Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **BoilermakerFan** » Sun Sep 26, 2004 8:59 pm

Since this my official first post, I need to say, "Wow, what an amazing site!"

I'm contemplating building a TD. I've spent the last week really digging into this site and visiting members pages. I'm blown away by some of the original ideas that I've seen.

One thing I haven't seen is a keg tap. I would like to incorporate a small Cornelius keg setup. The Cornelius kegs are the Coca-Cola styled aluminum kegs the syrup used to come in, not the big barrels from college parties. It wouldn't be a huge weight penalty, at least it's certainly one I'd be willing to accept!

I would plan to leave the keg "warm" in an insulated cabinet, but the beer would be chilled through a jockey box cooler arrangement since I would have the cooler in the Galley anyways. I would use a small 5-7 pound CO2 tank tucked out of the way.

Before I try to reinvent the wheel, has anyone else already incorporated a small keg system for their homebrew?

TIA!

Brian

by **Stephen G.** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 12:04 am

Hello BoilermakerFan and Welcome:)

Wish I could help but I can do is welcome you.

by **dmb90260** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:37 pm

A jockey box will work but I would leave it outside so it would be much easier to put in more ice and/or drain the water out. If you search the net or brewer pages, you may be able to find a 3 gal keg which would be much easier to use. I have a couple but I got them about 10 years ago and they were not easy to find then.
I would set up the system outside for ease of cleaning but you can still have a nice tap handle in your galley if you push it wit5h co2.
There is one Tear maker, I believe in Ohio, that offered a version for tailgating that included a keg system of some sort. I am uncertain of the name but it might have been a Little Guy.

ccasion5:

by **campadk** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:05 pm

This reminds me of the beverage tap on the Little Guy Teardrop...

http://www.teardroptrailersexpress.com/ ... ture&id=26

http://www.teardroptrailersexpress.com/ ... 1=Beer+Tap

by **mikeschn** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 4:27 pm

Hey TailgatorNut... this has your name on it...

The second link in the above email...

Mike...

by **BoilermakerFan** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:47 pm

Dennis, I haven't seen a 3gal keg. Have any pics or links? The Cornelius kegs are pretty small and easy for homebrewers. A friend of mine is a serious homebrewer and I'm getting back into it, but plan to stick with malt extracts.

Thanks Dave. That is very similar to what I'm looking for, although I want my tap inside the galley. I don't want to "advertise" the tap or have it get covered with road muck. I know I could frabricate a cover with a lock, but my thought is to have the tap positioned in such a way as to allow access from the galley and cabin for those really cold, wet nights!

I really like the 2+2 design from the T&TTT design contest with a few slight mods. The stock 2+2 design has the room to stash the goodies, but still allow access to the keg, jockey box cooler, CO2, lines etc. I just have to figure out how to strip weight out of the basic structure. I'm planning on a thin ply/insulation/ply build and may have to look into an aluminum frame, but I need to see how much weight it would actually save.

I'll have to brush up my CAD skills and enter my modified design in the next contest!

by **mikeschn** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:10 pm

Hey BoilermakerFan,

We need some more CAD designers to help create 3d models that we can look at... we could sure use your help... what CAD system do you use?

Mike...

by **BoilermakerFan** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:42 pm

I haven't played CAD Jock for eight years, so I'm really rusty and haven't spent any time using the current programs. I just have to find a bit of free time when I'm not too tire to stare at a cursor on a black screen. I have access to AutoCAD I believe. I'm not an engineer, but I have a lot of friends who are. They do a lot of PC board design and mechanical design.

I also have another lower-cost CAD program stashed away on the hardrive, can't remember which one, but it can eidt and save DWG files for AutoCAD2000/2002/2004.

Oh, and I have friends that use the high-end 3-D modeling packages too! They can import the CAD drawing, then send me an executable file that uses an IE plug-in to render and view the model! I think it's SolidWorks. Use to use it with submitted quotes when I worked for that company. Neat thing is SolidWorks will catch errors now if you have mistakes in your drawing when you go to render. I'll have him try it with the 2+2 design first.

I'll check with my buddies tomorrow.

by **mikeschn** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:46 pm

Hey what ever you can come up with is fine... and if you happen to come up with a 2D file, in dxf format, send it to me and I'll extrude it into the 3rd dimension!!!

Mike...

by **BoilermakerFan** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:51 pm

Will do.

My emphasis will be on the 2+2 inspired design. I have the DWG file and when I edit it, I'll save it as a DXF so you can extrude it if I can't get it down in SolidWorks.

Brian

by **dmb90260** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:23 pm

Dennis, I haven't seen a 3gal keg. Have any pics or links? The Cornelius kegs are pretty small and easy for homebrewers. A friend of mine is a serious homebrewer and I'm getting back into it, but plan to stick with malt extracts.

I know they are hard to find. You can check with my brew guru, Ray Ault at http://www.winemakingbrewingco.com/
He does carry a wide range of products and may be able to help you find one. They are perfect for the fridge. I loved making beer but none of my buddies liked good beer and I made too much. My waist line said I had to give it up. But the genes go on, I gave all my equipment to my nephew for home use. At work, he is the Brewmeister for North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg CALIFORNIA.
I used whole grains at the end but one of my best was a Russian Imperial Raspberry Stout that could lay you low but you did not care. It was done with extracts, they get better all the time.
Good luck with you keg setup but remember to disconnect it and don't park in any "homeless" areas. :drunken:
Slainte.

by **BoilermakerFan** » Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:47 pm

Thanks Dennis.

Surprised your friends weren't lined up to help you drink the good beer and help keep it off your waist. My friends give me a hard time for drinking "light" beers, MGD & Rolling Rock! They are mostly Ale and Stout drinkers though.

My favorite extract recipe is Rocky Racoon's Honey Lager from Charlie's first Joy of Hombrewing book. I changed the finish hops to Saaz and increased the honey a bit. It was potent and smooth. I had a plastic setup with real Grolsch bottles. Gave it to my college roomate. Going to do a glass setup this time with an outdoor burner and real brew kettle!

Yep, I would disconnect before traveling. My other concern is shaking up the keg while traveling. I guess I'll have to filter it when I rack it into the keg.

by **angib** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 9:29 am

Brian wrote:My emphasis will be on the 2+2 inspired design. I have the DWG file and when I edit it, I'll save it as a DXF so you can extrude it if I can't get it down in SolidWorks.

As you might expect (as I did the 2+2 design) I'll be very interested to see your results and I'd be happy to add them to the 2+2 page if you want (and if I have space left!).

Andrew

by **BoilermakerFan** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 4:58 pm

Andrew, I think the design rocks! I want to see if I can make it a tad taller, and a tad shorter.

It definitely has space for my keg tap though!

I'll send my ideas to you and you can tweek it and see if it would work.

by **BoilermakerFan** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 12:01 am

Well, I'm working on my own design, but I've also been talking to Cary at Camp-Inn an we think we could probably squeeze a cornelius keg, co2, and tap into a 550. Now I'm really torn! Build or Buy?

Yes, Mike I know the correct answer is both, but I only have room for one, and I still have to convince my wife to let me have the first one!

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Has anyone integrated a Cornelius keg into their Galley?

Has anyone integrated a Cornelius keg into their Galley?

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