Insulated Icebox

Your icebox may have no insulation. Certainly, Pyrite's had none.

Michael Suitor drilled 2" and 1 1/2" holes in the counter-top for access to the void around the box. Having seen expanding foam break welds, he was careful to pour the foam in stages (6 litres in 15 pours staged over an hour) to reduce the risk of damaging the box and surrounding structure. He also warmed the liquid before mixing, a trick that reduces working time but makes the foam expand quickly and set while still soft, again reducing the risk of damaging over-expansion. Once the void was full, Michael trimmed the foam that came out the holes and re-covered the counter with a new sheet of arborite.

Originally meant to use ice, the box was divided to provide space for three blocks. After 3 days of the maiden cruise, only about 15% of the original ice had melted, a result that greatly exceeded expectations. After successfully installing a refrigeration unit, Michael remarked that "it would have been a complete waste of money" if he hadn't insulated the icebox. The complete discussion thread is here.