I have been lurking for a bit, and I think this topic is OK for this group...
I am thinking of building a jockey box/cooler conversion for the deck. Has anyone built one? I am looking for some real world experience. I did some research and found stainless systems for $300.00 plus. I am thinking of building one myself and using the plastic tubing to save costs.
Any thoughts?
BV.
On Wed, 25 Aug 2004, Benign Vanilla vociferated:
}I have been lurking for a bit, and I think this topic is OK for this }group... } }I am thinking of building a jockey box/cooler conversion for the deck. Has }anyone built one? I am looking for some real world experience. I did some }research and found stainless systems for $300.00 plus. I am thinking of }building one myself and using the plastic tubing to save costs. } }Any thoughts? } }BV.
Use 1/4 - 3/8" soft copper tubing in the box. Way cheaper than SS, but better heat transfer characteristics than plastic. If you get a 10' roll or so you don't even have to do much with it -- just drop it in the cooler, connect to the intake and output fittings, fill with crushed ice, and away you go.
Depending on how classy you want to get with the fittings you can get flange or compression fitings for the copper, threaded appropriately to connect to a hose barb at one end (to the keg) and the tap at the other.
Or you can just stick the plastic hose from the keg directly on one end of the copper and secure with a small hose clamp, and connect the other end of the copper to the hose-and-tap setup of a regular hand-tap.
You should be able to get all the parts you need, less copper tubing, at any decent homebrew shop, or by mail from someplace like William's Brewing Supply. I suggest you /don't/ but the copper from a brewshop, but from a hardware store or Home Depot, else you'll end up paying way too much for it.
Have fun. :-)
Dr H
It depends if you want your jockey box to be a labor of love that you save about $25 on but spend hours researching and $15 in gas driving from place to place to get your parts at the cheapest possible price, then spend a few more hours building it.
If you don't want to go through all the hassle to save $10 - $20 the I would say go here and choose the customize option:
If you really want to make it with your "bare hands" then just make sure everything you buy is "food grade".
I built a SEVEN LINE jockey for about $10 - $20 more than your single line jockey box, and that includes the gas.
And it was a labor of love.
Phil
On Mon, 20 Sep 2004, Phil vociferated:
}On 20 Sep 2004 16:38:06 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Kegworks) wrote: } }>It depends if you want your jockey box to be a labor of love that you save }>about $25 on but spend hours researching and $15 in gas driving from place to }>place to get your parts at the cheapest possible price, then spend a few more }>hours building it. }>
}>If you don't want to go through all the hassle to save $10 - $20 the I would }>say go here and choose the customize option: }>
}>If you really want to make it with your "bare hands" then just make sure }>everything you buy is "food grade". } }I built a SEVEN LINE jockey for about $10 - $20 more than your single }line jockey box, and that includes the gas. } }And it was a labor of love.
*Seven* line?Phil, you're more of a beer fanatic than I am. :-)
Dr H
The only downside to it is that I don't take it out enough. I'm not going to use it when there's only one or two beers to serve. It weighs a ton (though it does have wheels).
I recommend that everyone build some too big to be practical.. It's fun!
Phil ====visit the New York City Homebrewers Guild website:
On Fri, 24 Sep 2004, Phil vociferated:
}On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 13:32:36 -0700, Dr H wrote: } }>
}>On Mon, 20 Sep 2004, Phil vociferated: }>
}>}On 20 Sep 2004 16:38:06 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Kegworks) wrote: }>} }>}>It depends if you want your jockey box to be a labor of love that you save }>}>about $25 on but spend hours researching and $15 in gas driving from place to }>}>place to get your parts at the cheapest possible price, then spend a few more }>}>hours building it. }>}>
}>}>If you don't want to go through all the hassle to save $10 - $20 the I would }>}>say go here and choose the customize option: }>}>
}>}>If you really want to make it with your "bare hands" then just make sure }>}>everything you buy is "food grade". }>} }>}I built a SEVEN LINE jockey for about $10 - $20 more than your single }>}line jockey box, and that includes the gas. }>} }>}And it was a labor of love. }>
}> *Seven* line? }>
}> Phil, you're more of a beer fanatic than I am. :-) } }The only downside to it is that I don't take it out enough. I'm not }going to use it when there's only one or two beers to serve. It }weighs a ton (though it does have wheels). } }I recommend that everyone build some too big to be practical.. It's }fun!
Well, I have three beer/brewing fridges, but the one with taps only has four.
I've never had to take them anywhere, tho. Found out that when I have beer on tap, the people come to /me/. :-)
Dr H
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