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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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New cover for Ice Melter

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/21/2009 : 12:29:27

Being that:

1. I'm all thumbs, and
2. I like cold drinks,

I have an issue with the warpage of the icebox cover. Folks who are not all thumbs will surely say to dome some majikal woodworking trick to unwarp the Icebox cover. To which I say Fie!

Does anyone think that if I bought a 3/4" cutting board from the other topic, I could use my router to make a rabbet around its perimeter and use it as my new lid? What are the thermal properties of the cutting boards, and would 4200 (or similar) be able to attach some 1" pink insulating board to the cutting board?

I don't think that cutting board stuff would ever warp or deform, would it?

"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

Take a minute to register your boat with the association!!
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/owner_questionnaire.htm

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 12:36:05

I think it's a great idea. Cut the insulation the size of the inside dimensions of the chest and the cutting board to the outside dimensions. The insulation could be as thick as you would want it. Will it warp? Maybe but probably not. Even if it did, it's cheap. I'd try gorilla glue as the adhesive. Lots cheaper than 4200. Maybe even double sided tape.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 12:44:59

Warped? I have never seen that. I think people forget about dry ice, it will keep things cool and the vapors will look cool. Could you screw something on your old lid? I used a beautiful teak tray on mine.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:14:36

That looks beautiful. I wish I could do woodworking type stuff. Here is what wouldl happen if I tried to make that...

First I would go out and buy the most expensive teak I could find to make the tray etc.
Then I would fire up the saw which vibrates like nothing I can think of. After chasing the saw around the workbench for half an hour I would have made hockey-stick shaped splinters out of my teak.
Then I would try to glue & screw them around the piece of marine grade gbs mahogany plywood
It would go well, but when I was on the last screw, the rails would split, and I would realize I had used the wrong glue.
Then I would try to get the screws out, and they would strip. At this point I would notice that the glue was drying to the face of the plywood, and was a gooey mess all across it.
Then th etray would spontaneously combust.
Then I would spontaneously combust.
Then SWMBO would collect on the life insurance, and would sell the boat.
The buyer would notice the warped cutting board and only offer SWMBO half of the boat's value.

Because I love SWMBO, I want her to get the full value of the boat when she sells it. I can work a router. 9/10 times it gives the results I expected. It has a little roller on the edge of the cutter thingy, so I could make a template for the router from the existing ice melter cover and it is likely that the router might follow it to cut the rabbet. I'm pretty sure I can cut the pink insulation without needing a trip to the hospital. Previous experience with a case cutter taught me a thing or two about the "Always cut towards your chum, never cut towards your thumb" rule.

I may just give this a try. I have one vote for, and one sort-of against but really just offering a different idea. I'm not adding it to the to-do list right now, but it is filed for future consideration...

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:18:23

Cutting board and Starboard are tough to glue. I would use rigid insulation held on by SS screws with big SS washers (fender washers) to hold the insulation. This material can be routed, etc just like wood.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:41:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Nautiduck
 Cutting board and Starboard are tough to glue. I would use rigid insulation held on by SS screws with big SS washers (fender washers) to hold the insulation. This material can be routed, etc just like wood.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Have you tried tapping it? I wonder if I could tap holes and do what you are suggesting without the screw going clean through the cutting board. That way I could still use the top of the cutting board for cutting.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:51:17

Double sided tape will probably work well in this application. Get some of the [url="http://www.findtape.com/product421/JVCC-DC-UHB45FA-Ultra-High-Bond-Double-Coated-Foamed-Acrylic-Tape.aspx?cid=11&idx=2&tid=1&info=Double-Sided+Tape"]3M UHB [/url] (Ultra High Bond), weight the lid on top of the foam with some sand bags or the ice melter full of water for at least a day (it's pressure sensitive, once down & stuck, you're unlikely to ever get it off again w/o serious measures).

As far as cutting the lid, if you have a router bit with a bottom following bearing (the bearing is the lowest point of the bit), you can use the ice melter itself as your template. Cut the board slightly oversize, weight the cooler so it doesn't want to move around, or corral it somehow. Clamp the board to the top with at least three or more clamps (you'll need to remove & reapply them as you go). Extend the bit till it engages the top of the cooler at a flat spot. Check to make sure that the flat area extends all the way around and the handles or whatnot aren't in the way, then rout away. If you want to make it so the lid fits inside the top, you'll need to come up with a better method. Although if you order from the cutting board company Randy posted about, they can just make it for you and you're done. Give them finished dimensions, measure twice, cut once, and order.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:56:41

You could use self-tapping wood screws.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:56:51

We actually have 3m as a supplier here at the office, I should email and try to find out what would bond to HDPE. If I get a hold of our sales guy, I'll let you all know what he says.

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 14:57:05

A fitted HDPE cutting board to replace the warped cover on your "ice melter" is a good idea, but if you want efficient cold storage, buy a good ice chest on sale and use the original ice chest for dry storage. Some here have taken the route of improving the insulation surrounding the ice box, but most (I think) abandoned using it for that purpose...fwiw.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 15:14:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">but if you want efficient cold storage, buy a good ice chest on sale and use the original ice chest for dry storage<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good point, forgot to mention that. We bought a good 5-day cooler and use the original for pots & pans storage. Then our fridge self destructed and with the insurance claim for food loss (we'd just gotten back from Costco with a load of fresh meat & other frozen stuff) we bought a Waeco 39 portable fridge/freezer which we used along with a deep freezer (which we didn't have when it happened, a friend donated one to us, we were on the dry ice ticket for about a week) for more than a month till the original got fixed (man, talk about a run-around). We've since moved the Waeco onto the boat, but have yet to use it on a trip. It has an undervoltage protection circuit so supposedly it won't run your batter down so far that you can't start your engine, plus it runs on both 120 VAC & 12 VDC.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 16:11:06

Ok, so Ice melting abilities aside, have you ever tried to sleep on your boat and listened to your warped "Ice killer"'s lid rock back and forth on every wave? Its enough to drive you batty.

Here you go:

Clunk-crick
Fwang (halyard slap from boat next to you)
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick
Fwang
Clunk-crick

See what I mean? I was thinking I'd get some little rubber feet for the corners of the thing or something, since I'm too (insert descriptor here) to just chuck the lid in the lake. The cutting board lid is a solution with a purpose.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 17:36:12

I use SS wood screws. No need to go all the way through. There is a special glue that can be used but it requires using a torch to heat the material. The manufacturer recommends mechanical fastening.

[url="http://www.kingstarboard.com/CMS/Media/Docs/workingwith.pdf"]Starboard PDF[/url]

Edited by - Nautiduck on 04/21/2009 17:41:00

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 19:23:19

They make this stuff called "duct tape", I recommend Gorilla tape, it's like the stuff of old we used to get in the military. You could change your night to this instead:
Clunk-crick
Scrickkk (taping down lid)
Fwang (halyard slap from boat next to you)
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang
Fwang

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2009 : 06:52:05

Get a roll of window weatherstripping foam and line the underside of the cooler lid with it. Noise gone!!

Edited by - on

Tom Gauntt
Navigator

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204 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2009 : 06:54:58

Prospector,

Although the lid to my food warmer is un-warped(?), I've been thinking about how to make it more insulated and air tight. CAUTION: I have not tried this on my boat, but am seriously contemplating it. I have been stuck on "Great Stuff" for a couple of years now. And I must say it has been stuck on me for even longer. "Great Stuff" is a triple expanding (grows 3 times its size) urethane spray foam available at most any hardware or home store for about $5 a can. Here is a link: http://greatstuff.dow.com/greatstuff/diy/directions.htm It is used primarily to seal gaps common in home construction. It is easy to use, cheap, and very effective.

My plan is to spray the exterior of the icebox with this urethane foam. Getting to the icebox will not be easy (that's why it is still on the "to do" list). But insulating the lid would be much simpler. Here's what I have in mind... cover the opening to the icebox - where the lid fits - with a piece of thick plastic polyethylene or something like it. Allow the plastic to drop into the recess about an inch or two. Spray urethane foam on the plastic and then put the lid back on and weight it down. Wait a few hours, and you have an insulated, non-clink-cricking, form-fitting lid and you can safely leave your router in its case. Once this stuff cures, you can cut it, sand it, shape it, paint it, you can't remove it.

Two important observations:

1. This stuff will expand. It has to. And it will. It's part of the beauty, but have a way for the excess to escape. And use plenty of painter's tape.

2. This stuff is very sticky... like 5200 sticky only stickier. It WILL NOT come off of whatever it touches. If you are not respectful of the molecular properties of this amazing substance, you will find yourself with a giant chocolate mess. Do not ask me how I know this.

By the way, I like your idea about the cutting board. Rabbeting bits are plentiful and having the top do double duty is clever. On "Lil", the ice box top is in the corner and therefore difficult to actually use as a work surface. I made a cutting board that fits on top of the stove, so that's my work/cutting area. The other problem is to use the cutting board on top of the ice box, you'd have to have it opened more than you really want allowing that dreaded cool air in...

Edited by - Tom Gauntt on 04/22/2009 07:06:38

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