Coleman Cooler Repair?

[riverbee]

calling all you 'engineers'......

i have an old coleman cooler that has seen a fair bit of use and travel (my favorite) , from 1975, lowboy 44 quart, red, all metal with metal hinges, closure, handles and bottle opener included on the handles.  coleman doesn't make coolers like this anymore.  it's still a great cooler and we use it quite frequently.  it's in good shape, and better shape than what i see is being sold on ebay.

first before you say so....... iddee or jack, (or anyone else) i am NOT going to buy a new cooler........

the drain spout was leaking, upon closer look on the inside, i see some small cracks on the inside about 1/8" outside the drain assembly/inside washer. quick fix i used aquarium silicone sealant on the cracks and around the drain from the inside. this did help, but still leaked a little.  i removed the drain assembly to find that had a big crack in it........oh maybe that was from dropping it on the drain side.......oops oh well. upon removal of the drain assembly, there were cracks on both sides near the drain assembly.  i ordered a new drain assembly kit for it, but they are not like the old ones made. 

i want to repair these cracks if possible, and get my old coleman cooler leak free!  someone suggested using super glue on the small cracks on the inside to seal them, apparently, as he claims, this melds the plastic ?  here are some pix, your thoughts?

small cracks on the inside of the cooler:
the old washer didn't cover these cracks, maybe about an1/8 of an inch was visible when the drain assembly was in place:



outside of the cooler:



the old drain assembly, the double washer is still in great shape:



the old washer is a double fits on the inside and the outside of the drain hole, not like the new ones do:



new and old comparison:



i am thinking i can reuse the old washer if need be or make a trip to the hardware store. i see peeps that brew beer and use coolers and have all sorts of custom drain parts to old coolers.

my question is, can i repair these cracks, or what would you suggest i try?........thanks!

[Riverrat]

I have heard some good things about flex seal.  You might try that on the inside

[riverbee]

thanks rat, will check this out!

[Riverrat]

thanks rat, will check this out!

and I believe it comes in white

[rcannon]

If you can find someone that repairs kayaks, they can probably weld those cracks up. Then the new drain would probably seal it up.
Most kayaks are plastic and get cracks from hitting rocks, being transported, etc. A plastic welder fixes them right up.
If you were closer, I'd fix it for you.

[riverbee]

thanks riverrat, white? great! 

rc, wish i was! hmmm, i do have friends with kayaks...... thank you!

[rcannon]

Riverbee, disregard my post. That cooler is metal, not plastic. Sorry, I was having a brain fart. 

[apisbees]

JB Weld they have a multitude of products http://www.jbweld.com/product/j-b-plasticweld/ If you look and read the produce information you will find the right product. It is an epoxy but designed for special purposes.

[riverbee]

"Riverbee, disregard my post. That cooler is metal, not plastic. Sorry, I was having a brain fart." 

........
rc, the cooler is polyethylene on the inside, metal on the outside......as far as brain farts.......yeah baby, have plenty of them and happy to hear someone else does as well!
and actually some kayak owners have used a product by 3 m......

thanks apis for your post on the jb weld, considering this and was also looking at 3m's product of the marine adhesive/sealant 5200. 

thanks!

[Garden Hive]

Hey River,
Loctite makes an Epoxy Plastic Bonder, squirts out in two flows from one container. Then you mix it and work it into the cracks. Can be sanded then to smooth out(fine grit) and your rubber washer should tighten up and seal it. Just something I have used for similar use. Think it would work great for you. Tim

[riverbee]

thanks tim, appreciate the suggestion.  haven't decided what to use just yet, my part hasn't arrived. 

funny thing, yesterday i tried to sign up on a coleman collectors forum, some of these folks restore and fix all sorts of coleman coolers, lanterns, stoves, etc..... THEY TOSSED ME OUT, because i used a nick name instead of my full name........

what's up with that!  full name? 

[CpnObvious]

Poly on the inside?  You might be able to meld it carefully using a soldering GUN, not a soldering stick iron... more control and better heat.

As far as sealing it...  You might try purchasing a can of minimally-expanding "Great Stuff" : http://building.dow.com/na/en/products/sealants/gapscracks.htm

You could squirt a LITTLE in between the two layers, then put a dowel (wrapped w/ Saran Wrap) through it while the foam expands and does it's thing.  I would probably mask the inside and outside of the cooler...  Sometime GreatStuff sticks REALLY well to areas that you don't want it to.

Once it's set, pull out the dowel and clean up any excess.  The GreatStuff will have sealed the crack(s) from between the layers.  When you assemble the drain back into it, the GreatStuff will help keep the sides from crushing in, thus worsening the crack(s).

[LazyBkpr]

Some good replies.  I have welded my share of plastic, and think the inner liner will be too thin unless extreme care is used.   I like the non expanding foam idea, then use the two part epoxy for plastic on the cracks so you strengthen it internally and seal it on the plastic side.  I have a metal (green) coleman cooler thats pretty beat up from years of use. I don't use it anymore, its in the rafters in the shed, Kept just because of the memories it brings along with it.
   Forums that are that strict are not for people like me. I go to forums for information and to enjoy life a little, not to add drama.

[riverbee]

thanks scott and capn, sorta thinking this might be a hard fix, and might have to retire, BUT.......
scott, the inner liner is thin.....the idea of reinforcing it with the great stuff between the layers is a thought, and placing the dowel in, or if need be drill the hole appropriate to fit the new spigot. and using the epoxy. 
ps i am dangerous with the great stuff.....

randy.....i thought about your post.......the cooler is not all metal, it looks like this polyethelene? on the bottom half where the drain spigot goes, but it's thin, not sure this could be plastic welded:



tim, the loctite stuff is not for polyethylene, and only water resistant......less i am not looking at the right stuff?

scott, the forum that tossed me......required at least a first initial and last name.......not certain why? a moderator initially told me full name after being tossed, but the rules said first initial.....they don't need my full name or partial name, not sure of the purpose.
rather funny though, me being tossed out of a forum........

[Bakersdozen]

 

funny thing, yesterday i tried to sign up on a coleman collectors forum, some of these folks restore and fix all sorts of coleman coolers, lanterns, stoves, etc..... THEY TOSSED ME OUT, because i used a nick name instead of my full name........

what's up with that!  full name?

My guess would be to keep the forum to serious inquiries only.  Eliminate trolls, spammers and so forth.

A cooler from '75?  they certainly don't make them like they used to!

[CpnObvious]

As a side note... I also have one of those "old" red Colemans...  They sure don't make 'em like they used to!

[Riverrat]

As a side note... I also have one of those "old" red Colemans...  They sure don't make 'em like they used to!

These was made along with the lanterns about 30 miles from where I live.  Had a lot of friends work there over the years.  One of them runs a screw machine building lantern parts. When he started 30 years ago they had 250 screw machines today they are down to less than 60.  After the Coleman family was forced out and left the company a lot of the work has went overseas

[riverbee]

bakers, i don't disagree with you.  i had a couple emails with a moderator on the forum, but they like to have fun like we do here.  he told me to just sign back up and use an initial for the first name and full last name.  i haven't done so. 

capn, absolutely, coleman doesn't make products like they used to!  that cooler and another like it keep stuff cold!  do you want to sell yours?......
i'm attached to this old red thing!  metal handles, metal latch closures, bottle openers on the sides, maybe someday that will come back?!

riverrat lanterns?  very true, went overseas......
my brother and i collect coleman lanterns............

did i tell you all besides bee books, i collect coleman coolers, water jugs and lanterns?...........
my oldest coleman cooler is from 1954, (the penguin, first series made) my oldest coleman lantern is from 1945......

but i do really want to try and fix this one if i can.........if not......well, might have to buy one off estick'em bay......

okay so my grandkids are gonna be going through boxes of abc xyz bee books and coleman lanterns, water jugs and coolers..........

[riverbee]

"okay so my grandkids are gonna be going through boxes of abc xyz bee books and coleman lanterns, water jugs and coolers.........."

oh and i forgot, a myriad of fishing gear and fly rods and reels........

[Riverrat]

You ever make it down this way Coleman has a company museum and factory outlet in Wichita. Back a few years ago the Japaneses took a liking to Coleman lanterns and a lot of rare old lanterns was sold and shipped to Japan through febay