Home Bar build w/ aquarium/rotating tap tower/ferm chamber

Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:33 am

I built this home bar with my two housemates earlier this year. We built a kegerator and then thought why not build a simple bar for it. Then everyone had some good ideas and things got a little less simple. We decided on the idea of an integrated fermentation chamber based on internet research (and we like to brew). The aquarium was really decided on mid build and we even had to make some alterations to accommodate it. The rotating tap was thought of while shopping at the hardware store and seeing a toilet flange and a ball bearing "lazy susan" piece that was metal, thin and strong and it all clicked that it could be done I had just never heard of it.

Here is a link to my first youtube video/slideshow for the project




The 2X4 in the lower right was later removed and things altered when we decided to add an aquarium
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Fermentation chamber had foam and other materials added for insulation
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We made it this far and still had not thought of the aquarium
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Had to put the finished back of bar here for contrast but a little out of order...still have not got around to painting that ugly white fridge door
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Time to cut glass since there are few choices out there for a column shaped aquarium and we decided to cut glass rather than buy one half the size premade
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Started working on altering the bar to hold a corner 30 gallon aquarium
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Tank is basically on a framed cart that slides into bar to look like one piece or can be removed for cleaning
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We created a hinged door next to the tank to hold the co2, reg and aquarium equipment. It is also designed to look seamless when closed as one piece
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A foam rock wall seemed nice after seeing on the internet...thank you internets.
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After spraying expanding foam between live rock pieces and letting dry, resin was applied then sand....this shot is half coated in resin/sand and half just the foam
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completed with a hidden diy filter and no live plants yet
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Current shot several months with established tank
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Why not have a tap tower that can rotate 180 degrees...I mean I am lazy
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This is the wood base the tap tower sits on. It has a layer of felted foam on the underside to remove any slop/wobble from the base when attached and rotating.
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Wish i had a better shot but basically these 2 female cabinet locks are attached to the bed of the bar and the male pieces attached under the wood base the tap tower sits on so when rotating they lock in place.
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Also built and soldered a shelving unit with dimmable led lighting with glass behind
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Haven't finished this yet as you can see the middle shelf has molding and the top and bottom are unfinished
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We also added some usb and power ports under the bar rail (easy to use if sitting at bar) but I didn't have any pics
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Still working on bar area ...next project will be a glass chiller/chalkboard cabinet connected to the keg fridge for cooling which will be around the area where the Guinness sign is now. Also need to work on some custom tap handles and other decor a bit.
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RyenyTheElder
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:18 am

Re: Home Bar build w/ aquarium/rotating tap tower/ferm chamb

Sat Nov 15, 2014 7:32 am

That is AWESOME! Looks GREAT!

My only question is how does air circulate to the back of the ferm chamber fridge and the kegerator? You aren't going to be able to cool the chamber if there's no circulation to carry away the heat. Trapping that heat will also make them wear out quickly.

I'd suggest you cut an air vent hole on each side (one low and one high) and mount a computer fan so that it draws fresh air in and across the cooling grate on the back of the fridge.

+-----------+
| 8 FAN out
| |
| |
0 IN |
+-----------+

Damn interwebs strip out all the spaces. That is supposed to be a rectangle with a hole on the bottom left
and a fan on the top right. The view is as if you are looking through the aquarium at the back of the ferm fridge.
the holes would obviously be on the wooden sides, not the aquarium. :D

Do a similar thing for the kegerator.

In essence, draw the air in on the outside on the bottom, and blow it out at the top so the air draws across all the cooling coils.


my .02
-B'Dawg
BJCP GM3 Judge & Mead
"Lunch Meat. It's an acquired taste....." -- Mylo
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BDawg
 
Posts: 4993
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:27 pm
Location: North Bend, WA

Re: Home Bar build w/ aquarium/rotating tap tower/ferm chamb

Sat Nov 15, 2014 9:38 am

I got computer fans setup pretty much how you described probably have some pics as well just didn't want to post 100 pictures first post. but yeah i know about the circulation and already have a couple fans in my rig that seem to do a good job but i did omit them in the pics and description along with some other details of the build
RyenyTheElder
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:18 am

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