Ice Chest Design?

[ktm_2000]

Hi All,

Been building out my standie and have a section of cabinent space that measures 47"w x34"h x 16" deep to give me a space for some drawers and to re-use the ice box that came e out of the pop-up I used for the frame. Well the ice box is in sad shape, the door seals are shot, the interior is cracked in a couple of places and the door is warped. It would require a fair amount of work to rebuild only to have a really small space to store some refreshing beverages that doesn't cool all that well. I tested out the ice box with putting a frozen gallon of water in it along with a couple of warm beers and only got a somewhat cool and not so refreshing beverage after 6hrs in the ice box.

I've been thinking about building a better insulated version of this and was wondering if someone has already figured out a better way to do it?

I am thinking about using a sheet of the 2" thick house foam and cutting out the walls then glassing each piece on the flat then assembling the pieces and filling in the weave of the glass and radiusing the corners with fillers. I'm not too sure how I'd do the door to get a good seal. Any ideas?

[cuyeda]

There are a couple good threads previously discussed on this topic. I posted a couple design ideas that I saved from someone else. I could do all the searching and post the links, but I am a bit lazy tonight. Trying to catch up on all the recent posts I haven't read yet.

Edit: Ok I found two thread.
[url]http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?[url]t=25681&highlight=icebox[/url]

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=25352&highlight=icebox

[laoutdoorsman]

i thought about making my own chest too...after figuring what all it will involve and the price of the material(epoxy, glass, paint, foam, ply)...i decided to just get a large (i call them offshore fishboxes, bc thats what they are used for down here) "extreme" cooler... i can get a 120 quart 5 day for 90 bucks....ill build a ply box, line it with extra foam(2 layers prob)...that way, i dont have to worry about glassing and waterproofing the iside...ill just seal the outside and finish it to match the rest of my camper..(its going on the tounge)..then i just drop the storebought cooler inside, and will probably double the amount of time i can keep ice...

**ill rig the drain to tubing with a valve to drain outside the box...

i realize this is probably bigger than what you want, but maybe im giving ideas...??? im just saying..consider the cost involved in money and TIME in building a home made ice chest...the new extremes and 5 days are cool(so-to-speak..lol)


***my reason for a big cooler is so when i go to the coast for the week or weekend...i only want to buy ice once(its cheaper before getting to the coast!!!)...ill get 6 or 7 20lb bags, and throw them in the big box....when i need ice inside, its there....when i need to ice down my fish, its there....

[ktm_2000]

I've got the offshore coolers you describe for my boat and they do ok for a 2day offshore trip but you're coming home with 50# of ice left after starting with 200#.

One guy that I fish with built a coffin box out of home 4" of pink styrofoam insulation and he put 1/4" marine ply on the inside and then glassed and 1/2" ply on the outside and glassed. The coffin box will hold a high percentage of ice for a solid week and withstand the beating from a good sized tuna dropped in live.

I don't need anything that strong or large but would like the ice to last longer so I'm thinking of building.

[mikeschn]

Check out this ice box...

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... 9088#29088

Mike...

[ktm_2000]

Thanks,

That article has the detail that I wouldn't have thought of!!!!

The lid/lid frame are cut out of the same piece of wood so they fit tightly.