Official Fridge Transformation Thread
- Thread starter strnge
- Start date
Hey guys,
I'm a newbie to this particular journal.com but I have looked around here for a while and I like a lot of threads I have read on here. I hope someone can help me out with my specific questions.
Me and my brother want to customize a fridge. He brews his own beer and we will be turning it into a kegerator. He wants to paint the doors with custom paint colors like orange metallic and flat black and later he will do some pinstriping and airbrushing on it. We were looking at using the duplicolor paint shop acrylic laquer stuff since it's a lot safer to use than enamels or urethane(contain isocycanates) and cheaper and it seems to be more user friendly for the DIY guy at home. Can I use the duplicolor stuff on the fridge or will it not stick? do I need to spray fresh appliance epoxy paint first and then some kind of adhesion promoter to make the duplicolor stick and last a long time?
It does have that textured "grain" surface or whatever it's called so would I need a particular type of filler primer or body filler in order to make it smooth? My brother would prefer that we made it smooth and glossy.
I will be taking pictures and I would like to post them on here if everything works out
I'm a newbie to this particular journal.com but I have looked around here for a while and I like a lot of threads I have read on here. I hope someone can help me out with my specific questions.
Me and my brother want to customize a fridge. He brews his own beer and we will be turning it into a kegerator. He wants to paint the doors with custom paint colors like orange metallic and flat black and later he will do some pinstriping and airbrushing on it. We were looking at using the duplicolor paint shop acrylic laquer stuff since it's a lot safer to use than enamels or urethane(contain isocycanates) and cheaper and it seems to be more user friendly for the DIY guy at home. Can I use the duplicolor stuff on the fridge or will it not stick? do I need to spray fresh appliance epoxy paint first and then some kind of adhesion promoter to make the duplicolor stick and last a long time?
It does have that textured "grain" surface or whatever it's called so would I need a particular type of filler primer or body filler in order to make it smooth? My brother would prefer that we made it smooth and glossy.
I will be taking pictures and I would like to post them on here if everything works out
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superdutymike27
Well-known member
$200 on CL. Works great. 1957 Hotpoint. Going to paint it to match my truck when I get around to it.
Nice job. The legal department from Jack Daniels should be in touch shortly looking for their licensing fee.
Still waiting. LOL
Northstar
Well-known member
Here's mine:
$60 on Craigslist, he had it unplugged for a while, but plugged it in when I first looked at it. Came back in about 2 hours to take it and it was already cold and no leaks (used laser temp gun). I've taken the door off and apart, cleaned the main body and mechanicals, but haven't settled on a design quite yet. I'll finish it before winter. It will be an automotive theme, just can't settle on which one I've drawn out.
$60 on Craigslist, he had it unplugged for a while, but plugged it in when I first looked at it. Came back in about 2 hours to take it and it was already cold and no leaks (used laser temp gun). I've taken the door off and apart, cleaned the main body and mechanicals, but haven't settled on a design quite yet. I'll finish it before winter. It will be an automotive theme, just can't settle on which one I've drawn out.
arturo7
Well-known member
No before pics, but here is my garage fridge. Chalkboard paint on the door. Catering tray used as an escutcheon for the homebrew taps. This keeps the taps out of harm's way in a high traffic area. Not shown are the flat wooden tabs which serve as tap handles. The fridge to right has been converted to a fermentation chamber.
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malibulvr
Well-known member
Here's mine:
$60 on Craigslist, he had it unplugged for a while, but plugged it in when I first looked at it. Came back in about 2 hours to take it and it was already cold and no leaks (used laser temp gun). I've taken the door off and apart, cleaned the main body and mechanicals, but haven't settled on a design quite yet. I'll finish it before winter. It will be an automotive theme, just can't settle on which one I've drawn out.
Nice fridge, now wheres the 72 thread??? LOL
RebelAlliance
Well-known member
Came across this one while searching for cool shop fridges.
Chilliwack Murray
Well-known member
Precisely. Not even sure of the age, it's a "Ben Hur" brand and it's been running continuously since 1945 when my Dad bought USED after returning home from WW2. How many pounds of **** created by replacing the new and improved fridge every 8 - 10 years... That's roughly 7 fridges it has outlived in it's 70 or years of running (probably more of those high quality 80s and 90s products).
I'll gladly not put lights under all my eaves to light up the outside of my house and keep my old fridge... While I'm at it I will keep my 25 year old Christmas lights, I'm done buying expensive LED lights every year or two and never finding the same replacement LEDs to fix them when they quit working. (More junk to go to the dump every year and they were supposed to last forever too).
One final note... Around here the furnace is running about 8 months of the year so anything that creates heat in the house like the fridge is contributing to heating the house. A less efficient fridge is likely producing more waste heat which is just contributing to the heating of the house so to say this increased power use is a total loss is false. Same goes for incandescent bulbs, in places with strictly hydroelectric electricity and natural gas heating (in the heating season). Greenhouse gas emission goes up with CFL and LED bulbs because a large amount of heat is not produced inside the house which has to be made up by the natural gas furnace.
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Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Came across this one while searching for cool shop fridges.
That fridge is nothing less than just total badass!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
MN4x4
Well-known member
Came across this one while searching for cool shop fridges.
WOW! Somebody has a lot of vision and put a ton of work into that thing. I'm extremely impressed! Wonder if it's anybody on here?
christopizza
Well-known member
Well you guys have convinced me to get water out to the new garage. My fridge has an ice maker!!!!
Fyrme
Well-known member
Not sure how i've missed this thread over the last year. But it has motivated me to bring my project closer to the front burner. Here's one for all you Prius driving power nazi's that love to crash threads you have no interest in.......
My 1960's upright freezer, soon to be refrigerator. It will have less energy consumption than your $2500 "Energy Star" Super Duper.
My 1960's upright freezer, soon to be refrigerator. It will have less energy consumption than your $2500 "Energy Star" Super Duper.
Here is the "before" photo of my 1940's? Coronado. I cant find another one to tell what exact year it is. It works great, and cools the beer perfectly cold. I am in the sign business, so redoing it was not bad at all. The bottom was really rusty, but a trip to my sandblast buddy took care of that.
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Here is the "after" photo. I bought a new door gasket, and had the shelves and handle rechromed. The color is an olive green base/clear. My wife wouldn't let me put this one in the garage (it is in my 3 season patio) so I had to buy another one to put in my garage.
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RbrtAWhyt
Well-known member
elvee
Well-known member
Out of curiosity, where did you source the replacement gasket? I have an old GE sitting in pieces in the shop waiting on paint, and it will need the gasket replaced before I'm done with it.
http://www.antiqueappliances.com/gaskets1.htm
You will have to match up the type of gasket to yours.
You will have to match up the type of gasket to yours.
A couple other fridges I did this summer, while I was finishing up my garage. One of them is a 1950 GM Frigidaire (Black one) that I gave to a good buddy of mine. It is almost screaming "PINSTRIPE ME"!! He is into the 50's type hotrods, so we are thinking up something to letter on it that fits with that period.
Second one is a 1955 International Harvestor. I bought some digitally printed vinyl and wrapped it (Mossy Oak) and then painted the door a base/clear copper metallic. The color wasn't my choice! It is going in my brothers weekend cabin in Minnesota.
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Second one is a 1955 International Harvestor. I bought some digitally printed vinyl and wrapped it (Mossy Oak) and then painted the door a base/clear copper metallic. The color wasn't my choice! It is going in my brothers weekend cabin in Minnesota.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
I like both of the 'fridge's, and I have to agree....the satin black 'fridge is really in need of some pinstripes big time. Red, white, and blue pinstripes, or some bright green and yellow, and orange.
The orange 'fridge also needs something. Not quite sure what it needs, but not striping due to the gloss of the pant. It needs something though on that large blank canvas. Ghost flames would look super on it!!!!
Both look super though, and a great job. Kudos.
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SpeedCoach
Well-known member
Hmm....leave it to you guys to force me into feeling a sudden need to paint my beer fridge. Looks like another job has landed on the spring project list. I thought i had done well so far...
From simple apartment sized fridge:
to 3-keg homebrew setup:
From simple apartment sized fridge:
to 3-keg homebrew setup:
Chilliwack Murray
Well-known member
Officially my favourite thread now. (No pun intended.)
I know Kevin, in needs something, but it is now in the possession of my SIL, and she has different ideas on what she likes. Plus, it is going in there cabin, so I don't think she wanted something LOUD! haha
I did one for another buddy, and we flamed it the "right way". Meaning, that the flames looked professionally done, and were proportionate. It looked right.
I am trying to find that pic.
Brad
I did one for another buddy, and we flamed it the "right way". Meaning, that the flames looked professionally done, and were proportionate. It looked right.
I am trying to find that pic.
Brad
I guess people can do what they want to their fridges, but I have just never been a fan of guys cutting their doors apart and installing taps for kegs. I am glad that I don't see many of the old ones (40-50's) made into smokers either.
Its the same thing with car dashes.......I don't care for it, when people get rid of the stock gauges, and put some new round Autometer gauges in there. I prefer the dash/gauges to remain stock. To each his own though!
Its the same thing with car dashes.......I don't care for it, when people get rid of the stock gauges, and put some new round Autometer gauges in there. I prefer the dash/gauges to remain stock. To each his own though!
My 1938 General Electric Fridge. It is completely original, and the only thing I did was do some mud work, and paint it the same color as my 67 Chevelle, in base/clear.
All the stainless and chrome is in really nice shape.
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All the stainless and chrome is in really nice shape.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
My 1938 General Electric Fridge. It is completely original, and the only thing I did was do some mud work, and paint it the same color as my 67 Chevelle, in base/clear.
All the stainless and chrome is in really nice shape.[/URL][/IMG]
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That's a great looking fridge also
I know what I'm going to be keeping an eye out for from now on. The old fridge's have style to them compared to the new square style of fridge. And the colors you've painted them look stellar. I was wondering what it would cost to fix up an older refrigerator, but in thinking about it, if an old one has a bad compressor, I wouldn't know why one could put in a compressor out of a newer style. Sometimes a person can pick up a newer style for $50 or so.Oh, and Wark...since you mentioned Chevelle.....Pics are in order now
Hey Kevin
I am sure that one could do a transplant on the compressor and such, but I haven't done any of that. I prefer to find ones that already work! ha I put a wanted ad on CL, and had 3 or 4 to choose from. I bought them all! I paid from $50-$100 or each, but the green Coronado I paid more for.
Okay, here is my high school car, 67 Chevelle, 496 BB, 4 sp, 12 bolt
This is NOT me, it is my nephew!
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I am sure that one could do a transplant on the compressor and such, but I haven't done any of that. I prefer to find ones that already work! ha I put a wanted ad on CL, and had 3 or 4 to choose from. I bought them all! I paid from $50-$100 or each, but the green Coronado I paid more for.
Okay, here is my high school car, 67 Chevelle, 496 BB, 4 sp, 12 bolt
This is NOT me, it is my nephew!
Red Leader
Well-known member
That's a great looking fridge also
Oh, and Wark...since you mentioned Chevelle.....Pics are in order now
First, awesome fridge! I'll also second the idea of finding one already working, which is actually not what I did haha (luckily, my '34 Frigidaire only has an electrical issue and the refrigerant line is intact). But on some of those fridges, even up til about 1940 (or maybe after, who knows), a lot of them used sulfur dioxide as a refrigerant, which is a nasty, nasty substance. In the little research I did on fridges (trying to find out more about what my fridge uses, Dichrlorotetroflouromethane, R-114), a lot of fridges from the old days used methyl chloride and sulfur dioxide. I read somewhere that once said that due to some deaths where leaking fridges were involved (back in the late 1920s-1930s), they kept working on refrigerants until they settled on R-12 which was the standard for a long, long time. Many times, you can look around on the back/bottom of the fridge and it will have a tag that denotes the refrigerant used.
GE/Frigidaire made some awesome boxes back in the day. They are all beautiful and the inside is often just as pretty. Good luck in your search!
Here are some shots of mine before I cleaned it up:
All my photos of what I've done to it so far are 'unavailable' due to Fotki issues, but hopefully I'll see them up again soon (I hope).
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Red Leader.........Not nice to tease like that
Wark....beautiful Chevelle.!!!!!
Red Leader
Well-known member
OK, try to hold yourself back when you see this transformation:
Before
After
Actually I have a mini fridge that this post has given inspiration for. Neat idea!
I wanted to comment and tell you that your shop area looks wonderful - nice, bright and clean. Right on!
Red Leader
Well-known member
Red Leader.........Not nice to tease like that
Wark....beautiful Chevelle.!!!!!
Honestly, its not much...but it is taking a polishing to quite nicely, including the patina left behind by some rust.
ugly kustom
Well-known member
many more??
JC23
Well-known member
My 1938 General Electric Fridge. It is completely original, and the only thing I did was do some mud work, and paint it the same color as my 67 Chevelle, in base/clear.
All the stainless and chrome is in really nice shape.[/URL][/IMG]
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Man! That thing is screamin for some pinstriping! At the very least. FYI, gold leaf looks great on that kinda red, too.
Here's a little teaser for one I am working on.
Late 40s kelvinator. Got it cheap as a project to practice auto body work and spraying paint.
It's now painted Mexico Blue to mach an old 911 I am restoring.
Moving pretty slow but I am hoping to have it all back together by the end of the year with a few cool fabricated bits.
IMG_1656.jpg
Late 40s kelvinator. Got it cheap as a project to practice auto body work and spraying paint.
It's now painted Mexico Blue to mach an old 911 I am restoring.
Moving pretty slow but I am hoping to have it all back together by the end of the year with a few cool fabricated bits.
IMG_1656.jpg
JC23
Well-known member
^^^ See comment in post number 238.