Best way to make ice blocks?

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Aug 17, 2015
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Iowa
May seem like a stupid question, but I was going to make an ice-cream bucket sized ice block last week to put in my cooler to help keep it cold all weekend, and didnt really think about the fact that the ice would freeze from the top down, and when it expanded, it busted out the bottom of my bucket - so lesson learned there.

Anyways, with a couple hunting trips coming up, I've begun to think about the best way to make ice blocks, what size to make, etc, so I figured I'd ask you guys since I'm sure some of you have experience with it while packing for your hunting expeditions.

Is pretty much my only option with an ice cream bucket to dump a little water into the bucket, wait for it to freeze, dump a little more, wait, and repeat over and over?

What about if I made like cool whip container sized blocks? Little smaller, so they obviously wont last as long as larger blocks, but will also fit in the bottom of my cooler much better. If I make blocks from those, do I still have to use the method described above, or can I just fill it with water and let it go?

Anyone use frozen water jugs in their cooler?

What do you guys use, and how do you make them?
 
I use frozen milk jugs. Takes awhile to freeze all the way through so give it some time. DO NOT PACK THEM TIGHT IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FREEZER. Made that mistake last year not paying attention to expansion and had to thaw it to get them out.
 
Pvc pipe filled with water , cut , fill and cap any size. Store in freezer until ready to use. You also wont get water in your chest
 
I use frozen milk jugs. Takes awhile to freeze all the way through so give it some time. DO NOT PACK THEM TIGHT IN THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FREEZER. Made that mistake last year not paying attention to expansion and had to thaw it to get them out.

I do this ^^
 
Pvc pipe filled with water , cut , fill and cap any size. Store in freezer until ready to use. You also wont get water in your chest

It doesn't crack the PVC when the water freezes in there? You don't fill it all the way full I assume?

And I'm guessing you glue the caps on and use them like re-usable ice packs?
 
I do the Milk Jug route as well, one other tip use the screw top milk jugs vs the press on ones.

If you truly want an ice block. get a cardboard box the size of the ice block you want, place a heavy duty 50 gal trash bag in it with plenty hanging over the edges. Put it in the freezer then fill it with water within a couple inches of the top and wait a couple of days and you have a massive block of ice. It should easily separate from the trash bag.
 

Awesome!

I think I'm gonna make some up. I was going to say they take up less space than a milk jig, but obviously that's not true because if we're comparing volume to volume, it would be the same; but they definitely use their space much more efficiently than a milk jug.

I like that they lay down in the bottom of the cooler, out of the way, and help to keep the melted water cold.

Do they work as well as say a plain ice block? I never know if ice packs and frozen milk jugs actually work as well as a block..
 
I use a Tupperware container about the size of a cake pan. I fill it about 3/4 full, freeze it and take out the block. This size fits in my Canyon cooler almost perfectly. I did the jug thing but after a week they were thawed and now I had the empty jug to deal with. I start freezing these a few weeks before my hunt and keep piling them up for the 2 trips I usually take. I fill the Canyon cooler with these and carry another cooler that I can add the ice too if/when I need to. Just another option.
 
The Simply Orange Juice containers work pretty damn good and square bottoms work better in the coolers. Been using the same set of 4 for a couple years with no cracks or leaks - tried regular milk jugs and they don't hold up as well. As they melt you have good drinking water too.
 
Awesome!

I think I'm gonna make some up. I was going to say they take up less space than a milk jig, but obviously that's not true because if we're comparing volume to volume, it would be the same; but they definitely use their space much more efficiently than a milk jug.

I like that they lay down in the bottom of the cooler, out of the way, and help to keep the melted water cold.

Do they work as well as say a plain ice block? I never know if ice packs and frozen milk jugs actually work as well as a block..

I like that they lay on the bottom as well. That way if I use cubed ice in conjunction they will elevate everything off the bottom of the cooler and out of the water.
 
I do the Milk Jug route as well, one other tip use the screw top milk jugs vs the press on ones.

If you truly want an ice block. get a cardboard box the size of the ice block you want, place a heavy duty 50 gal trash bag in it with plenty hanging over the edges. Put it in the freezer then fill it with water within a couple inches of the top and wait a couple of days and you have a massive block of ice. It should easily separate from the trash bag.

I do something like this as well, only I get some storage bags from the dollar store and leave the ice in them.

Works well and will last in a cooler for well over a week.
 
I freeze 2 liter bottles filled with water to keep moisture off of meat and hides. If I am not worried about water, like in my cooler with beverages, I freeze 2 gallon buckets filled with water. I have never had one split and the ice pops right out when you want to put it in the cooler. Pretty simple. If it doesn't release instantly, simply run a little hot water over the outside of the bucket, and then the 2 gallon block release in tact.
 
The Simply Orange Juice containers work pretty damn good and square bottoms work better in the coolers. Been using the same set of 4 for a couple years with no cracks or leaks - tried regular milk jugs and they don't hold up as well. As they melt you have good drinking water too.[/QUOTE

Been using milk jugs but I'm going to try these.
 
My wife and I own a snow cone stand. You can buy rectangle plastic bags for making block ice. fill them with water and freeze them.
 
I keep an assortment of frozen water jugs in my freezers, from gallon size, the large Smart Water size bottles, 16oz bottles, 32oz Gatorade bottles and so forth.

I mix and match them in my coolers depending on how much room I have, how long I'm going, time of year etc.

I'm a believer your freezer will run more efficient if you have some ice in there to help it do its job, also a little added insurance if something ever goes wrong with your freezer or power. All assuming you have enough extra space to keep them in there, I'm lucky to have multiple freezers so I always have some space it seems.
 
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