Markito's cornelius compact 50 slider

So some of you may recall that about 2 months ago I bought 2 Cornelius sliders for $50 each to combine into one because the price was so right. (For backstory, see thread: http://soda-machines.com/cgi-loc....90;st=0 )

One was an ugly woodgrain model that had a nice Coca-Cola medallion on the front and had a beautiful slider rack and vending mech labled for 25 cents (but no cooling parts) and the other was a much nicer looking red and white slider that looks great on the outside and has a nice lid with "Coca-Cola" printed on the underside and had all it's refrigeration parts, but no rack or coin mech. The bad thing about the red one is that it has a cancerous hole in the innerlining with crumbling rust chunks.

Well not knowing anything about Cornelius coolers, I had hoped in advance to remove the inner lining tub from the woodgrain model and install it in the red cooler, but once I got them I realized that the liner is not removable. It is just fully attached metal covered with an almond/biscuit colored plastic sticker-like lining stuck to it. No chance of removing that.

Well, I fixed up the red cooler and like it a lot. The other rack and mech fit perfectly and it cools beautifully. I even got some chrome polish and the rack now looks like new!

It is ready to use in my garage, but the only thing left is to deal with that cancerous rust hole.

Since it is hollow between the liners and I need to fill the gap and hole, I am thinking of filling it with some expanding spray foam insulation from a can and then putting some sort of layer of metal or some plastic contact paper or something over the filled in hole and then painting it with a similar color to try to hide the repair. I am not doing this to sell the cooler, I just want to make it nice and usable for in my garage to get a quick soda during yard work or sharing with neighbors.

By the way, what were they thinking when they designed these sliders... you must lose all the cool air when the entire refrigerated cooler opens up to sell one single bottle. How inefficient.

Anyway, I'll attach some photos.

I really need your ideas for the best way to fill the hole and then seal it over. Thanks so much.

Oh and these photos were before I cleaned up the red one and parted out the woodgrain model.

~M

Here's another photo of the side of the red one. That's why I like it better than the woodgrain one.



Oooops, just realized that I should have posted this thread in the "60's" category. '>  

Jim, feel free to move it there if you would like to.

So far, no one loves the Markito, but I'll keep pleading for your help.  '>

Here is one more photo of the rusty sink hole:

[loman4ec]

Here is an idea. Is it a hole in the metal liner or just the plastic coating? Since you are just going to use the slider you could use paint stripper to remove the plastic liner from the whole inside of the machine exposing the metal liner. You could then just scuff the liner and paint it. The reason I say remove the plastic is I don't know if paint will stick to the plastic. You could just use hammertone and it would look like the inside of an ideal 55. If there is a hole in the metal just fill it and do the same. Just an idea.

Hi Josh, thanks for your input.
It is indeed a deep hollow hole in the metal liner itself.
Would the expanding foam be a good idea?
I was thinking of using the paints that are for plastics.

[loman4ec]

Yes use foam and then bondo over the top to get a smooth finnish. Try the plastic paint. the worst thing that will happen is it wont stck and you still use paint stripper. I would clean it thouroughly and scuff the plastic liner with sandpaper or scothchbrite before painting.

[Kevin C]

Hey

Here is an idea.  Scrap & fill the hole with the foam, then coat the entire inside of the cabinet with seal-o-flex water proofing sealer. This sealer can then be painted or just left pink in color.  S-o-F is a water proofing system used on decks.

I used it on the bottom of an alumium boat to seal the rivet holes & it worked great.

Kevin

[dr galaga]

Quote (Markito @ Sep. 20 2005,12:19)

So far, no one loves the Markito, but I'll keep pleading for your help.

I think most of us went to bed before you posted and we are just getting home from work  

I don't know about the seal-o-flex stuff, but I will add to Josh's idea (you want ideas, so by golly, you are going to get them).  I would first pound the hole in a little so that it is recessed.  Do your spary foam (aka redneck pick-up truck filler) and then use rust converter on the rusty edges.  Then I would use some fiberglass repair and put it over the hole and overlap on to the metal.  After two layers of fiberglass sheets I would use the bondo - this way the bondo has a good backing.  (This is kind of what I do on my beater pick-up - but I have used crumpled up newspaper and cardboard instead of foam )


Firberglass repair kit - available from K-mart, Wal-Mart and auto part stores:

[loman4ec]

The reason Mark wants to use the foam is that is what the machine is insulated with from the factory. For some reason there is a hole there but it origionally would be foam in between the liner and the machine. I actually think it is origionally spray in or injection fam that they use. I like the fibergalss idea.

[dr galaga]

Oh, I thought Mark was using the foam to hold part of his repair in place.  I'm from Indiana and drive two pick-ups, what can I say?

[loman4ec]

Mark I don't know when you are planning to do this project but I would be glad to help. It looks like our move is pushed back a few days but I will probably be comming sometime between Sunday through Tuesday.

Sounds great Josh, thanks. Just get here dude!