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SMC Discussion Areas > The Coin Return > Tutorials & Tips (Moderator: Jim) > RC Cooler Restoration
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Author Topic: RC Cooler Restoration  (Read 18950 times)
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vintage-air
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Restoring America...1 machine at a time!
« on: November 16, 2010, 05:45:42 pm »
Guys, thought I would share my latest project with everyone. This is a RC cooler I bought a few weeks ago from a guy here locally. The cooler is in great shape except for the bottom... which is why I got it so cheap. Check it out!

Here is the cooler and at first glance, looks pretty good.


As you can see, the bottom needs a bit of work


Here is a donor cooler I picked up pretty cheap on E-Bay... As you can see, the bottom of the cooler is nearly perfect. By the way, these two coolers are both progressive coolers.

I start by stripping off the paint using a die grinder with a stripping wheel attached.


Next i lay a straight edge along the bottom marking it all the way around.


Next, I use a die grinder with a 1/32" wheel to cut the bottoms out.


Here is the donor cooler after being cut open... The bottom looks great with zero rust!


Next, I mark the RC cooler and donor bottom and drill 1/4 holes all the way around to get ready for welding. I then cut 1" strips of 22G sheet steel to weld on the inside.


After the main body is welded up, I cleaned the bottom of all rust and painted it. Also, cut some new foam insulation and fitted it into the void. You can also see the fiber board bottom piece from the donor cooler.



More pictures to come!
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RC-81
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halehouse
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« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2010, 06:58:18 pm »
Great descriptions and tutorial pics!
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Chedki
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« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2010, 07:32:12 pm »
We need more tutorial pictures like this on this website !  Cool
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Creighton
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« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2010, 07:32:49 pm »
Great save, Thanks for the pictures!!
Creighton
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collecture
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Tom
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2010, 08:14:42 pm »
Great job Jeff!
It is nice to have it all laid out like that.
Maybe the powers that be can move this to the Tips & Tutorials section...might be best served there.
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Cav 27, 33, CS-55E-2, 72
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BrianB
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« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2010, 06:38:47 am »
Jeff,

Thanks for taking the time to document your procedure, that's awesome. Great pictures plus an easy to read, step-by-step narrative. Excellent! Gives hope to other out there that may have a cooler that they want to save!! laugh
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Brian
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« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2010, 08:39:43 am »
Great work!!  I'm curious how you will keep from overheating the insulation as you weld out the new bottom.
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Down in Texas
Cokemachinesandmore
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« Reply #7 on: November 17, 2010, 08:51:59 am »
Very nice attention to detail, great work so far. like to see the finished pictures.
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MoonDawg
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« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2010, 09:11:28 am »
        It would look good on top of an RC 81  laugh
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Glen
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« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2010, 09:17:18 am »
I was wondering about smoking the foam myself.

It's funny there use to be two hundred RC 81's, now there are going to be a thousand of them and five hundred orange crushes. Oo oops tounge
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A lot of stuff.
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