Glue inside freezer

[MysterG]

One of the drawer runners in our freezer split ages ago and is gradually getting worse.
Basically it's just part of the moulded plastic liner over foam insulation which is now exposed.

Obviously I don't want to buy a new fridge freezer so was planning on effecting a repair with some sort of epoxy.
Would really prefer not to have to turn it off as we have no alternative storage

Any recommended glues, fillers etc. that would set inside a freezer?

 

[Kayos]

I've used CT1 in a fridge, going strong holding a door shelf on 3 years later

 

[voipio]

The main problem with making a repair on a working freezer is condensation, which will block the adhesion of epoxy adhesives. Setting times would be next on the list.

How about putting the contents into cool boxes, turning off the freezer, and warming the repair area with a hair dryer/fan heater?

 

[Olderisbetter]

I ended up glueing in ally angle sections on the bottom of an old freezer drawer with PU adhesive, it lasted at least 5 years

 

[MysterG]

The main problem with making a repair on a working freezer is condensation, which will block the adhesion of epoxy adhesives. Setting times would be next on the list.

How about putting the contents into cool boxes, turning off the freezer, and warming the repair area with a hair dryer/fan heater?

Problem would be getting enough cool boxes to store everything.

 

[bricol]

Duvet in the bath, pile everything from freezer into it, cover with another duvet.

Defrost and warm up freezer, apply glue of choice, allow to cure.

I don't think there is anything sensibly priced that will cure properly in a working freezer.

 

[Ton-up]

Put all the frozen food on a plastic sheet on the floor and cover with towels or a old duvet. The food will stay frozen for hours. That's how SWMBO defrosts our freezer.

 

[voipio]

Problem would be getting enough cool boxes to store everything.

Borrow some? It'll only be for a few hours.

 

[hotponyshoes]

Drill some holes either side of the split and cable tie together?
Or you might be able to fashion a repair with one of the thermoplastics like polymorph.

 

[Cobbler]

Would a hot glue gun work? You wouldn’t have to wait for it to go off.

 

[MysterG]

Drill some holes either side of the split and cable tie together?
Or you might be able to fashion a repair with one of the thermoplastics like polymorph.

It's more than just a spilt. There is an area of plastic missing.
I was thinking of sticking a thin strip of nylon or aluminium angle over it.

Would a hot glue gun work? You wouldn’t have to wait for it to go off.

Even if it stuck it would be too grippy for the drawer to run on.

Took a pic. Everyone loves pics. Yes I should have attended to it when it was just a split ...

 

[Cobbler]

Body filler, warm it with a fan heater so it goes off quickly

 

[gerrymoore]

I used plain super glue on the hinge of the icebox door ... worked perfectly and that was months ago .....and the door gets opened very regularly (I have ICE in my white wine!!)

 

[knighty]

if you're going to empty the freezer... turn it down as clod as it will go a few days before... colder stuff is the longer it'll stay frozen

water filled pop bottles would make ice packs too... stick a few spoons of salt in each one to lower it's freezing point... that way they'll defrost before other things, keeping the other things frozen

 

[ajlelectronics]

Body filler, warm it with a fan heater so it goes off quickly

With my arsenal of products, I would be reaching for the fibreglass loaded filler for that job. Goes off in 15 mins at room temperature.

 

[hotponyshoes]

It's more than just a spilt. There is an area of plastic missing.
I was thinking of sticking a thin strip of nylon or aluminium angle over it.



Even if it stuck it would be too grippy for the drawer to run on.

Took a pic. Everyone loves pics. Yes I should have attended to it when it was just a split ...

View attachment 519787

I'd stuff that up with polymorph. Its not adhesivebutnifnyouncut into the foam around the edges it will lock into that space pretty well.

 

[Mark 5]

Get a bit creative, cut/trim and clean damaged area, create a mold, use some foam filler and cure.

Once cured, trim and cover repaired area with plastic, something like Mylon.

 

[Pond frog]

I think I would go with a thickened epoxy something like this https://www.westsystem.com/products/six10-thickened-epoxy-adhesive/

 

[tigdlo]

I think it will be polystyrene, pastic weld a thicker sheet over the damage, you could dig out a little insulation to make a flat section to insert a piece.

 

[indykid]

Use hot air guns or even hairdryers with caution. The white plastic is vac formed and will try to revert to its flat state if you get it too warm.

As for the food, I've had to defrost our 'frost free' freezer a handful of times when the drain blocked and it started leaking water (until I added some heavy copper wire round the heating element to keep the drain clear) but take the drawers out and stack them together, wrap the lot in a quilt or old curtain and it'll stay frozen for a couple of hours quite comfortably.

The strip of nylon and 5 minute epoxy sounds like a reasonable shout, but I'd be inclined to drill some holes in the strip and countersink from the top side heavily to give the epoxy something to push up and in to to give a mechanical key, otherwise, it'll likely peel in short order.