Meat locker options

[HuntMT16]

I am getting ready to build a meat cooler at my house. I am planning an 8x8 cooler with 2x6 walls, R30 insulation, with plywood walls on the inside (painted with Kilz paint for easy clean up) insulated door and all sealed up really well. I plan to cool it with a new air conditioner and a Coolbot controller. I have a concrete pad behind my garage which I can built everything on. Pricing out the cost of materials, for a very ballpark figure I am looking at $3200, probably planning on closer to $3500 once it's all said and finished.

But here is my question to you all; is there a prefabbed meat cooler out there that are somewhat price comparable? There are so many companies that make prefabbed sheds, garages, greenhouses, etc but I can't seem to find anything for a meat locker that is for personal use? Plenty out there for commercial that are in the 5 figure ranges, but I don't need anything that big or fancy.

 

[cgasner1]

How much meat you gonna hang? I bought a commercial refrigerator this year I bet I can hang 2 elk in and it’s great for the rest of the year was 1900 delivered

 

[95tigerbill]

Look for restaurant foreclosure auctions.

 

[morley.tyler]

Look for restaurant foreclosure auctions.

THIS! I've seen smart guys pick up walk-in coolers from failed restaurants and convert them to smokers and meat lockers.

 

[2rocky]

 

[cgasner1]

I’ve posted it before but this is the route I went. I think I could hang 2 elk. I didn’t want word getting out I had a big walk in that’s a great way to be hanging a lot of other peoples stuff and having a big mess at your house. I put a thermostat thing in it from morceo so I can constantly monitor it. My wife loves having the fridge in the garage for when animals aren’t hanging

 

[Dave N]

Facebook and Craigslist classifieds.

 

[Gellar]

I see the insulated walls on Facebook marketplace frequently.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I’ve posted it before but this is the route I went. I think I could hang 2 elk. I didn’t want word getting out I had a big walk in that’s a great way to be hanging a lot of other peoples stuff and having a big mess at your house. I put a thermostat thing in it from morceo so I can constantly monitor it. My wife loves having the fridge in the garage for when animals aren’t hanging

Now I know who I'm calling next season..... thanks for the invite.

Signed,
Dirty Mike and the Boys

 

[cgasner1]

Now I know who I'm calling next season..... thanks for the invite.

Signed,
Dirty Mike and the Boys

Pretty sure I can fit anything you get in the cooler outside but if you get in a bind you got my number

 

[TheTone]

I think the other question with how much meat is how much of the year will you need it for hanging game?

I like the idea of just a big home/restaurant fridge that you can clean out when it’s time to store meat but pulls double duty the rest of the year

 

[cgasner1]

https://www.katom.com/763-MR49.html

That would be pretty sweet deal. I got mine as a busted box special online and they freighted it to my work for free

 

[cgasner1]

https://www.centralrestaurant.com/category/outlet/outlet-refrigeration.html

That’s where I got mine from if a guy checked it daily you could find some great deals just depends on how beat up you want. I’m gonna buy the matching freezer this year. My sensor threw a code last night and I have a freezer in question

 

[Sask hunter]

There is some videos on YouTube that show how you can get around a cool bot. I have a walk in cooler and I love it

 

[mxracer317]

I’ve posted it before but this is the route I went. I think I could hang 2 elk. I didn’t want word getting out I had a big walk in that’s a great way to be hanging a lot of other peoples stuff and having a big mess at your house. I put a thermostat thing in it from morceo so I can constantly monitor it. My wife loves having the fridge in the garage for when animals aren’t hanging

How do you hang the quarters? I am going to buy this same one!

 

[cgasner1]

Para cord from the rack they are rated for like 120# I was just going out them all up as high as I could and runt eh cord down thru it all then set my straps and loins on top

 

[HuntMT16]

I appreciate all of the input. I never had a specific number of animals I wanted to hang, figuring an 8x8 would give me more than enough room for my stuff and anyone else who needed a place to hang something. But I am really liking the idea of the commercial fridge, mainly that it's portable and I can take it with me when I sell my house in a few years. I have a little time to think on it all but again, appreciate in thoughts

 

[Steiny77]

I bought a regular 4' x 6' walk in cooler several years ago. Came out to Texas, think I paid around $4k for it brand new, delivered.
Will easily hang four deer. I've had two big hogs quartered up hanging in there with some room to spare.

Prior to that I had another slick set up. Was working on a project rebuilding a convenience store and they had an old glass door soda pop cooler they were getting rid of. It was about 6' wide x 6' tall, double reach in doors, probably 3' deep with a bunch of heavy duty wire shelves, I paid the guy $50 for it and hauled it off. Installed galvanized pipe hangar rods and had to recharge the refrigerant and install a 220v plug in my shed and it worked great for many years. With a little research, these coolers can be found used rather easily.