Fridge aesthetic outer layer finish?

[SiteSurfer]

About to commence the fridge project, will be lining an existing 'cool' box with 5mm Celotex and planning on chopped strand over the top. To make the smooth finish - am I right in thinking gel coat is the way to go or can I use a smooth cloth (I think I've seen some somewhere) with a white additive in the epoxy?

 

[macd]

About to commence the fridge project, will be lining an existing 'cool' box with 5mm Celotex and planning on chopped strand over the top. To make the smooth finish - am I right in thinking gel coat is the way to go or can I use a smooth cloth (I think I've seen some somewhere) with a white additive in the epoxy?

5mm Celotex? Are you sure?
The inside needs to be smooth enough for easy yet thorough cleaning. A fine glass cloth finish would help, covered with flowcoat. White pigment in the flowcoat.
What's the access like? It may be easier, and likely to give a better finish, to glass over the Celotex (GRP down on, say, melamine-faced hdf) before inserting it into the box.

 

[Strolls]

Surely OP means 5 inches!?

Detailed analysis PDF: http://www.swingcat.co.uk/what/fridge_freezer_calculations.pdf

 

[SiteSurfer]

50mm sorry, builders merchant stuff. might be 80mm. Not thought about putting 5 inches (125mm) in...
Had considered something like acrylic as the final layer, access is ok - not the best - kind of tucked under an overhang, but certainly something I can work at.

 

[macd]

That makes more sense, but the choice is up to you: IIRC Celotex come sin 25, 50, 75 and 100mm thicknesses.

Depending on the size of the access hole, glassing the board in situ could be a right pig. I'd be inclined to cut and assemble the board internally, then whip it out and glass it: lay gelcoat then glas cloth, resin on a flat board prepared with release agent, wet out one face of the Celotex, then pop it on top of the wet GRP and weight it. When cured, assembly inside the fridge. Then seal the margins either with thickened resin or something like Sikaflex 292.
Depending how big a sheet you can fit through the access hole, you may need to do some faces in two pieces.

 

[SiteSurfer]

I think I'm lucky as the access hole is the same size as the cavity, its a sensible square/rectangular shape, almost vertical sides etc. Unfortunately however its part of the moulding of the interior tub so I can't remove it to make it even easier.

 

[macd]

I think I'm lucky as the access hole is the same size as the cavity...

That certainly makes things easier. I'd still glass the Celotex as suggested before, however: far easier to get a good finish. Obviously you need to take special care that the resulting inner box is 100% waterproof.

 

[SiteSurfer]

It does occur to me that it might be a load easier to insulate the outside of the box (loads of air around it in the bilge and quite easy to get to). I guess insulation is insulation - irrespective of where it is. That would also get rid of the problem of the finish as I'd retain the inner.
Its an irritant to me that on my boat there are massive volumes of unused space, I recently found a huge cavity behind the cutlery cupboard which was simply unused, there's whopping great cavities around the inner tub too, room to hide any manner of things!

 

[prv]

It does occur to me that it might be a load easier to insulate the outside of the box (loads of air around it in the bilge and quite easy to get to). I guess insulation is insulation - irrespective of where it is. That would also get rid of the problem of the finish as I'd retain the inner.

Definitely. You'll have more space in the box too.

Pete

 

[macd]

It does occur to me that it might be a load easier to insulate the outside of the box (loads of air around it in the bilge and quite easy to get to).

...and you'd have a bigger fridge (although that can be a mixed blessing).
I'm in the process of adding insulation to the outside of my fridge (plus a few bits inside). Access is poor, so I'm jealous.

 

[rob2]

Its an irritant to me that on my boat there are massive volumes of unused space, I recently found a huge cavity behind the cutlery cupboard which was simply unused, there's whopping great cavities around the inner tub too, room to hide any manner of things!

Exactly! They may be awkward shapes and not too accesible, but why not put that to advantage and use them for long-term storage (tins of grease, bottles of oil, etc) or find a suitable Tupperware box to fit and put your documents and money in there as secure storage - just think of all the papers where you're supposed to carry originals!

Rob.

 

[SiteSurfer]

Exactly! They may be awkward shapes and not too accesible, but why not put that to advantage and use them for long-term storage (tins of grease, bottles of oil, etc) or find a suitable Tupperware box to fit and put your documents and money in there as secure storage - just think of all the papers where you're supposed to carry originals!

Rob.

Nice idea. Now that's got me thinking about all sorts of possibilities. More work....

 

[SiteSurfer]

Bringing this one back to life, had a really good 'head in bilge' 20 mins last weekend and realised that whilst I can get to parts of the exterior of the cool box - its going to be impossible to do it all, so I'm back to internal grp + some external as well (best of both worlds).

I have purchased my cellotex and have enough woven matting to do the job. Planning on creating a template from 400gsm card which I will make up as an internal box in order to create the shape and drop it in afterwards. This part is easy for me as I'm using to mocking things up like this.

Bringing back the subject of the glassing, I'm torn between simply painting the grp white and adding some pigment to the epxoy. It does look rather like painting is the simplest option especially as I could then match the yucky yellow a bit better. Searching for pigment has thrown up really expensive products which seem over kill for what I need, anyone care to point me at the product that can be added to dye epoxy?

Or is painting really just as effective a finish - not to mention the ability to flow over imperfections as well I guess.

 

[Jabs]

I filled a huge cavity around the outside of my coolbox using building foam which went everywhere.
It has made a huge difference and I no longer get condensation on the outside of the hull!

Tony.

 

[SiteSurfer]

I filled a huge cavity around the outside of my coolbox using building foam which went everywhere.
It has made a huge difference and I no longer get condensation on the outside of the hull!

Tony.

Did you make a temporary cradle? Or just squirt and go?
My cavity is in places wonderfully suited to that and in others just open to a vast open hull space.

How are you getting on with water in the foam?

 

[Jabs]

I just cut some card formers and used masking tape to seal it.
It's not pretty but its very effective and in a place where no one goes/looks/wants to go!

Water? No issues at all?? Should there be?

Tony

 

[owen-cox]

It look sto me as if you could maybe cut the fibreglass moulding of your fridge box 50mm all the way round it and remove it to insulate then glass it back in after? you woul donly have a grinder width line that you could fill and that you would see afterwards? obviously its hard to see from the photo but may be possible?

 

[SiteSurfer]

It look sto me as if you could maybe cut the fibreglass moulding of your fridge box 50mm all the way round it and remove it to insulate then glass it back in after? you woul donly have a grinder width line that you could fill and that you would see afterwards? obviously its hard to see from the photo but may be possible?

I took a close look at what you said and I believe that might be a really good idea, it would take some working out but essentially I think you are suggesting boxing it in from the exterior by literally removing the tub and putting it back in later. Thats lateral thinking at its best!

Essentially I could then make a box which is exterior to the tub, and then put the tub back. Theres certainly enough room to do it, and access would be a doddle from the top. I could glass in some wood supports and just hang a wooden box. No need to make the cool box smaller or have to worry about a neat finish on the inside.

And whilst its out, remove the two level divsion and just put a sloping floor in.

How does one do an accurate cut, is there a tool one can use to guide your hand?

 

[SiteSurfer]

I just cut some card formers and used masking tape to seal it.
It's not pretty but its very effective and in a place where no one goes/looks/wants to go!

Water? No issues at all?? Should there be?

Tony

I understood that squirty foam was not closed cell - so kind of attracted moisture?

 

[owen-cox]

I took a close look at what you said and I believe that might be a really good idea, it would take some working out but essentially I think you are suggesting boxing it in from the exterior by literally removing the tub and putting it back in later. Thats lateral thinking at its best!

Essentially I could then make a box which is exterior to the tub, and then put the tub back. Theres certainly enough room to do it, and access would be a doddle from the top. I could glass in some wood supports and just hang a wooden box. No need to make the cool box smaller or have to worry about a neat finish on the inside.

And whilst its out, remove the two level divsion and just put a sloping floor in.

How does one do an accurate cut, is there a tool one can use to guide your hand?

Yes that's what I was thinking. looks like it would solve all your problems. I should think you could cut it out with a router against a piece of wood that you could fix down with maybe a clamp or two but I find if you are careful you can cut pretty straight with a 125 mm grinder. I think that's what I would do. probably mark it all out with masking tape and felt pen for a guide.