Thanks for the info, but these animals were killed early season in temps close to 100 degrees, so we were trying to get them cooled down as quickly as possible. We were also concerned about any bugs that might be in their hair because the temp was still warm.
Will Build a Walk in Cooler for Nuts & DCO Growing
- Thread starter wbpdeer
- Start date
Turkey Creek
Well-Known Member
The wires on the Coolbot are probably long enough for most applications to install it outside the cooler. I bought a wireless thermometer, because on the trailer I obviously didnt want the Coolbot controller outside exposed to the elements.
Dennis Duffy
Active Member
Can i ask roughly how much you think you have in cost with building the walkin?
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Dennis D
I have not built one yet - but I will. Cost Centers are: cool bot, air conditioner, door, some framing, some sheeting, insulation board, wireless thermometer, light and caulk / tape.
At first I thought I was going to build a 5 by 6 or a 4 by 6. Now I am going to build a 4 by 7 and limit the inside height to 6' 3". The 4 by 7 will allow the materials to work out logically.
I am not going to hang deer in mind. I will have a wood floor over my insulation. The door - I may buy an exterior door but I might just build one too.
The people at cool bot have been super to communicate with and answer my questions in record time.
If a person cuts corner on insulation you are handing too much $$ to electrical cooperative. I am storing chesntuts, sawtooth, and other nuts. I am going to be growing DCO as they put down their roots. I will store bare root and scions in mine on a limited basis.
I am definitely sheeting the outside and likely will sheet the inside also.
I can buy a new air conditioner for $300 rated for 10,000 BTUs that will work with their cool bot.
I am concerned about building it so it works properly and is not an energy hog because the AC and insulation are a poor fit together.
I have not built one yet - but I will. Cost Centers are: cool bot, air conditioner, door, some framing, some sheeting, insulation board, wireless thermometer, light and caulk / tape.
At first I thought I was going to build a 5 by 6 or a 4 by 6. Now I am going to build a 4 by 7 and limit the inside height to 6' 3". The 4 by 7 will allow the materials to work out logically.
I am not going to hang deer in mind. I will have a wood floor over my insulation. The door - I may buy an exterior door but I might just build one too.
The people at cool bot have been super to communicate with and answer my questions in record time.
If a person cuts corner on insulation you are handing too much $$ to electrical cooperative. I am storing chesntuts, sawtooth, and other nuts. I am going to be growing DCO as they put down their roots. I will store bare root and scions in mine on a limited basis.
I am definitely sheeting the outside and likely will sheet the inside also.
I can buy a new air conditioner for $300 rated for 10,000 BTUs that will work with their cool bot.
I am concerned about building it so it works properly and is not an energy hog because the AC and insulation are a poor fit together.
Dennis Duffy
Active Member
How much is the cost of a cool bot?
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Update
This week I will begin to build my walk in cooler. My plan is 4 feet across with the door in the 4 feet end and 7 feet deep. The air conditioner will be in the end opposite of the door. I will use a cool bot and an indoor / outdoor thermometer to monitor the temperature.
I hope to maintain 34 / 35 degree temperatures.
As all things - you learn a great deal of important details as you construct it. I will do my best to post the construction details to help anyone else that would consider building one of their own. Mine will be for plants and nuts - not to be a deer cooler. Most coolers that are built seem to be for deer.
Thanks for reading this thread.
This week I will begin to build my walk in cooler. My plan is 4 feet across with the door in the 4 feet end and 7 feet deep. The air conditioner will be in the end opposite of the door. I will use a cool bot and an indoor / outdoor thermometer to monitor the temperature.
I hope to maintain 34 / 35 degree temperatures.
As all things - you learn a great deal of important details as you construct it. I will do my best to post the construction details to help anyone else that would consider building one of their own. Mine will be for plants and nuts - not to be a deer cooler. Most coolers that are built seem to be for deer.
Thanks for reading this thread.
Dennis, sorry I missed your question earlier. I wouldn't be a good person to ask this, because we had most all materials on hand before the build as my family is in the construction business. Only things we purchased were the coolbot, a box of screws, and a few cans of expanding foam insulation to seal the gaps from the outside.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I got organized today and collected about half of the materials I will need from Lowes. The walk in cooler will be 4 feet wide and 6 feet deep. This decision to reduce the size was made after I looked at the cost of insulation board and determined I wanted to cool it quickly and save electricity. I will purchase an air conditioner rated for 10,000 BTUs.
I don't have any photos yet but I will. Today I did get the floor completed but have to paint the plywood tomorrow. Just figured it would be better to get some building done before I post any photos. The inside height from floor to ceiling will be 74 inches which is 6' 2" in the clear.
It took the morning to collect the supplies - tomorrow I will start earlier in the day.
Thanks for reading this thread.
I don't have any photos yet but I will. Today I did get the floor completed but have to paint the plywood tomorrow. Just figured it would be better to get some building done before I post any photos. The inside height from floor to ceiling will be 74 inches which is 6' 2" in the clear.
It took the morning to collect the supplies - tomorrow I will start earlier in the day.
Thanks for reading this thread.
Cedar Ridge
Active Member
Very interested to follow your progress on this.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Project Statement: Build a 4 feet wide 6 feet deep 6 feet two inch high walk-in cooler in my basement. The basement floor is gravel. The cooler will use a 10,000 BTU Air Conditioner and a Cool Bot to override the controls.
Step One is to build the floor out of Styrofoam Board with a plywood top. I will put plastic down on top of the gravel. I used an piece of 1/2 inch board left over from my grow box build. That board has a 3.2 R insulation value. I used 5 sheets of 3/4" board that has an 4.0 R insulation value. I used a section of 19/32 inch Exterior Rated Plywood. I painted this white.
The first photo shows five sections of 3/4 inch Styrofoam board taped together. Beneath these five is the 1/2 inch of board. The combined insulation value of these six boards are 23.2 R.
At point later in the process these will all be lined up by the edges. For demonstration purpose, I showed the thinner board offset.
Step One is to build the floor out of Styrofoam Board with a plywood top. I will put plastic down on top of the gravel. I used an piece of 1/2 inch board left over from my grow box build. That board has a 3.2 R insulation value. I used 5 sheets of 3/4" board that has an 4.0 R insulation value. I used a section of 19/32 inch Exterior Rated Plywood. I painted this white.
The first photo shows five sections of 3/4 inch Styrofoam board taped together. Beneath these five is the 1/2 inch of board. The combined insulation value of these six boards are 23.2 R.
At point later in the process these will all be lined up by the edges. For demonstration purpose, I showed the thinner board offset.
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wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I cut all of the Styrofoam board with an Stanley Box cutter that I can keep a sharp blade in when one gets too dull.
This photo shows the measurement phase. When you do a project, you should go slowly and lay it out to see "how will this work."
The block wall is the front wall to my house. The grow box to the right of the photo was built in late 2014. In January of 2015 I grew my first Chinese Chestnuts in that box.
This is a demonstration photo. The 6 boards are not lined up yet and no plastic is beneath the insulation boards. The plywood has not been painted in this photo.
This photo shows the measurement phase. When you do a project, you should go slowly and lay it out to see "how will this work."
The block wall is the front wall to my house. The grow box to the right of the photo was built in late 2014. In January of 2015 I grew my first Chinese Chestnuts in that box.
This is a demonstration photo. The 6 boards are not lined up yet and no plastic is beneath the insulation boards. The plywood has not been painted in this photo.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
The plywood was painted on two storage containers so I didn't have to bend over.
That section of painted plywood is 48 inches wide and 72 inches long.
The grow box in the behind the plywood was built in late 2015 and in January of 2016 I grew 8 trays of rootmaker 18s. I painted early in the morning with a barn paint - oil base. I put a fan on it to facilitate the drying. This paid off. I was able to put it in place mid-afternoon.
That section of painted plywood is 48 inches wide and 72 inches long.
The grow box in the behind the plywood was built in late 2015 and in January of 2016 I grew 8 trays of rootmaker 18s. I painted early in the morning with a barn paint - oil base. I put a fan on it to facilitate the drying. This paid off. I was able to put it in place mid-afternoon.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
I used pressure treated 2 by 2s from Lowes for the framing. I will have the frame on the inside with the Styrofoam board attached to it on the outside.
The structural components are:
a. floor
b. 2 side walls
c. ceiling
d. back wall (with air conditioner)
e. front wall (with narrow door)
The photo below shows one of the two side wall frames. Basically a box with a center support and four little braces on each outside corner. We ain't building no piano - just a walk in cooler.
This put together with screws and commercial 90 degree clips purchased at Lowes. It may become necessary for me to move this at point in the future. It is not a weight bearing structure. It is light frame work that will need to be air tight and well insulated.
Remember you are looking at one of the two side walls. The base plate and top plate are each 72 inches long. The three vertical members are 71 3/4 inches long. Based upon the width of the 2 by 2s we will be approximately 74 inches in the clear. I stand 5' 10" tall.
The structural components are:
a. floor
b. 2 side walls
c. ceiling
d. back wall (with air conditioner)
e. front wall (with narrow door)
The photo below shows one of the two side wall frames. Basically a box with a center support and four little braces on each outside corner. We ain't building no piano - just a walk in cooler.
This put together with screws and commercial 90 degree clips purchased at Lowes. It may become necessary for me to move this at point in the future. It is not a weight bearing structure. It is light frame work that will need to be air tight and well insulated.
Remember you are looking at one of the two side walls. The base plate and top plate are each 72 inches long. The three vertical members are 71 3/4 inches long. Based upon the width of the 2 by 2s we will be approximately 74 inches in the clear. I stand 5' 10" tall.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
A photo showing how I use clips. I build by myself and don't have a person to hold the opposite end of any board. I use framing claps when it helps the process.
Using screws makes it possible to take it apart and move it should that be necessary.
FYI - I am showing this build with photos to help a beginner know how to build a similar unit. If you had a solid floor - not a gravel floor - the build would be easier IMHO. Experienced builders don't need this level of detail to get one completed.
Using screws makes it possible to take it apart and move it should that be necessary.
FYI - I am showing this build with photos to help a beginner know how to build a similar unit. If you had a solid floor - not a gravel floor - the build would be easier IMHO. Experienced builders don't need this level of detail to get one completed.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
This photo shows the base screwed down to the plywood and the plastic installed beneath the styrofoam boards. I used 3 inch screws to go thru the 2 by 2, the plywood and catch the top 3/4 insulation board. This helped tie the parts together at this point. Later in the process I will improve attaching the floor to the side walls.
Nothing has been plumed at this point. The plastic exceeds the size of the walk-in cooler. This is by design - later it will be attached to the vertical walls. You are looking at the back wall in this photo. The air conditioner on this side will be out of any sunlight that comes thru the basement windows and it will be able to send the exhaust air into the center of the basement without obstruction. This will allow the AC to work with less stress.
Nothing has been plumed at this point. The plastic exceeds the size of the walk-in cooler. This is by design - later it will be attached to the vertical walls. You are looking at the back wall in this photo. The air conditioner on this side will be out of any sunlight that comes thru the basement windows and it will be able to send the exhaust air into the center of the basement without obstruction. This will allow the AC to work with less stress.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Last detail of today was I braced the back wall in a plumed position. Both top plates on the back wall and the front wall have been installed. I don't have a photo showing that but they are in place. Tomorrow I will work on framing the front wall and door way. I will begin to add stryofoam board to the sides and ceiling as well.
This is the back wall which will get an air conditioner installed in it. I imagine I will select and purchase the air conditioner tomorrow. Availability may be an issue in November - we shall see. As you can see we have a narrow location for this cooler. The plastic will allow the unit to be slide side to side as insulation get installed.
Thanks for reading this thread. Tomorrow night I will show tomorrow's progress.
This is the back wall which will get an air conditioner installed in it. I imagine I will select and purchase the air conditioner tomorrow. Availability may be an issue in November - we shall see. As you can see we have a narrow location for this cooler. The plastic will allow the unit to be slide side to side as insulation get installed.
Thanks for reading this thread. Tomorrow night I will show tomorrow's progress.
