Ice Box (Green Foam)

[skipalong]

hi guys about to start building a new ice box for my boat, but i am having some trouble chasing up some of that green refrigeration foam to make it, also wanting to know if it is very expensive as i would need a few sheets of 30mm, but i am on the northside of brisbane if there is a retailer that sell this stuff close to there, would be much apprecited for any help.


cheers justin

[PinHead]

buying the sheets of green foam is not a very good way to make an ice box.
You need to make an outside shell and an inner liner and fill them with a polyurethane mix..be warned, you must do this correctly as it does produce some high pressures when expanding. Using a sheet material will probably not have a very high R value and establishing a vapour seal can also be difficult.

[ozbee]

have seen cheap but very functional boxes made by glassing over those Styrofoam vegetable boxes at woolies . also you can sit one on top of the other and cut bottom of top one out.

[FNQCairns]

That green foam is called closed cell polyurethane, which is the same as the 2 pack pourable closed cell polyurethane foam although the taylor made stuff is made to a standard in a factory where controlled conditions result in a uniform product of high quality.

The green stuff can be used with polyester resin without fear of a sloppy mess. Styrofoam will dissolve right in front to your eyes using polyester resin, epoxy is the one to use with styrofoam.

Ring around some of the foam suppliers, they usually have a big double bed sized block of it that they slice at a thickness to order. Or off-cuts etc, it's a top shelf product to make an esky out of but it is costly, when sandwiched between glass it is very strong.

cheers fnq

[skipalong]

yeah guys i was just thinking of glassing around the outside of the insulation, and that will stregthen it up.

what are better ways to go about it the box is going to be 1400 x 750 x 700

[FNQCairns]

Truth be told, buy a strong brand of poly in as close to that size as you can find, if you keep it for long enough you could be buried in it:) they are simply outstandingly tough and don't give too much away re keeping things cool, the orange one's anyway.

The costs of purchasing materials at retail to build something like that wouldn't create much if any change in your pocket.

cheers fnq

[megafish71]

Truth be told, buy a strong brand of poly in as close to that size as you can find, if you keep it for long enough you could be buried in it:) they are simply outstandingly tough and don't give too much away re keeping things cool, the orange one's anyway.

The costs of purchasing materials at retail to build something like that wouldn't create much if any change in your pocket.

cheers fnq

Your corect on the costs, I built an esky a couple of years ago that measures 1150 x 550 x 650 and it cost me a bit over $500, it keeps ice for days, much longer than the tropical ice box, but is nowhere near as tough. One of the poly iceboxes would be money better spent IMO.

Cheers Ron

[scrubba01]

have seen cheap but very functional boxes made by glassing over those Styrofoam vegetable boxes at woolies . also you can sit one on top of the other and cut bottom of top one out.

If doing this you need to coat the outside first in pvc glue. (Just that normal wood glue you get) stops it from getting eaten away by the resin. They do end up very strong the father inlaw made one, you can stand on the lid and all with only 1 coat of glass.

[GAD]

Skip
do a searc on e-bay for esky and you can have a poly one cheap , got my 100 litre for 110 bucks delivered to my door in three days, and it holds ice four days sittin on my back patio in the sun or boat when fishing .

Greg

[Horse]

The best way to build in glass is to make two molds and fill the gap with the expanding polyurathane foam. This is expensive, difficult and not as strong as a poly. I would never again go for glass on a boat. The internet bay site has a couple of good options

[krazyfisher]

poly is the easiest way to go but i do remember a thread on it here a few years ago?

[black runner]

Truth be told, buy a strong brand of poly in as close to that size as you can find, if you keep it for long enough you could be buried in it:) they are simply outstandingly tough and don't give too much away re keeping things cool, the orange one's anyway.

The costs of purchasing materials at retail to build something like that wouldn't create much if any change in your pocket.

cheers fnq


So true, my father-in-law and I made one from a styrofoam box and lid used to transport chilled immunisations (over 30mm thick). By the time you buy all the stuff to turn it into a sturdy bit of kit you start think sh!t I should have just bought one. Anyway great fun (and many stubbies consumed while admiring the creation) and a good project if you happened to have a lot of stuff lying about to clad and line with. The Big W 60 litre blue "Marine Eskies" come on special at around $100 and are great value for what they are.

Cheers

[trueblue]

if you need to build a specially sized one - the 'green foam' you mention is the way to go. it is closed cell polyurethane foam as mentioned above. You can buy it in sheets of whatever thickness you want. 20, 30, 50mm etc, etc.

I bought some of that closed cell foam a year or so ago from a place over in Acacia ridge (if I remember rightly)

Look in the yellow pages under 'polyurethane foam'- there are not that many listings to go through. Give them all a call and ask about this type foam for making an esky.

The place I got mine had a do it yourself set of plans and procedures, and had all of materials available in bulk for the fibreglassing etc. I suspect that most of the places selling this foam will be able to do the same.

I enquired about making big eskies back when i bought some foam, and was told that the expected cost would be a bit more than $400 if done properly.

but if it is essential for you to make an esky that fits into a certain space in a particular boat - this is the way to go if you want to spend the money.

but as mentioned - they are susceptable to damage if being moved around. They are also very heavy.

best to permanently install a specially made esky like this.

cheers

Mick