Part 1: Neon

Added 4 neon tubes going down the stairs to give more of a Vegas feel to the entrance.

I had the opportunity to make these myself, and it was quite a neat experience. I have a friend in the local university’s art glass program, and he gave me a demo on how to make the them and then I proceeded to make 3 more. The tubes themselves are pre-made, and you have to melt the glass ends to attach the ‘nodes’ or whatever they are called that you attach the electricity to, then pump them full of neon gas. Hook them up to a transformer and there you have it, instant Vegas.

Now I just have to practice the bending of the tubes to make a giant flamingo or something.

Part 2: Kegerator with Wall Beer Tap

The next big addition was the adding of a beer tap behind the bar.

When my grandmother passed this summer, I claimed her old Philco refrigerator that was down in her basement. It amazes me how well things were made back in the day. This thing has about 3 inches of insulation on every side and is the quietest refrigerator compressor I have ever heard. It maintaining a steady 34 degrees (Fahrenheit) on the mid setting, which I couldn’t believe.

Worried that it would be a huge electricity drain, we hooked up a watt meter to it and it only takes the same amount of electricity as my mini-fridge under the bar. So no worries there.

I got the shank, faucet and coupler from the bar I used to work at, and ordered the drip tray from Perfect Brewing Supply. Picked up a 20 pound CO2 tank and regulator from a local gas supply company. Some hose, hose clamps, and a couple hole saw bits and I was all set to start.

Drilled the hole in the side of the fridge and put the 2 hoses through. I wrapped them in duct tape first to prevent them from being cut by the sharp metal edges on the hole. I drilled a pilot hole then did one side at a time to so I could look inside the wall of the fridge and make sure that I wasn’t going to hit a coolant line.

After shoving the hoses through the hole, I filled in the hole with Great Stuff expanding foam. That stuff really is Great. sealed the hole and hardened to hold the tubes in place.

Drilled a hole in the wall and mounted the faucet & shank with the drip tray hanging off it.

Drilled another hole below that and pushed the drain tube through and ran that down to the floor drain. Someday, when I get around to finishing the bath/laundry room, I’ll hard pipe that drain, but for now, this will work.

Hooked up all the rest of the tubing and then tapped my first beer.

Let me tell you, nothing tastes better than a beer out of your own wall.