Don’t toss out your broken chest freezer
If you’re like a lot of people, your first thought when something around the house breaks is to throw it out, especially if it would cost more to fix it than to replace it. Even though you’re not happy when something that has been working suddenly stops, there’s something about the closure you get when you rid yourself of it that helps. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.
But before we throw stuff out, we should always think about how it might be re-purposed. Check out this article Turn a Dead Chest Freezer into a Miniature Root Cellar, I can’t believe I never thought of this!
Have you ever buried root vegetables in some type of chest or other container? How did that work out? What other examples can you share regarding repurposing ordinary items. I’d enjoy hearing about your ideas and experiences. To get the ball rolling, I’ve listed a few below:
- Turning an old router into a range-boosting wi-fi repeater
- Turning a door frame into a coffee table
- Turning an old shirt into an apron
- Turning a hoodie into an improvised laptop bag
- Organizing cables and cords in empty toilet paper rolls
- Turning a slinky into a bird feeder
- Turning an old picture frame into a serving tray
- Turning a vintage doorknob into a wine bottle cork.
My mom’s folks are Finns from Finland. They brought with them every bit of Finn wisdom they learned. For example. Since Finland actually straddles the polar circle, the ground in North Finland never thaws out completely. When Finns migrated to U.S they headed for the Canadian border areas of the U.S where winters are brutally cold and these hardy folks felt at home. They dug a deep cellar beneath their homes but never wood paneled them, the floors were hard packed earth. They did use cedar wood chests and jute sacks to store all kinds of smoked meat and fish, and vegetbles, some are canned, some like potatoes are not. They made sure no light got in, but made sure it was well ventilate with outside cold air. Finns also were the originators of using wheat bran to make flour, then boiled it to make what we call bagels. They taught the rooski’s how its done. They could also use rye flour and do the same, then lightly smoke it to then run a cord thru the bagel holes and suspend these rather large ‘bagels’ from the ceilings of rooms that were not excessively heated. Imagine watching TV and be able to satisfy a munchy crave by plucking a hefty sized ‘bagel’ to munch on. My mom’s parents came from the west side of Sweden near the city of Vassa. This area specialized in wood carving, ship building, bee keeping, forestry and small scale farming. My mom was born in upper Wisconsin on a small self sufficient farm. Her dad was a blacksmith who could do incredible things like repair a Model T. In those daze, Ford did not have a local repair shop in every town. It was either junk it or let a d-i-y blacksmith rig up a solution. My grandpa survived the Great Depression ‘cuz of these skills. Bottom line here, we shold do our utmost to preserve this collective survival wisdom of the past. My mom grew up without electricity, yet her family grew and thrived under conditions folks today would perish by the 1,000s.
Hey Frank,
Didn’t know exactly where to send my tip but…
When I was young, on the farm we had 300 Barred Rock laying hens and we and other old farmers sealed fresh eggs in a 1 part “Waterglass” and 9 part water mixture and they lasted at room temperature for over 6 month’s.
Hope you can add this to your tips.
Please explain how
Hey Frank, just wanted you to know.. I took this root cellar idea, did a little more research and with a little variation of my own, adapted it to work very well for my cellar. Each side has the whole for tubing but I just inserted large then small screens to keep out critters. Simple. Works like a charm! Thanks for the idea! We have been reusing our old chest freezer now for potatoes the last few years. Dean
Can you store flour, sugar, cornmeal and boxed items in a chest freezrt thats broken?
I have converted many an old freezer or fridge into a smoker for fish or jerky. Uprights work best because they have more shelving for smoking the meat. Just cut a 4″ inlet for smoke to get in and a 4″ hole in the top for smoke out. Regulate smoke concentration by partially blocking top vent . Wood fire needs to be built OUTSIDE of the freezer and piped in so as not to melt the internal plastic parts. This really works well.
I’ve had a 30 x 30 ft garden for quite a few years. Growing root veggies, Carrots, onions, potatoes. Never used any man-made root cellar. Just left the root veggies in the ground. Covered with leaves and grass cutting. (Compose). With the potatoes, I put a 2×2 by 20 inch stake on the north side of the seed potato so I knew later where to dig. My first diggings were usually in early Nov. and the last hill I dug was in the 2nd week of May. The ground is an excellent refrigerator. Never lost a crop to freeze. They keep growing all the time in the ground and are excellent tasting and cheaper than any grocery store spuds. They do not rot and no problem with earth worms. Carrots are the same as are the ground onions. Just put about 10 inches of leaves and mulch over them in late fall. The snow coming down is also an excellent insulator from open frost & freeze and maintains the cool (not frozen) ground. When I dig in March or April, there are live and active worms working on the compose. Last winters 29 degree and 31 degree nights had no effect. Cheaper than trying to rig up the old deep freezer and you aren’t limited to size or space. If you can plant them, you can save them. When I tell my friends about digging up spuds in mid-winter, they just plain don’t believe it. I live in NW Penn. about 40 air miles south of Erie, PA, just south of the snow belt. I have 26 hills of potatoes, one hill a week pulls out about 3-4 pounds each hill. These spuds are usually in the 1.6 lb each., with a few less than two inches dia. That’s 6 months of potatoes. I haven’t tried beets yet. My wife cans them before I can winterize them. You should see what I’ve done with Kt. Wonder Beans. No dirt on the beans when you pick them and clean enough you could pick and eat them 10 minutes. The poles are 7 ft tall and I leave the top foot of beans alone, then shell them and vacuum seal them in quart jars for cooking & eating all winter. Write me if you would like info on what I did for the poles. No costs involved. This is a Freebe. [email protected]
Those temperatures given were below zero. I goofed until I reread my post.
Hello! Recently I have bought a new freezer (this model http://pc24.de/siemens/gc28maw30.html) and it has been working good for 3 months. But now I noticed that it works worse cause the air is not enough cold in it. We have power swings quite often and I think maybe it is the root of the problem? How do you think?
I HAVE REMOVED COOLING FANS FROM OLD MICROWAVES THAT NO LONGER WORK. WIRED A 110 VOLT PLUG TO IT AND IT MAKES AN EXCELLENT COOLING FAN FOR ELECTRONICS THAT GET EXTREMLY HOT OR WARM. (SUCH AS CB LINEAR POWER BOOSTERS AND OTHER SUCH RADIO EQUIPTMENT.
I am wondering about using an old freezer laying on its back for fuel storage. I would bury the freezer and cover it with a pallet of straw. I would likely cover with some pond liner to shed water. I don’t think it would even need to be vented because being in an insulated box below ground and covered to keep the sun off. I think it will remain fairly cool, thus not pressuring up the plastic containers and creating gas vapors. I realize that gas vapors are heavier than air, but I don’t think I will generate any vapors. I am hoping some of you whiz kids can tell me if this would be safe. Thanks!
You MUST vent this or it could become a bomb, a very impressive one at that. This is the same reason engine compartments on boats have fans. It doesn’t take much vapor to create a bad situation. Run a vent pipe with a non-sparking fan(brushless motor, like for a computer) for a few minutes before opening to remove the vapors if you must do this, but there are probably better ways. Venting is key with fuel.
If I missed it, I apologize, Old microwave is great Faraday cage. be careful about re-purposing Freezers and the like below ground level as during a wet spell the water may pool above the lid and unless the seal is still airtight, water can enter and spoil your stuff.
To Julie,
I thought the last sentence was very odd. Glad you clarified. Mahalo
Since it’s just the two of us now w use our freezer as another Foods For Patriots plastic tub. We package our dehydrated items in portions of two four or six in vacuumed sealed bags and date them. We use the different size wire freezer baskets to keep items separated by portions sizes and keeps fruits and veggies separated and easily accessable
Sorry Frank that’s Food4Patroits not four.Dah!!!
OOOH! Send pictures ([email protected]). We love to see good organization ideas around here.
Would an old deep freeze work to bury a cache of guns inside it? I thought with the gaskets sealing it, that could cut down the rust factor. How could you turn an old freezer into a buried gun cache?
It would work but you’ll need to add descant to absorb any moisture that is in the freezer.
Another way is to clean your weapons, then place them in Mylar bags, seal, and place in fridge. Mylar protects from moisture, rust and dirt. If you don’t plan to open often, silicon caulk assists in keeping gasket water tight?
I use a food saver and roll out a piece of the plastic long enough to seal one end and still have enough hanging out the other end after the rifle or loaded magazines are stored in so that you can properly insert that end into the food saver. Vacuum pack it well and double seal each end. You can even throw it in a pond and it’ll stay nice and dry inside! Just keep in mind that anything buried can be located by new satellite based NMR technology by scanning for telltale elements contained within. I’m a formerly retired DOD contractor that was reactivated recently to work on a classified project and I have been looking into ways to protect surplus military hardware for long-term storage. As mentioned, , the microvave cooking cavity of old microwave ovens make great Faraday Cages for protecting sensitive electronics from EMP (ElectroMagnetic Pulse) whether it originates from a natural event (ie solar flare) or manmade (ie nuclear incident). I build high energy EMP generating devices for military EMP hardness and shielding testing . Currently there is great concern about grid failure due to expected upcoming EMP events that will take us back to the ‘stone ages’ technology-wise. Even solar panels are not EMP resistant, so you must keep spares of just about everything solar-related in an EMP-proof storage environment. Modern batteries are designed for short lifespans. Return to old tech power storage, like Nickel-Iron Edison cell technology if you want it to last!
Bob I would love to learn more and pick your brain. I’m a single female storing up as much as I can. Every thing I have learn I have learn on my own. Would be nice to be able to ask questions.
Thanks
Catherine
CAN AN OLS FREEZER BE TURNED INTO A
FARRADAY BOX?
A freezer has a rubber gasket that is not EMP proof. The wiring for the interior light also gives a path for radio waves to penetrate the enclosure, so that has to go and any holes in the box must be filled or covered by metallic substances or tape.
If you can seal the gap between the lid/door and the box, then it would work providing it’s metal and intact. Rust is also permeable to radio waves.
All in all, a metal garbage can with metallic tap around the lid-to-can gap is a cheaper and far easier proposition.
My daughter took old freezers , patched any holes, laid them on the ground and filled with water for her horses, the water doesn’t freeze as fast or as thick
Old chest freezers make an excellent backstop for your own gun range. Fill it with dirt and locate it in a safe place where any misses go into the ground if possible. The chest can be painted to make it blend into the background and not be unsightly. It helps if you put some type of corrugated plastic sheet (similar to campaign signs) inside the side of the chest you will be shooting into to help close bullet holes and retain the dirt.
“similar to campaign signs”
I’m laughing. I’m laughing really hard… and making a plan to update my archery range.
Old microwave take big coil out. take off top coil, put a large wire in warping one time and make a spot welder out of it
my failed chest freezer without door makes a great composter for my chicken litter. some grass cuttings not many at a time. Do have a lose piece of tin weighted down on top. Wet and stir some during winter. Apply to seed bed and tomato plants when planting
Geraldc~add a little bit of soil and some earthworms and you won’t have to wet OR stir during winter and you can add as much grass as you want plus you will have greatly enriched compost from the worm castings!
When I was growing up I saw a many an old fridge or freezer turned into a worm farm by old timers. Some just grew their fishin worms and some used the castings on their garden.
I have de-constructed old washers and dryers and used the tubs for compost bins then anything else I couldn’t re-purpose I sold for scrap.
Old washer and dryer tubs make great burn barrels.
To give maize meal a longer shelf life, heat 1kg maize meal at a time for 5 min in a microwave oven on high, stir through to get rid of moist in the form of steam, heat again for 5 min, stir again and pour out in a large bowl to cool. Store in containers. Will last longer if placed in a freezer.
I see my name in here, but didn’t have anything on my mind as of a ‘saving’ nature. I think about all the things that have been invented over the latest 100 years. Now we are living at the point of participating in very critical times. Many years ago I read about the committee meeting to discuss curtailing life expectancy. From then on ways are one the move without the general public doing anything about it. But when something is to be done, for example life expect-ancy, medications are compounded to enhance life. Or when chemicals are used to control molds or insects infesting plants and animals it also infests the human body and according to the EPA an enormous amount of sprays containing those chemicals are breathed in or ingested through appetite causing deterioration of the body, not affecting each person in the same manner. This sets up another response to the medical community to figure out. The only way to ever bring God’s country back to where it should be is to start at the bottom and outlaw all chemical manufacture. Stop the lobbying and really get our representation to carry out the will of the majority.
I’ve listened to talk shows over the years and the talk is how to keep everyone happy, just start from here, never looking back to the beginning. The environment?
Too many combustion engines, and the biggest culprit are automobiles. You are on the right track, Frank set up the colletion panels or electric generators. Stop the oil conquest and let the fires cool, bring back sanity to the earth. Are all disasterous weather changes across our United States sent for wakeup calls? The “earth is the Lord’ s and they that dwell therein.” Time has brought us to another Memorial Day, 2014 and I pray for all who have been in the war and struggle and given their lives for our freedom as well as for some in other countries. And at the same time, pray for those who have returned from the hell of war.
You are very right Lockart, but the people will not listen. This all prophecy coming to fruition. If you believe in GOD and HIS Word than you cannot deny this is satan’s world now. We must stay strong in our spirits that stay close to the Truth. It is very hard and very lonely, but your writing what you did was/probably is being heard by others beyond myself. Be prepared to suck it up and hold on to HIS Beams of Protection. I do. HE will protect you or maybe you are one of the heroic martyrs…I a weak, financially poor, widow. HE is getting me by and I absolutely hate the sins of this world I must see everyday when I talk sometimes to others or watch / listen to the news and interests on the wires….You are not alone Lockart. Stay strong and honor out GOD as best you can.
PS Lockard: And did you notice how the wires have slyly changed my last sentence. /// should be “our” GOD but satan’s team has changed it to “out” because they want GOD totally out of the picture. Clarified.
Have you heard of the Convention of States? I think it has possibilities.
don’t fill along guys just continue to be obedient and his servent as he wants us to be and he will take care of us as he promised.
Use a old, smaller, chest type, upright freezer, or refrigerator on its back. Bury it, just above the door opening. Fill with peat moss, install a pad lock hasp. Use to store large amounts of night crawlers, for storing, or selling bait for fishing,
Repurpose old storm/screen doors by making chicken tractor. I used a metal storm door as the base, took out the two glass sections(one was broken threw it away. Saved the good glass. Used L-bracked to attach 2′ long 2×4 to each corner. Added an old wood screen door on top of that. Added 2×2 on top of that at each corner to support a third storm door. This layer was 2ft high on the front long side a 3ft long on the back long side. Then used 1/4 plywood to cover sides the frame except the two long areas at ground level. These I covered with wire. The top screen door still had a good hinge so I just screwed the hinge to the 3ft tall side so I could open to clean and collect eggs Also covered this top door with plywood. The floor was also plywood covering 3/4 of the wood door with a small ramp going down the opening to the ground floor. I had 2 pieces 3″ PVC pipe a little longer than width of the coop. To move I lifted one end of coop onto a pipe and rolled slowly so as not to hurt a chicken and add the second pipe as the first was about to the center. I found it hel 3 or 4 hens comfortably and they cleared my garden up over the winter by moving every week. I found another old storm door that I used on cold days to close up the open side. Used bungee cord for that and the glass door helped heat the coop with winter sun.
Mary, could you possibly post a picture of your chicken frame invention? I’m trying to picture how it looks & works, I get the general idea, but having trouble “seeing” the details. I definitely like the idea of a movable chicken coop (my daughter has one on wheels made out of metal poles & chain link fencing); I’m always looking for good ideas, new ways of doing this, that don’t cost too much money!
i’v used my old chest freezer for feed storage for live stock= keeps mice out==and upright freg i use for pant storage and other things that i don’t want to freeze== oh and make sure these appl. are so little kids can’t lock theirselves in
paint or plant…either is good idea. TKS!
an old farmer (like there are young ones??) taught me this trick: take the chest freezer (or upright on it’s back) and drag it to your barn. put your animal feed in it and make sure the door/lid seals properly. this will keep mice, barn rats, raccoons and other critters from filtching your grain and feed.
Good question Matthew, Are there any young farmers. Saw a few on TV, were they actors? …hmmmmm? idk
For “Aquaponics”….old upright freezer or ‘frige: remove door, and anything from the back that is heavy and not needed. Make sure that you use NON-TOXIC sealer, etc., to fill in any areas that could leak. Put it on it’s back and use for your “fish tank”. I need to take measurements, but I am pretty sure it is close to size of the Rubbermaid plastic 150 gal tub. (You only need a 50 gal to 100 gal. to get started, but with a 150 gal. right off, you can have a full compliment of plant trays. ) GOOD LUCK!!
How do you turn an old router into a wifi range booster?
Hey, Lee. Kim Komando explained how you could use an aluminum can to become a booster to a router. Cut a slit in the can just opposite of the pour opening. On each end of the slit, cut the can parallel to the bottom and the top of the can so it may be opened up to reveal the inside of the can without having the can top and bottom coming off. Place the mouth of the can over the antenna and face it in the direction that you need more wifi signal boosted. That way you can boost your present router. It gave me at least 2 more bars on my router and protects my signal from going outside my home.
Thanks Patrick, will pass on to my younger brains.
Thanks Patrick – dummy me, I thought it meant the woodworking type of router, was wondering how in heck that would work! Thanks for the clarification (& instructions)!
Hey all I live in Ontario Canada. This is a very old trick using a freezer. If you dont want “OTHER” tastes line your freezer with straw or saw dust. divide into sections for differnt veggies. Cover every thing agiain with straw or saw dust. So that you have to “dig” to retreive the item. Even your eggs will last upto six months. If you are super lazy leave your carrots planted and cover the aerea liberally with straw. as you need them dig them out and be sure to re cover the plants.
Do you know? Will Poplar sawdust work? If it can, please let me know: [email protected]
Will the food taste bad? Old refrigerators and freezers have a terrible smell if the door is closed.
Look into buying hospital grade fungicide. Usually that funky smell is a mildew or mold. Strong bleach liberally applied and left to dry in strong sun often fixes the issue as well.
Don’t know how well it would work in a fridge or freezer being used as a root cellar but charcoal brickets or lump charcoal helps with odor control in empty ones.
Great idea with the freezer. I have a perfect place for that. Wish i had thought of it myself.
1. Up-right freezer chest – with wire shelves. Unplug it. Stores caned items. Boxes of mac. & cheese in the door.
2. Old microwave – set it on top of old freezer. Stores bags of rice, beans and so on.
3. Second old microwave – set on top of second refridgerator (operational) and store bags of pasta.
Thanks Mr. Winkler, good ideas.
Christi Dea is very right !!! Please be careful when using old freezers and refrigerators. Be sure the check the laws on them in your state or county. There are laws on this. If using for root cellar in the south, be careful about water entering crest if in ground. Another way for crest root cellar is above ground covered with 3 feet of dirt with a door entry tunnel.
— as for gardens using toilet paper roll tubes — place tomato seedlings in the roll when planting with roll about an inch above the top of ground will help to stop cut worms from killing the plants
We compost everything in an old fridge we keep in the basement. First, start with manure, grass clippings, shredded newspaper, etc. Then buy some red worms. Keep damp newspaper on the top. You do have to keep a light on over or close to the top, or the worms will try and crawl out. The worms start eating from the top down, so there is never an odor other than the smell of rich soil.
I think the worms double in quantity about every 60 days or less, so you don’t have to invest a lot. We hardly ever use the garbage disposal anymore except for animal products.
great comments
IF YOU HAVA SUMP PUMP? YOU ARE PUMPING 40*+F. WATER OUTSIDE, IT CAN BE USED TO COOL A ROOM, SPRITZ IT ON THE COILS OF CENTRAL A/C TO RAISE THE SEER RATING, EVAPORATION WILL LOWER THE ENERGY COSTS, THE HEAT FROM THE A/C CAN BE USED TO HEAT YOUR WATER, SAME WITH THE WASTE HEAT FROM A FRIDGE, THE NEW HYBRID WATER HEATERS CAN USE THIS HEAT AND LOWER THE COST FROM 5KW TO ONLY 1/2KW, A TEN FOLD REDUCTION IN WATER HEATING, OFF PEAK ELECTRICITY CAN BE USED TO FREEZE JUGS OF WATER IN AN CHEST FREEZER IN THE BASEMENT, THEN DUCT THE COOL AIR THRU THE HOUSE IN THE DAY, USE A PORCH OR SUN ROOM FOR A SUMMER KITCHEN, USE SLOW COOKERS, ETC OUTSIDE TO KEEP HEAT OUT OF THE HOUSE, PUT STYROFOAM PANELS IN UNUSED WINDOWS TO REFLECT THE RADIANT ENERGY FROM THE SUN, PLANT SHADE TREES, MAKE AWNINGS TO SHADE WINDOWS, PAINT YOUR HOUSE HUNTER GREEN, IN THE WINTER IT WILL ABSORB HEAT, AND IN SUMMER THE MAPLE TREES WILL SHADE IT, USE AN ATTIC FAN TO PULL COOL AIR FROM THE BASEMENT THRU THE HOUSE AND IT WILL HELP REMOVE DAMPNESS FROM THE BASEMENT, AND COOL THE ATTIC, PUT THE FROZEN FOOD IN THE FRIDGE A DAY OR TWO BEFORE YOU WANT TO COOK IT, THIS WILL LOWER THE FRIDGE TEMP AND SAVE ENERGY COOLING IT, BUY CHEST TYPE FREEZERS, NOT UPRIGHTS, THIS WILL KEEP COLD LONGER
I live in a metal building that so far is unfinished inside. Still needs cabinets, etc. I was moving in and was about to leave behind an old upright freezer that had quit working several months before. For some reason, I hadnt been able to make myself haul it off. It HAD to be good for something! That day, I realized it would make an awesome pantry! I took it with me and a year and a half later I’m still using it! It’s perfect and works great!
Ive keept 50# bags of dog and cat food in chest freezers to keep the mice and bugs out and it keeps the food fresher.
thanks for the marvelous idea…….this can help alot. how can i print this off?
I like the way you think, especially the old doorknob. Very , clever.
On the old fridg orfreezer before burying it spray all sides with tar or undercoating for cars. It is sold in all automotive stores. Or you can use the spray insulation on it. We use all our old five gallon buckets to make coolers out of with it. It will stop the rust also line your hole with a peice of old used construction plastic as well will help.
Made a chicken plucker out of an old dryer, also used the still perfectly good electric pump from an above ground pool that was tossed when it sprung a leak for moving rainwater in and out of cisterns, and also to pump water from a seasonal stream into the cistern. I scavenge old sliding glass doors from a window replacement company to use for my seedhouse and for cold frames. A word of caution on the freezer chest, it will likely rust out so check your food stores regularly, because it will rust on the bottom sides first, as there is likely condensation rust there before you plant it.
Don’t throw away your old laundry soap containers. They make great portable hand washing stations. I prefer the ones with the tap in the bottom. Just refill with water and you can take them out to the garden or throw one in the back of your truck and you have a way to wash your hands. The leftover soap helps clean off grime and you can reuse them over again. Mark them as unsafe for drinking so nobody tries to drink out of it.
JD, that is such a great, no-brainer idea, I wish I had thought of it. I’ve been using a bucket under the outside spigot but always worry about leftover water as a breeding ground for mosquitos.
your left over Bleach containers can be used to make gofer chasers as well. just cut vanes about two inches wide and six inches long, bend them out from the bottle and mount on a small broomstick sunk into the ground. A nail placed in the center of the bottom of the jug keeps them from coming off. the rattle keeps gofers and moles out of your yard. Paint them to look decorative and they look like some kind of wind mill!
When burying an old chest freezer for use as a root cellar, build a frame around it with a door that lifts. Use a padlock to keep children from opening the freezer door and getting inside. Back before the manufacturers learned to put doors on refridgerators that could be opened from the inside by just pushing on the door, there were a lot of tragedies with old refridgerators stored in sheds and garages. They made enticing hiding places.
If you don’t have butter or want to bake healthier, I use applesauce in place of butter or shortening. I use it in muffins, cookies and cakes. I love it when making spiced desserts. Also, when baking I will use mashed pumpkin instead of the fat the recipe calls for.
hay does anybody know how to make a heatblower fan with no power
frank my wife use the old dead freezer for home canned foods
What about turning an old Router into a range-boosting Wi-Fi repeater? Is there a link for this?
Had to google for “Turning an old router into a range-boosting wi-fi repeater”. It isn’t as simple as a lot of the other items in this article. Looks like you’ll have to have a little tech savvy to do it. Here is a good overview and steps to do it: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-extend-your-wi-fi-network-with-an-old-router-915783308
We plan on getting a free hot tub off the internet soon and use it in a hydroponics system or a fish tank
Leslie, there was a show on Preppers that showed a guy that took his in ground pool and turned it into one raising Tilapia. He was eating them about once a week.
You can also use a old refrig for a Hot Box all you have to do is install a 100W bulb and an new bulb holder and you can you can heat a dinner or keep your welding rods supplies in one to keep moisture out.
Patrick, you can also use an old dish washer with a working heater element in the box for your welding rods. Keeps them dry and can heat them prior to using. By pass the dial with a switch and use it occasionally. Just don’t forget to turn it off.
It’s me Rick again!. Hope you don’t tire of me comment’s. I was reading one of your other comments and it reminded me. Nothing says you cant bury you fridge or freezer in the groundd with the lid up!
That way it wont be affected as much by either heat or cold. Then if you need more insulation you only have to do it to the lid! When you start thinking about it there tons of things you can do with old fridges etc. Gun vault / with ammo storage some freezers even have a keyed lock already on them!
Lite duty safe to keep the grandkids safe from your things! $6.00 hasp and padlock from the hardware…well use your inagation! Enjoy!
This doesn’t total relate to the main subject, but you may create a great family memories.
My daughter (about 8 at he time) and I were driving home, when we spotted a dryer drum dumped in an empty field. It looked terible. At first we stoped to haul it away so the field didn’t look so bad. As we hauled it home, I had an Idea! I thought we could turn it into a Yard decoration (A wishing well) We cleaned it off, and sprayed it all gray (like mortar) Then wraped around it with masking tape about every 3 inches( i used 1 in tape and we tore it in half lenght wise. Its OK to have ruff edges it gives it texture).Then we tore smalle stipes and ran them verticle about every 6 inches (to look like bricks) besure to of set each level. Then we painted over the whole drum again with a brick cloor.
Now you have a brick wishing well, use some imagination. we painted a couple 2x4s white, and cut one end with a tapered top. I used some left over siding, and cut it into a triangle(for the roof) Screwed these to the pointed 2x4s . (Measure the with of the drum for the right size) Insert the 2x4s inside the drum (with the whole up) screw through the side of the drum at the opening. Measure between the 2x4s and cut 2 the same size. screw one near the top where it wont show too much, and the other at the bottom to keep the boards spread apart(screw in the bottom of the drum.Now find some round stock (closet rod, wood or metal, wood broom handel almost anything) attach it about half way up paint it and wrap 8 or 10 wraps of some old rope around the pole. tie it to and old paint bucket and have it dangle visible.(paint everything and you can even make a fake turn handle out of pvc pipe and attach to one side of the 2x4s,It’s been 12 years sense that project, and it’s one of her favorite times we spent together. Simple and wonderful ENJOY!
Old drier drums make great fire pits, especially if you drill some holes in the sides and can weld a tire rim on the bottom.
A couple years ago, I too had a light bulb moment. After being rear ended (3 times now) my back is
in rough shape. My wife kept wanting me to build her a raised garden.Nice idea sure, but hard for me
to work in. Then one day as I was getting rid of an old fridge at work..it hit me. several goods things came all at one.Remove all the wireing,shelving, moter and compressor.copper tubing and recycle it. Step two! Remove the doors and hinges. Now with an empty box. Lay it on its back and drill some holes in it(For dainage) then move it where you think it will grow best.Add planting as you see fit for your area. you could start with med sized rocks, then cardboard aor old news papers, then top it off with your favorite soil. Wala! you have a raised garden. Now comes the creative part. I buoilt mine off the ground about a foot or so. (A) I don’t have to bend over as far. (B) It allows for drinage. (C) the weeds wont grow up the drainage holes in the bottom. (D) it easier to keep clean and trimed. Screw a 2×3 (there cheaper) around the top outside edge, even with the top surface. Then lay ceader fencing flat on top too cover the fridge edge and screw it to the 2×3.(45 your corners for a nicer look) Paint tyour desired color now it looks great and no one knows what it was.Collect as many as you want (Keep your eyes open on trash day) ENJOY!
I like the idea I think it would work well in most any climate but I also think in the northern areas you would have to add extra insulation to keep it from freezing, all in all good idea. It would be good to know what the R factor was of the insulation in existing freezer.
Read with interest your use of an old, non-operable chest freezer.
My comment; an old, non-operable Upright Freezer works the same as well. Just lay it on it’s back!
There are also the things one does not need to have. Holding a gathering and want to put out a tray of food? Cardboard, wrapping paper, and plastic wrap combine to make as many trays as you need.
how do you •Turning an old router into a range-boosting wi-fi repeater
I have raised rabbits off and on for about 40 years. Since you have to keep the area beneath the cages clean anyway , us it as one ingredient in making your composting soil. My soil recipe:
1/3 Peat (loosens soil and helps hold moisture)
2/3 blended composts (5) is recommended…cotton seed burr compost, manure and organic humus, mushroom compost, kitchen scraps, leaves and nut hulls. (6″ packed dry leaves in 15 gal container blocks soil loss through drain holes, 2 gal kitchen scraps atop the leaves begins to immediately make into compost under a blend of manure, peat, cottonseed burr compost and mushroom compost…or any other compost you can find, like rabbit, horse or cow , or sheep, or goat manure) Do not use manure from any meat-eating animal…or for that matter, humans.
Rabbit manure is fantastic! Best part is that it can be used immediately, even on house plants.
For information on proper composting and how to avoid polluting, I highly recommend The Humanure Handbook. Yes, you can (and should!) compost ALL manures. Makes more sense than peeing in your drinking water.
Turning discarded window screens found on the roadside on trash day into garden shade for tender plants or protector boxes against birds and flying garden pests.
A word of caution regarding the re-use of old freezer chests: I am a former social worker, and while I never worked in Child Protective Services, I did have to take all the classes that pertain to that type of social work. I was shocked when I took the class to learn that the improper storage of old refrigerators and freezer chests pose a major hazard to young children. Apparently there have been several cases of children wanting to play “hide and seek” in the old freezers or chests. The danger is that children can not re-open the doors once they get in (since both were never designed to hold people). Several children have died doing this as they run out of air inside the chests (they are after all built to be air tight). So, for all of you who are planning on using this great idea for a root cellar, please exercise caution to ensure the safety of your own kids or neighbor kids that might like to play on your property.
They are safe if you remove the latching mechanism, and just use an ordinary handle. That way the kids can’t lock themselves in.
We love reusing things around our house and sure enjoy the info we get from Frank. My mother was a master at retasking ordinary toilet paper rolls, ensure containters, coffee cans, practically anything. We use can lids and the cans themselves to make cute hanging fish to keep the big birds out of our trees. Mom used old toilet paper rolls long before it was popular to keep appliance cords intact. Of course now they work as well for rechargers and computer cords. We also use them to start plants as we have a very short growing season; just dip into potting soil and put them on a cookie sheet after they are filled. I lay them down snuggly, cut the top the long way and put seeds down the length. I water the pan after the initial planting and simply bury the cardboard rolls when the plants are ready to go outside. We retasked an old refrigerator into a great smoker, and buried one next to the barbque for a produce cooler—works great doubling as an ice chest/cold drink container during the summer. We also use it in the winter for extra freezer space if needed. We control the temperature by ventilation.
I use old screens in metal frames to dry fruit in the summer…the old trailer ones work best as they are mostly fabric screens. My plastic bags are tied together to make boot scrapers…they work great. I have a friend who recycles old LP’s and scraps this or that into really cool jewelry which of course has nothing to do with ‘surviving’ but does give many pleasure.
What about waste light bulbs? Any ideas?
I DIG THE TIPS IN EMAILS. KEEP THEM COMING.
Another good use for paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, use them to plant your seeds in, of course, one seed per roll. I was going to cut the bottom and fold it over but instead just set them on a tray that goes under a plant, fill them will potting soil and plant the seed. ( I also use a ketchup bottle with the pointed end to water the seeds, that way you can control the stream and get the water exactly where you want it instead of drowning the plants). They hold together long enough until you can transplant, they are longer than the little “hockey” puck things you have to soak in water, so the tap root has more room. You can get three out of a paper towel roll. We also grew veggies in a chest freezer. We put holes around the bottom, about 8, for drainage, but I would suggest either using empty aluminum cans or rocks about a third of the way up and then add the soil, water the soil and then add more soil if you need it so that it packs down around the cans and when you have enough, plant your seeds. Until they come up you can have the lid down so birds don’t eat the seed. It would be like a raised bed, but I think if I did it again I would bury it at least one or two feet, especially if you plant tomatoes.
Wife takes 20 to 50 pound plastic mesh type feed bags that are decorative and turns them/repurposes them into grocery store/farmers market totes. They are sturdy and will hold a good deal.
an old refrigerator with the inside gutted makes an excellent smoker.
I live in Alaska. I already have several small root cellars made from old ice chests. You have to bury them a little deeper to keep them from freezing but as long as you make them so you can get into them after freeze-up they work well here. We have a short growing season up here but by June 21, summer solstice we have 20 hours of daylight. Longer growing vegetables are a problem, even with a greenhouse so I use an old chest freezer as a starting nursery for tomatoes, corn and other veggies that need more grow time. A 4′ – 4 bulb fluorescent fixture mounted under the kid inside keeps it about 60-65 degrees inside at about 5-30 degrees outside. I start in February with the tomatoes and as they get too talk I simply tie them down and let them grow back up to the light and tie them down again. In late may or early July I move my now robust tomatoes vines to the sunniest location in my greenhouse and get a pretty good yield. For corn I use an upright freezer with the lights mounted vertically in the door so the corn is already about 4 ‘ talk when I move it to the greenhouse. Keep a thermometer in the freezer and use a heat lamp if the temp gets down to 50 degrees and a fan or open the door if the temp goes much over 80. A fan will give you stronger stems even when not used for temp control. Also have friends who use chest freezers as a discreet way to grow marijuana. They tie down when the plants get too tall and end up with a mat of buds at harvest.
I’m still skipping through your manual (Power4Patriots) and hadn’t read these ideas yet!
Really ingenious!!!! Love your articles ~ keep ’em coming!
I think for colder climates an old deep freeze would be an excellent insulated outdoor battery box for solar pv systems with battery storage. A gas vent could be added without degrading the insulating qualities too much.
excellent tips for recycling old freezers. i think an old ref can also be used for storing big plasticware if they don’t fit in your cabinets.
Old freezers and refrigiraters also make good worm farms to raise worms for fishing or gardens. A good use in warmer climates, southern-states
Thank you. It has been my dream to live totally self sufficient Not have to rely on utility companies etc. this will be great anxious to get this
You have some really great ideas. I especially like the one about the chest freezers. I just happen to have five of them and I have used them for years to keep my grain in for my horses. Stays dry and no critters can get in it.
i used my old chest freezer for my water storage tank for my solar hot water sistem.works great
I ordered power4patriots, gave it to a friend to start working on for me (He claims he never got it–it disappeared…any possiblitiy of getting another one?
For All You Bird Lovers How About A Slinky Birdfeeder!
Alright here is one for all the bird lovers out there!
Materials:
Pliers
Slinky
Wire Hanger
Peanuts or Nesting Material
Directions:
Easy way – Take a wire hanger and stretch it out until it has a relatively round shape. This can be a little difficult but I used the pliers and did it fairly easily. A trick to this is to take a large pan like one used for pasta and put the hanger around it. Use the pliers to smooth it out.
Next you take a slinky and at one end put it around the hanger. You are basically going to spin the slinky around until it is over the hanger. Now take one end of the slinky and with the pliers make a U. Put the U over the top of the hanger. For a reference look at the picture above. Once around the hanger use the pliers and squeeze the U closed. Then take the other end of the slinky and stretch it around the hanger until it reaches the top on the other side. Again make a U and put it around the top of the hanger. Then with the pliers close the U.
Finally fill the slinky with peanuts. The best way is to pour them in from the top of one side of the hanger.
The harder way is to cut the hanger and put the slinky over it. Then take the end and again make a U and place over the top of the hanger. Squeeze the U closed and continue with the rest of the process as above.
Click The Image Above For More Great Do It Yourself Ideas!
Does anyone know if you can bury an upright freezer and use it the same way?
Tracy, I don’t see any reason why not. I would simply bury it back downwards, so it opens like a chest freezer. You are mostly taking advantage of the insulated sides and sealed door, which will not change if you switch it around a bit.
Yes, turning an upright on its back works great as well this is our second year doing it. We kept ours above ground due to high water table. Still works for our climate in western WA.
Empty Toilet paper or paper towel rolls: NO BOX TO PUT AN ODD SHAPED SMALL GIFT> Cut wrapping paper or fabric to size of roll- so it is same length & width to reach around the roll. Cover the roll with glue & then wrap with wrapping paper/fabric.
Pinch one end of the tube together & glue it. Clip it tightly until glue sets. Add your small gift. Pinch the remaining end & glue it as you did the first end.Clip it until it is dry. Voila! A wrapped present in a box!
I have a huge upright freezer in the kitchen. When Daddy remodeled the house, he didn’t think to measure the freezer; therefore it would not go thrugh the door to the next room when it was built onto the houdse. So I leave the door ajar and am using it for cabinet space. That saved me from having to buy new cabinets. Do you have any idea hw much a huge upright freezer will hold? I also have a deep freezer on the back porch and I have decided to put canned goods into it and root veggies. It still works, but it is awkward to get into as I also have an upright freezer next to it and a cabinet and a frig on the other side of it. Home dried apples and pecans are in it right now.
For a survival hint, use rhe home-dried apples as a snack to chew as they do not need to be cooked for eating and they are delicious.
Good afternoon Frank. I ordered your materials last night and have been reading the emails, watching videos and checking out websites… which led me here. I’m normally a creative guy, but I am drawing a blank on this one. I feel like I am about to walk into a creme pie in the face (my family loves practical jokes)… but could you drop a hint on how you turn a slinky into a bird feeder?
New email address.
Hello Frank I’m Angelo Picchi, (the other half of Cassie Richardson). We just bought your program and it came today. After brousing it over I had to check out your site. It just so happenes that when we bought our house a year ago there was an ENORMOUS old chest freezer in the basement. I haven’t gotten around to getting 6 of my friends over to help me get this thing out of the basement, and yes it would take 6 guys to move this thing out. GREAT IDEA using it as a root celler. While I build a wind machine, I will let Cassie work on the . . . root celler. THANKS
If you do it, take a picture and send it to us. While I love this idea, I haven’t tried it yet and would love to see how it turns out.