# Country Cooler



## MT Stringer

Can I get a Hell Yeah?

Finished it just in time to deliver. I made this cooler for my step daughters boyfriend. He was wanting one for his birthday so she came to me for help.

As you can see, his favorite team is the TEXANS!!!! And his favorite beer is Bud Light.

I used a 70 qt Igloo Max Cold, which just so happens to have a drain that accepts a water hose. So I cobbled up a connection to a faucet using a half inch pipe fitting with a 5/8 hose barb that matched the hose repair fitting/barb I found at HD. A very short piece of 5/8 tubing completed the drain. Just open the valve to drain water from the cooler.

I used cedar pickets planed down to semi smooth and some 3/4 inch cedar planks to make the main part of the frame.

The support frame is reclaimed pallet boards. 

The Texans logo is hard maple and my wife cut the pieces out on the band saw, painted them and I attached them using screws. I turned out pretty nice. It was fun having her out in the shop working with me. After a few minutes of practice, she cut the pieces out...and then we sanded . 

I used 7 inch wheels and a 1/2 inch rod for the axle. A couple of handles and a pair of hinges completes the hardware trim.

The best part is that no blood was shed in the building of this project. :rotfl:

Hope you like it.
Mike


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## poco jim

That's Great, bet he loves it.


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## portalto

Very, very nice!!!!


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## bill

Sweet


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## CHARLIE

Very nice I bet you could sell a hunneret f those things at Buckee's or Hilje smokehouse.


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## Robert A.

Outstanding!!! I love everything about it except the bud lite!! It really is a masterpiece!!


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## MT Stringer

The present has been delivered. And yes, he loves it. And it was a complete surprise. Just in time for his birthday bash this weekend. One guy almost run off the road looking at it in the bed of my truck. He was grinning and giving the big thumbs up. I think he liked it also.

Mike


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## MT Stringer

Robert A. said:


> Outstanding!!! I love everything about it except the bud lite!! It really is a masterpiece!!


I got the setup off ebay. You can order it without the bottle cap and playing card. Little mom and pop business called "Yougottahave".

http://www.ebay.com/sch/ugottahave/...h=item53ef8b52e9&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562


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## Law Dog

Looks awesome, great gift. Congrats!


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## Tortuga

Great work, Mike...you're a regular 'machine'....LOL


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## woodspirit

Now that there cooler is really cool looking. I love coming to this section to what y'all are making. It's inspirational stuff.


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## stargazer

Dang Mike, that is 2 cool. Good job, might be a new way to make a few bucks every now and then.


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## JS Fog

Very cool. I like the wheels. The one I had took 2 people to move, and no one can be found when it is time to clean up.


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## MT Stringer

Thanks. Several foplks are intersted in one. Might be able to do some work inside when it is cold outside.


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## Hooked

I love it -- very nice. Fullstringer did a beautiful job on the logo!

This is on my list to make for my daughter --- except it'll have an Aggie logo.....lol


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## Trouthunter

Man that's really nice!


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## Gfish

Just too cool.


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## therealbigman

Wished I had a Father -in law like you ! Nice !

But I gotta ask ,

Did ya Fill it up Beverage for the delivery ? :dance:


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## Badhabit

MT Stringer said:


> The present has been delivered. And yes, he loves it. And it was a complete surprise. Just in time for his birthday bash this weekend. One guy almost run off the road looking at it in the bed of my truck. He was grinning and giving the big thumbs up. I think he liked it also.
> 
> Mike


I know that guy  It was on Spur 330 and he was in a big white 4 WD Chevy Duramax with a 5" turbo back straight thru exhaust and a programmed engine pushing 550 hp and blowed black diesel smoke in front of you when he got thru drooling over the cooler.. Pat looked nice too....LOL
Yep, I know him well... 
And he wants one, so start building, and just give me a price..


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## MT Stringer

@ therealbigman...no it was empy. I don't like him that much! .

@Bad Habit...Sorry I didn't recognize you. Yep I will be making more of them prolly early November.


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## grayfish

Fantastic Mike, and to think of all that time you wanted to take pictures. Start selling them cooler setup and you will be rich in a season. You may have to leave them blank and let the buyers add the logo to avoid copyrights. I suppose they could find someone to make the as a gift. Hiya Pat.


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## Hooked

Gotta say Mike, a thread which brings BH out of the woodwork...........lol.


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## Badhabit

Hooked said:


> Gotta say Mike, a thread which brings BH out of the woodwork...........lol.


ROTFL.... Beleive me, I'm around way more than you know...


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## PortHoleDiver

Mike looks really 2cool. Gave me inspiration to build a similar one for my son. One loves UT the other went A&M. Christmas around the corner. What type of screws did you use for the construction. And how thin did you plane the boards. Would it have been easier to use the full thickness rough fence boards/pickets without planing or did you need to plane to achieve the final thickness you desired.
Really nice.


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## MT Stringer

PortHoleDiver said:


> Mike looks really 2cool. Gave me inspiration to build a similar one for my son. One loves UT the other went A&M. Christmas around the corner. What type of screws did you use for the construction. And how thin did you plane the boards. Would it have been easier to use the full thickness rough fence boards/pickets without planing or did you need to plane to achieve the final thickness you desired.
> Really nice.


I used Pocket Screws for the assembly. They hold really well...and a lot of Titebond III glue, mainly because it takes a little longer to set up and it is waterproof.

The fence pickets and the rough sides of the cedar boards all got a free ride through the Dewalt planer. 

I checked the price of rough cedar - too high. It was cheaper to buy the pickets and the boards that have one flat side and two smooth edges.


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## PortHoleDiver

Mike did you glue the lid of cooler to the wood top or screw it. Can you dissasemble the drain cock to remove the cooler if it needed to be? About what is the overall dimension. I have seen a similar style with 48qt coolers but really like your idea of using the 70qt cooler. Great work and thanks for the info.


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## MT Stringer

I used Gorilla 5 minute epoxy to glue the cooler lid to the wooden lid.

The cooler isn't coming out. I foamed it in after installation so it wouldn't move around.
To get the cooler out, you would have to tear the whole thing apart. :-(

I don't have any specs. Just gave it a little wiggle room so I could install the cooler.


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## 4 Ever-Fish N

You did a great job with the cooler. Really nice!! I don't visit this forum too often. I'm going to have to check it out more often.


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## h.f.d.firedog

Looks great Mike. Did you take the handles off the ice chest? What kinda foam did you foam it in with? I would like to build one for the Fire Station..,.


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## MT Stringer

h.f.d.firedog said:


> Looks great Mike. Did you take the handles off the ice chest? What kinda foam did you foam it in with? I would like to build one for the Fire Station..,.


I removed the handles and used the spray foam to anchor the cooler in place so it won't move around.

Update. I started attaching the wooden lid to the cooler lids using galvanized carriage bolts.


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## h.f.d.firedog

Ha thanks Mike are you drilling through the wood & ice chest lid? What size bolts are you using? Thanks again...


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## WildThings

MT Stringer said:


> Update. I started attaching the wooden lid to the cooler lids using galvanized carriage bolts.


How? 'splain please or pictures would be "preciate Thanks

WT


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## MT Stringer

h.f.d.firedog said:


> Ha thanks Mike are you drilling through the wood & ice chest lid? What size bolts are you using? Thanks again...


After making the top to cover the cooler lid, I turn it over and center the cooler lid as best as I can measure. Then I mark four places on the smooth parts of the cooler lid and drill through the lid and wooden cover which is underneath. Then it just a matter of inserting the bolts through the hole and attach with a washer and nut.

Note: Since I was building several of the coolers, I made a simple jig so I could quickly mark the spot to drill quickly and eliminate the measuring.

I used 5/16 galvanized bolts...hmmm...about 2 1/2 inches I think. Dont hold me to that.

It is really simple. After attaching the two lids, I set it on the cooler and then simply attach the hinges. VOILA! Nothing to it.

Hope this helps.


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## h.f.d.firedog

*County Cooler*

Thank you sir. Great help.


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## WildThings

Thanks !


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## h.f.d.firedog

Just one more question Mike. Where did you get the Texans diagram? Just love the cooler.


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## MT Stringer

h.f.d.firedog said:


> Just one more question Mike. Where did you get the Texans diagram? Just love the cooler.


I found an image of it I liked on the internet. I cut each piece individually and painted, glued and screwed them into one piece.


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