# Homemade Ice Machine



## CaptainHebert (Jun 14, 2004)

Has anyone mounted a Ice maker in chest freezer? Does it work well? How much Ice do they make a day?


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

*ICE*

Mine made about 1 to 2 gallons of ice a DAY. And of course you could mount 2.But I got away from it and started using those 1/2 gal paper/plastic milk/juice cartons.Fill them 95% or so freeze they stack well in the freezer and in ice chest.As they thaw just rinse 1 off with a little salt water (if its got fish slime in it)and you got cold water.When I get home I wash them up along with the ice chest and refill as needed and re-freeze.Seems to work really well if if the bottem is solid cartons then drinks (ADULT) then a small bag of ice. Lasts longer kind of like the old block ice.GOOD LUCK CVA34


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## pg542 (Oct 9, 2006)

cva34 said:


> Mine made about 1 to 2 gallons of ice a DAY. And of course you could mount 2.But I got away from it and started using those 1/2 gal paper/plastic milk/juice cartons.Fill them 95% or so freeze they stack well in the freezer and in ice chest.As they thaw just rinse 1 off with a little salt water (if its got fish slime in it)and you got cold water.When I get home I wash them up along with the ice chest and refill as needed and re-freeze.Seems to work really well if if the bottem is solid cartons then drinks (ADULT) then a small bag of ice. Lasts longer kind of like the old block ice.GOOD LUCK CVA34


 same with me, you never worry about anything getting waterlogged and they'll last better than crushed. milk jugs are cheap....


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

Yep but I use 2 and 3 liter coke bottles. Also orange juice containers.


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## Skip Daddy (Sep 1, 2007)

I used to use the milk carton, coke bottle in the freezer but it did not seem to get as cold. I empty the ice maker on the freezer in my house into a construction (extra thick) trash bag and then put the whole bag in the chest freezer in my garage. My ice maker refills the tray in 2 days. I repeat the process a few time and end up with about 20 lbs of ice a week. When I am going fishing, I take the trash bag filled with ice and empty some or all of it into my ice chest. Keep repeating and you always have ice. The only problem is lazyness. With the local conv. store selling a 20 lbs bag of ice for $1.50 its hard to motivate my self to fill the bag in the freezer. I have more times than not just stoped on the way out for a 20 lbs bag which is a good size for the day.

Chris


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

One more note slightly off the subject. Keeping your freezer full of products or just bottles of ice saves electricity.


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## jettech17 (Jan 20, 2006)

ONly thing about a chest freezer ice machine being a problem is the slight runoff from opening and closing or production might turn the bottom into one big chunk of ice.The ice maker in my fridge always seems to make a chunk near the back of the tray...


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## Worthy 2 Keep (Sep 2, 2009)

jettech17 said:


> ONly thing about a chest freezer ice machine being a problem is the slight runoff from opening and closing or production might turn the bottom into one big chunk of ice.The ice maker in my fridge always seems to make a chunk near the back of the tray...


Drill a hole for a drain and a through hull fitting, attach a hose or pipe to a nearby drain and voila.


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## railbird (Jan 2, 2009)

Redfish7 said:


> I used to use the milk carton, coke bottle in the freezer but it did not seem to get as cold. I empty the ice maker on the freezer in my house into a construction (extra thick) trash bag and then put the whole bag in the chest freezer in my garage. My ice maker refills the tray in 2 days. I repeat the process a few time and end up with about 20 lbs of ice a week. When I am going fishing, I take the trash bag filled with ice and empty some or all of it into my ice chest. Keep repeating and you always have ice. The only problem is lazyness. With the local conv. store selling a 20 lbs bag of ice for $1.50 its hard to motivate my self to fill the bag in the freezer. I have more times than not just stoped on the way out for a 20 lbs bag which is a good size for the day.
> 
> Chris


store on the corner of wildcat and 181 has 20's for 99 cents again. I'll pay for ice at that rate.


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## CaptainHebert (Jun 14, 2004)

Unfortunitally $1.50 for 10# is about best price where I am at. And 60 pounds a trip 3-4 times a week gets expensive. Plus not having to stop in morning is nice.


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