending the front out another foot will just add a lot more weight, and that will make the lid harder to open as well as put more stress on the hinges.

I'm nervous about this too. I had figured on the top being heavy, but I hadn't thought about the stress on the hinges. Freezer hinges tend to be fairly heavy-duty, but are they strong enough for that? I just don't know.

If you use it like a bar and have seating on the tap side, you are going to need some way to lock the taps so they don't get accidentally bumped. IMHO this is a bad idea. The taps will make it awkward for seating. The only way I would even consider it is to use a tower, but that still seems awkward to me. Good luck!

I'm planning on building a coffin top, taking a lot of inspiration from Hoppo's amazing build. If I build the front out like a bar, the top ends up 36" deep, which should give plenty of room to set the coffin back from the front. Right? Or am I missing something?

 

[Phyrst]

One thing I've thought about is extending the bar out by attaching it to the skirt, and then mount hinges so keezer would open from the back and the lid would tilt forward. The major drawback I see is this would leave an open seem on the bar top, and any spills would get down in there and be impossible to clean out. I haven't worked out this detail yet, but I'm thinking about it.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks for the compliment!

I don't see why it couldn't be done. In fact, I do recall another build that was on HBT that did exactly what you are talking about. Just don't remember who built it. The tops of these things aready weigh a ton. Granted another 10" or 12" overhang off of the front will add more weight and lengthen the lever arm, which will produce a little more torque on the hinges, but if you protect the hinges it can be done. I would probably make the bar top out of wood as opposed to cement board and tile/granite/slate/etc. to keep the weight somewhat under control I think that the biggest problem people run into is allowing the hinges on their keezers to take on the load in the fully opened position at the end of their travel. Trust me, my lid weighs a ton and I have have zero problems with the hinges, because I use safety straps to prevent over torquing of the hinges at the end of their travel when fully opened. The straps are just long enough to take the lid slightly past it's balance point, but not to the fully opened position. This creates a compression force through the hinges that they can handle, but it doesn't over torque the hinges and cause them to fail, which is the case when something isn't used to stop the travel. The keezer + cabinet, especially fully stocked with full kegs, would be plenty of weight to keep the unit stable for a bar top....unless your dancing on the bar top.

I say.....GO FOR IT!!!!!

Let me know if I can help.

 

[TuttleCreekBrewing]

Phyrst, that's quite an interesting idea. Wouldn't work for my purposes, but it'd be awesome to see someone do it! It could be done without a seam on the bartop I'd think -- just put the hinge on the underside of the overhang and mount to the outside of the front of the skirt. Then as the top is opened from the rear, the overhang would lower down the front, like a lever over a fulcrum. I'm putting mine against a wall so it's easier to just have it open from the front, but if someone were putting it in a location with good front AND rear access, that'd be a clever way to do it!

Thanks Hoppo, I saw that you'd put straps in yours but I wasn't sure how the hinges would handle the greater load with the extended top. You're probably right though, as long as I watch the weight and restrict it to a compression force straight through the pin, it's probably fine. Ideally I wanted to tile the top, but I just can't see how that much weight would be feasible. Maybe I can get lucky and find some attractive vinyl flooring tile to use instead, that'd be much lighter. I don't really have anything against wood, it's just that there will be so much wood in it already, the tile/vinyl would be an attractive accent to the wood. But I'm picky on time though, so we'll see what I can find!

I'll definitely be posting my build as I get the plan finished up, so keep your eye out for it! :rockin:

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I would still incorporate some tile or stone the top surface of the lid in front of the coffin, as well as the facing of the coffin itself......just thinking that maybe with the overhanging bar top itself wood would be lighter. I have seen a few builds where guys have built the lower cabinet frame and covered it with cement board and stone veneer, then hand more wood on the top. May be an option if your are looking to avoid a wood overkill. Sky's the limit with these things. What style are you going for?

 

[TuttleCreekBrewing]

Hoppo, I'm going for what I would call a contemporary feel, not sure if that's the right term for it but it works for me! The front and sides of the lower cabinet will be solid pieces surrounded by trim with a raised wooden powercat mounted in the front center. Not sure yet what types of wood and stain I'll use, but probably some combination of light oak and cherry, since that's what's prevalent in my house already. For the top, I just really like the way your build (and others like it) use tile, I think it really offsets the wood nicely! Haven't decided how the coffin will be built yet, I can't decide if I want the side cabinets like yours or not!

 

[beaksnbeer]

Watch the weight it's hard on the seals when you compress them to much they do not work as well(I installed boards to take the weight but allow enough for sealing (I have a 20+ cu ft 14 5gal. kegs 2 3gal. on the hump with 12 taps 2 now dedicated nitrogen restricter taps a Stout and Porter)set my coffin back more for a space at the front. Take into account that they will lean and put weight on it a couple of stools in front of it why would they need to have 10-12 inches under

 

[Phyrst]

Phyrst, that's quite an interesting idea. Wouldn't work for my purposes, but it'd be awesome to see someone do it! It could be done without a seam on the bartop I'd think -- just put the hinge on the underside of the overhang and mount to the outside of the front of the skirt. Then as the top is opened from the rear, the overhang would lower down the front, like a lever over a fulcrum. I'm putting mine against a wall so it's easier to just have it open from the front, but if someone were putting it in a location with good front AND rear access, that'd be a clever way to do it!

That would be a good way to do it. The spot I have planned for my future keezer is up against a wall, so if I have a coffin I figure I'm going to have to roll it away from the wall to get it open anyway. Maybe mounting the top so the hinges are on the side is the way to go. Then I wouldn't have to pull it away from the wall to open it. :rockin: I'll have to think about this some more.