Has anyone made a walk in cooler?

GBov · #1 01/09/12, 08:16 PM

I have found plans on line to make walk in fridges for hanging beef but I wanted to ask if anyone here has made one. Any do's and dont's to making them?

We will be killing two steer in three months and I want the best posible beef hung for 21 days and that isnt going to happen in my fridge - lol.

TacticalTrout · #2 01/09/12, 08:38 PM

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/arc.../t-344338.html

I have looked at the coolbot conversion before, but I am not ready to do this yet.

commonsense · #3 01/12/12, 08:39 AM

I have one, it works very well. I use the coolbot and followed all their instructions to construct the cooler.

idigbeets · #4 01/13/12, 07:50 AM

I second the coolbot. Make sure you follow the recommendations on room size, type of A/C, insulate the floor etc for the best results.

GBov · #5 01/13/12, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idigbeets

I second the coolbot. Make sure you follow the recommendations on room size, type of A/C, insulate the floor etc for the best results.

Should I insulate a concrete floor? And if so, HOW?

blaineiac · #6 01/14/12, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GBov

Should I insulate a concrete floor? And if so, HOW?

It is easy before you pour. You need to prep and compact your gravel, put down a vapor barrier then place 1 1/2 -2" rigid insulation panels. If it is already poured, you can still do it. You'll have to glue the panels down and then cover with FRP, fire resistant panels. They are the thin plastic panels used on the walls of public restrooms. If you lay them opposite from the insulation to offset the joints I think it will be sturdy enough for foot traffic. I wouldnt try to split wood on it but it should be pretty solid. Good luck Blaine

Ed Norman · #7 01/14/12, 06:18 PM

We will be re-doing our butcher setup this year with rails and trolleys. How high does the rail need to be to hang a beef? I figure it is more than an elk but don't know how much more.

I want to make the coolbot room high enough to hang a beef, with a rail going in.

oregon woodsmok · #8 01/14/12, 10:12 PM

You can hang beef as quarters instead of sides and then the ceiling doesn't have to be nearly as tall.

Ed Norman · #9 01/14/12, 10:23 PM

Yeah I know, but if the plans work out, I want to pick it up at one end of the rail, skin, gut, split, and roll in to the cooler. After it hangs I will go hack off hunks to cut into market cuts.

kycrawler · #10 01/15/12, 08:19 PM

well a 1400 lb angus steer will stretch out to about 15-16 feet the rail in my shop is 16 feet and angus front feet drag the floor some holstien steers 16 feet the brisket will still touch the concrete

kycrawler · #11 01/15/12, 08:25 PM

also for a cooler you may consider a wrecked semi reefer trailer i bought a wrecked 48 ft thermo king for $500 cut it at the 22 foot mark and framed a garage door in in place of the back door set it down at ground level on cinder blocks got $350 back out of the dolley jacks and the rear bogey wheels and the scrap . I used this cooler / fridge mainly for commercial processing deer

blaineiac · #12 01/15/12, 08:52 PM

That is a great idea Crawler. A little work and you got a pretty much free cooler.

Ed Norman · #13 01/15/12, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kycrawler

well a 1400 lb angus steer will stretch out to about 15-16 feet the rail in my shop is 16 feet and angus front feet drag the floor some holstien steers 16 feet the brisket will still touch the concrete

Thanks.

HDRider · #14 01/16/12, 08:57 AM

Not a bad place to start.....

http://www.ncagr.gov/meatpoultry/pdf...Guidelines.pdf