Coolers for the ride home.

[cmeier117]

What size of coolers and how many are you taking for a elk hunt? Last year we took 2 80+ quart coolers and a 40 quart, all three had 2 liter bottles that had been frozen. A week later they were not melted yet and the cooler were still cold. But I am not sure how much elk these coolers would have held had we gotten one. So how many do you get? We are about 2 hours from the nearest place to get ice or another cooler had we gotten an elk or 2.

 

[Hardstalk]

If your rolling in with the coolers and they have nothing but ice in them throw 10lbs of dry ice in with your wet ice. You will come back to a cold arse cooler. Or pick up an old freezer from craigslist and throw some latches on it. It will hold whatever you plan to stuff in it and be pretty well insulated.

 

[digger]

A friend and I are taking 2 150 quart grizzly coolers this year to hopefully bring home our cows.We will have it
boned and frozen when we leave .We have a 2 day drive home to central California.We will stuff em with dry ice
on the day we leave Montrose.
I hope we need to buy another cooler to bring it all home.GRIN

 

[cmeier117]

Those grizzly coolers are serious coolers!! I think I need some more cooler space.

 

[Hardstalk]

I love this topic! Regardless of how many times it comes up.

Shes my pride and joy! I think it will hold a half a herd of elk if packed properly

 

[cmeier117]

I need details on this if you don't mind? I don't want to drop $ 500 on a cooler if I can help it!

 

[Hardstalk]

It cost me about 20 bucks (hardware, hinges and locks) i scored the panels from a jobsite I was working on they are sheet metal on both sides with 3&3/4" insulation between them. They were about 20' long when I started. Cut them, miter the edges. Tack it together wrap it in angle iron (had scraps at home) and spray insulate the piss out of it.

Where you can get the panels besides a jobsite im not real sure. I made it to fit snug in the bed of my truck and look like a tool box. I sprayed it with rubberized garage floor liner out of a drywall texture sprayer and it looks just like rhino lining.

 

[cmeier117]

I will have to look into that Hardstalk. So that insulation is spray in kind?

 

[Hardstalk]

To fill all the gaps/seams ya. The panels are hard insulation. On the inside I used that "flex seal" spray to make it water tight. I dont know the R value of the panels but last season I loaded about 150 lbs of wet ice 8 frozen jugs and 25 lbs of dry ice in it and it was frozen solid for 10 days. In antelope country nv. Hitting 90s in the day.

 

[Hardstalk]

See if you can find someone selling panels for a walk in cooler from an old bar on cl. Or talk with some a/c shops in your area and see if the can give you a lead.

 

[wapitibob]

I use two 120 qt Rubbermaid or Coleman coolers from walmart for Elk. Maybe 3 bags of ice in each. I add ice as needed and drain on the way home. Takes me two days and have been doing this for years.

 

[muleman]

Looks nice Hardstalk. I've always thought I would build a big cooler like yours if the need was there.

There are Structural Insulated Panels Systems (SIPS). If you could find a source for SIPS you could build a wood version. Would probably want to use something like RedGard to waterproof the wood.

http://www.thermocore.com/insulated-roof-panels.php
http://www.custombuildingproducts.c...paration/membranes-underlayments/redgard.aspx

 

[fillthefreezer]

To fill all the gaps/seams ya. The panels are hard insulation. On the inside I used that "flex seal" spray to make it water tight. I dont know the R value of the panels but last season I loaded about 150 lbs of wet ice 8 frozen jugs and 25 lbs of dry ice in it and it was frozen solid for 10 days. In antelope country nv. Hitting 90s in the day.

do you have a forklift handy to get this in and out?!

...badass....

 

[cmeier117]

What if you built a cooler out of that partical board that has lamanite on it? Like 1/2 inch on the outside and 1/2 inch on inside and fill with solid foam? Might weigh a ton but It should keep things cold?


Then just make a lid out of the same stuff with a gasket and have it set on and keep it down with bungy cords? Too Redneck?

 

[Hardstalk]

do you have a forklift handy to get this in and out?!

...badass....

It takes two big boys for sure! Its over 200lbs empty.

 

[Hardstalk]

What if you built a cooler out of that partical board that has lamanite on it? Like 1/2 inch on the outside and 1/2 inch on inside and fill with solid foam? Might weigh a ton but It should keep things cold?


Then just make a lid out of the same stuff with a gasket and have it set on and keep it down with bungy cords? Too Redneck?

If your going that route I would save yourself the time and buy either a standup or deep chest freezer used and gut it. The walls are insulated, it has a door. Just need some clasps.

 

[cmeier117]

Would this work for the insulation part?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Thermash...Foam-Insulation-787264/100549260#.Uehisi7n-Cg

 

[rodney482]

2 big 120qt coolers for 1 processed elk

It was all frozen, 30 hr drive.. Still frozen

Dont open the cooler...till your home

 

[cmeier117]

2 big 120qt coolers for 1 processed elk

It was all frozen, 30 hr drive.. Still frozen

Dont open the cooler...till your home

Do you have the elk separate from the ice/water in a garbage bag or something?

 

[Hardstalk]

Would this work for the insulation part?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Thermash...Foam-Insulation-787264/100549260#.Uehisi7n-Cg

Thats 1" if you look at a yeti or any high end cooler there at least 2" you may be able to double up on that with some foil and spray glue between the layers. The foil may help in creating a layer to keep the hot out? Maybe? But definitely spray glue them together or youll end up with a pile of ice, rubbish and meat in the bed