Buy Tobacco Leaf Online | Whole Leaf Tobacco

Search for freezer

Status
Not open for further replies.

marksctm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
451
Points
0
Location
South West Ohio
Well my year long search for a fridge or freezer for a kiln is over.
My friend called and said his sister bought a new freezer and do I want her old upright freezer, I said sure! the only problem is, the damn thing works fine.
Is it possible to drill top for vent (ball valve), and bottom, side, for power (1-1/4 pipe and escutcheons) and still use as a freezer if ever needed in a emergency?
Either way it's going to be a kiln, I just hate to trash a good freezer.
Thanks,
 

johnlee1933

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
3,970
Points
0
Location
Near Danbury, CT
Don't worry about it. A small air leak can be introduced by taping an obstruction, top and bottom, to interfere with the door sealing properly. I don't know it it would be toothpick or pencil size. That would have to be determined experimentally. -- John
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
Good find Chris! Congratulations on the kiln / freezer. Check out LeftyRighty's latest efforts for a look at a first class job.

Use a nipple threaded on each end to go thru the wall. If you need the freezer stuff the nipple with insulation and use a threaded cap on each end of the nipple.
 

LeftyRighty

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
515
Points
63
Location
west central MO
If the freezer has all the cooling coils exposed, on back outside, and inside as part of the shelves or the like, you may be OK. Just inspect thoroughly and carefully to locate wiring, coil routing, etc, and drill to avoid.
If all cooling coils are hidden in the wall, you're SOL, you'll probably hit something drilling holes.
 

johnlee1933

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
3,970
Points
0
Location
Near Danbury, CT
Good find Chris! Congratulations on the kiln / freezer. Check out LeftyRighty's latest efforts for a look at a first class job.

Use a nipple threaded on each end to go thru the wall. If you need the freezer stuff the nipple with insulation and use a threaded cap on each end of the nipple.
Yep, and if that nipple is plastic the conductive heat loss will be minor while it is a freezer. For me the down side is if it went into use as a freezer it would never see use as a kiln. -- John
 

DrBob

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
709
Points
28
Location
lewis wisconsin
Yes you can do that. Before you bore any holes start it up and let it run. leave the door open to make it work hard and after it runs a couple of hours feel the sides of the cabinet and where the high pressure lines are in the walls of the freezer you will be able to feel the hot pipes. Dont drill there, that simple.

Dr.Bob
 

DrBob

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
709
Points
28
Location
lewis wisconsin
or as another option you can put the needed holes for ventilation in the door aint no pipes in there.
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
Yep, and if that nipple is plastic the conductive heat loss will be minor while it is a freezer. For me the down side is if it went into use as a freezer it would never see use as a kiln. -- John

Ditto this. While you may be able to work around the kiln to use the freezer, once you fill the freezer you can forget the kiln, unless you have somewhere else to go with all that frozen stuff. If you have somewhere else to go with all that frozen stuff, why fill the kiln with it in the first place. As long as you looked for a freezer to make a kiln, I vote you make a kiln.
 

marksctm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
451
Points
0
Location
South West Ohio
Ditto this. While you may be able to work around the kiln to use the freezer, once you fill the freezer you can forget the kiln, unless you have somewhere else to go with all that frozen stuff. If you have somewhere else to go with all that frozen stuff, why fill the kiln with it in the first place. As long as you looked for a freezer to make a kiln, I vote you make a kiln.

It's just me here, my freezer over the fridge is more than enough for me, It's going to be a kiln that (might) be able to be used as a freezer if needed.
If I F*#% it up freezer wise, oh well at least I tried to keep it functional.
Only thing I need is a commercial water heater thermostat and some kind of small fans, and the pvc fittings.
I have 2 sizes of crock pots to pick from and remote temp and humidity sensor, anything else I need please let me know.
I'm shooting for the kiln/flew cure set up if possible, I've been reading some of the ideas on trying to make a kiln that could also be switched over to a flew cure chamber if possible.
 

Boboro

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
4,530
Points
83
Location
Wren Mississippi
I have a 150 watt lite bulb in mine. I bought a 110 pooter fan off the net that has workedwell for3 years.
 

DrBob

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
709
Points
28
Location
lewis wisconsin
to do it cheap go to the hardware store and get a lower element water heater thermostat. $12 if you have a 5 qt crockpot use that just cause you have to fill it less. normal power consumption is about 125 watts in a 60 degree room. put your exhaust pipe on the top, prefferably in a corner because it can drip back water from condensation on the stack. When I get the flue curing changes figgured out you will be able to save the existing exhaust. A 1" exhaust pipe should be satisfactory but if you plan on flue curing later put in a 1 1/2" instead. I would not spend any more $ on a thermostat right now because for flue curing you will need a programmable one which will cost about $80.00

Dr.Bob
 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama
I really liked leftyrighty's siphon feed to his crock pot. Cheap to install and saves energy by not opening the door every day to refill crock pot.
 

Boboro

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
4,530
Points
83
Location
Wren Mississippi
It's just me here, my freezer over the fridge is more than enough for me, It's going to be a kiln that (might) be able to be used as a freezer if needed.
If I F*#% it up freezer wise, oh well at least I tried to keep it functional.
Only thing I need is a commercial water heater thermostat and some kind of small fans, and the pvc fittings.
I have 2 sizes of crock pots to pick from and remote temp and humidity sensor, anything else I need please let me know.
I'm shooting for the kiln/flew cure set up if possible, I've been reading some of the ideas on trying to make a kiln that could also be switched over to a flew cure chamber if possible.
A kill a Watt from horbor freight will come in handy to know when the power is on and off.
 

marksctm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2012
Messages
451
Points
0
Location
South West Ohio
Well I got my freezer It's a Rich Pean commercial.
I ran it 48 hours with crock (170 watt) set on low, and it leveled out at 119 F and 80 to 83% RH.
That's still stock, no modifications done to the freezer yet, still have to hole saw for vent and power.
And I'm sure those numbers will change when fully loaded.

Has any body tried this temperature set up? !CCHOooQ!Wk~$(KGrHqZ,!iQE0GiM5)lRBNKIIPy4gQ~~_35.JPGMini Digital Temperature Controller Thermostat Aquarium(-50 to 99 c) 58 to 210 F I think?There 14.50 British pounds ($23.33) FREE SHIPPING, just wondering how good they worked compared to the RANCO
I did see that the
RANCO ETC-111000 Temp Controller is down to $49.38 plus Shipping at Climate Doctors.
Or is the water heater thermostat the one to use?

Thanks for any input,



 

Knucklehead

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
12,171
Points
113
Location
NE Alabama

DrBob

Moderator
Founding Member
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
709
Points
28
Location
lewis wisconsin
the water heater thermostat has served me well, not perfect but stone simple. The ranco is the best choice if you want easy to use and program. It really is the best thing out there. it is easy to set up and easy to adjust. It has good contacts also. That chinese controller is not so easy to set up. The contacts are not as rugged as the ranco either, If you buy one you should get another as a backup.

In my opinion, get a lower element thermostat. At $12.00 it is less than the cost of freight of the ranco. If flue curing is in your future then I would pop for the ranco now.
As far as the performance of your crockpot in your freezer it is hard to tell, how many cubic feet is it? what is the temperature where you did the testing? Is it tight? are the door seals good? Air leaks are a man killer. If you ran the crockpot with water and no ventilation you should be seeing more like 95% humidity. I suspect an air leak
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top