Author Topic: Home-Pub Mini-Project . . . . (Read 4352 times)

Roadkill · « **on:** October 28, 2013, 03:55:14 pm »

Another hair-brained idea to keep me busy for a little while . . .

Further to -

Quoting: Roadkill (on "The Beer Thread")

I can fit 3 kegs, side-by-side, in the shed on a shelf, so will run a pipe from each tap (I'm fitting ball-valves) to a back-plate that will mount a tap for each keg . . . .

. . . Also, each keg will have a pressure take-off that be connected to its own gauge which i'll mount above its corresponding tap.

That way I can keep tabs on each keg without going outside and know when I'm close to zero pressure (and air getting in) in each barrel . . hopefully minimising the risk of it going off.

I've now officially started this mini-project.

I figure having beer at home is awesome and making beer is awesome . . . so storing it and serving it correctly is a must to make the whole experience truly . . . . awesome !

As mentioned above, I can fit 3 kegs, side by side, in the shed so that's how many taps I intend to go for.

I want the install to but clean, cool looking and take up minimal room in the garage.

I've gained 4-foot of wall, above my bench in the garage due to the creation of the shed and removal of the window.

I say I've gained 4-foot of wall but I still need to mount my monitor . . . I'm gonna make up a plate to wall-mount it (it currently sits on a stand) . . . this'll give me some room to the left and hopefully some room below the monitor . . .

Yesterday the canvas for this was created . . . .

The frame work . . .

The plasterboard fitted, ready for filling . . .

I've been busy buying bits for this, too but it'll become clearer, later . . .

Incursus · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2013, 05:20:45 pm »

Pool table?

Roadkill · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2013, 05:35:59 pm »

I got room for a dart board, but not for a pool table.

art b · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2013, 06:06:12 pm »

should be cool ...

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2013, 08:12:42 pm »

Can you stop, just stop.

You are making all of the other guys on here look lazy.

Quoting: Roadkill

too but it'll become clearer, later . . .

Fine, I'll say it. Gloryhole?

Incursus · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2013, 12:01:46 pm »

Quoting: Roadkill

I got room for a dart board, but not for a pool table.

Hmm dart board + home brew... yeah sounds safe enough to me.

art b · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2013, 12:26:02 pm »

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Fine, I'll say it. Gloryhole?

tbh.. who else would we expect to say it ...

Cunning Plan · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2013, 01:35:03 pm »

Quoting: art b

tbh.. who else would we expect to say it ...

*Sigh* It's my cap, but I wear it well.

Roadkill · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2013, 01:53:42 pm »

My three new King Kegs should be here tomorrow.

I was gonna wait but couldn't resist.

Roadkill · « **Reply #9 on:** October 30, 2013, 10:33:01 am »

Kegs arrived bright and early this morning . . . nearly got everything I need . . . and as a bonus Jensen got an epic-sized box to play with !!!

Chucked some filler on the wall, too, last night - need to get that finished before moving on to installation . . .

Incursus · « **Reply #10 on:** October 30, 2013, 10:38:05 am »

Those handles certainly look a lot more robust than the one on my keg.

art b · « **Reply #11 on:** November 03, 2013, 12:00:11 pm »

hmmm nice kegs ..

i have two of the top tap king kegs..

they are great as you can get your hands inside them with the 4'' lids...

dont over tighten the lids,

k/k also had some that were not well made and would split under pressure..[but i think that batch has gone and the problem is sorted]

it looks like you have some good ideas there ....

where are you taking off the pressure gauges from..?

have you not thought of the pub type daylex taps ....

with regards to the co2 ...you can get various dispensers that take larger capsules

heres one found on a quick ebay search

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CO2-Bike-Cycle-Quick-Pump-Inflator-With-16g-Cartridge-and-Twin-Valve-Compact-New-/261318792848?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_BikeLocks_SR&hash=item3cd7d05690

Roadkill · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2013, 11:41:49 am »

Quoting: art b

dont over tighten the lids,

I've seen spanners for them . . think I'll invest in one of those as I'm not good at not over-tightening.

Quoting: art b

where are you taking off the pressure gauges from..?

I was going to mount them on the body itself, but then figured it'd be more sensible mounting them on the ample lid . . . that way if I f*ck-up the install it's a cheap replacement.

Quoting: art b

have you not thought of the pub type daylex taps

Yes. But they're more expensive and need (from what I can tell) special plumbing fittings . . . I figure this set-up is cheap 'n' cheerful for now . . . I'll upgrade at a later date if required . . .

Quoting: art b

with regards to the co2 ...you can get various dispensers that take larger capsules

I've seen them but I don't think it'd help . . .

Unless you're half-a-keg down even an 8g bulb fully pressurises the barrel . . . anymore would just be vented out and wasted.

I figure, with 3 kegs on the go they've got a bit of time to self-presurise between uses . . . hopefully saving on the bulbs.

In fact, on my first keg I used 8-9 bulbs . . . On my current 2-keg set-up I've only used 6 and have about half a keg left. Pro-rata it seems that by doubling the kegs, you almost half the bulbs needed due to self-pressure.

art b · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2013, 04:08:36 pm »

some of the dispensers only dispense the amount you need....

Roadkill · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2013, 04:34:00 pm »

Quoting: art b

some of the dispensers only dispense the amount you need...

Ahhh . . . So how does that connect to the Keg - same thread ??

art b · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2013, 05:23:40 pm »

Quoting: Roadkill

Ahhh . . . So how does that connect to the Keg - same thread ??

hmm now im thinking... that people may use then with a tyre valve fitted into the cap ...

Roadkill · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2013, 05:28:49 pm »

Quoting: art b

that people may use then with a tyre valve fitted into the cap ...

I've read that before . .

The King Keg Lids are so big you could fit both valves !!

Roadkill · « **Reply #17 on:** November 07, 2013, 01:17:19 pm »

Hand-sanded the wall infill last night and sanded the repairs to the adjacent wall . . . got 2 diluted coats of PVA on it, too.

Need to paint the side of the existing window frame tonight and then hope I've got enough of the coloured paint left over to paint the wall !

Also took delivery of my monitor mounting plate to mount it to the wall. It needs a quick buzz-over with a linishing pad and then a couple of coats of black hammerite.

Roadkill · « **Reply #18 on:** November 07, 2013, 03:40:44 pm »

ART -

Further to you mentioning the bicycle tyre inflator that you posted . . . . I'm assuming that all valve caps (for bikes and cars) are the same ??

If so, fitting one of these :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PACK-OF-FOUR-BOLT-IN-NICKEL-PLATED-TYRE-VALVES-FIT-11-5mm-HOLE-/251270824226?pt=UK_Cars_parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyres_trims_Valve_Caps_ET&hash=item3a80e88122

would then accept that inflator wouldn't it

Then you could use 16g CO2 bulbs and control the input . . . ?

art b · « **Reply #19 on:** November 07, 2013, 05:31:18 pm »

as far as i know ,yes to all of the above ....

although some racing tyres have different valves, most mountain bike type cycles have those ones,

Roadkill · « **Reply #20 on:** November 07, 2013, 06:02:32 pm »

The inflator you listed does the two different valves anyway.

art b · « **Reply #21 on:** November 07, 2013, 06:51:43 pm »

Quoting: Roadkill

The inflator you listed does the two different valves anyway.

it was only a quick guide.. there are other types listed too...

Roadkill · « **Reply #22 on:** November 11, 2013, 11:52:58 am »

A bit of progress here . . .

I manged to eek-out the bit of spare paint I had left over to get three coats on the in-filled section of wall . . . Then fitted the stud which'll take my monitor . . .

Then turned attention towards mounting the monitor.

I designed this simple plate and had it made (time saving) . . .

Chucked on some wrinkle paint (any excuse).

Note that the area to the right was purposely left "thin".

Mounted on the back of the monitor (I left the back paint-free so it wouldn't stick to the wall).

How it looks from the front (not that you'll see any of it any way . . . )

The monitor is now fitted to the wall and the height works really well . . . perfect if you're standing but also ideal if you sitting, too.

After that I made a start on the actual Home-Pub part of the project . . . after some serious head scratching and measuring (I was left with the space that I expected - but hoped for a bit more . . . ) I drilled three holes through the wall and into the shed.

They were very close together and on fitting the first tap mounting flange it quickly became apparent that the plasterboard would disintegrate with so many fixing so close together . . . .

So I stopped and drew up a mounting plate to take both the taps and the pressure gauges . . . I'm hoping to have that made this week at some point . . .

art b · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2013, 06:28:37 pm »

i look forward to seeing the results..

and pulling a pint from them

Roadkill · « **Reply #24 on:** December 09, 2013, 03:03:10 pm »

Hmm, this has been kinda on hold while the shed catches up . . . .

However I have been testing my pressure gauge theory and, after a few teething problems with a split fitting, I have success in principle.

I've just used a short piece of rubber hose for now, but this is the only difference . . . so I'm convinced the set-up I plan should work . . .

I just need my tap plate.