|
Post by seamen on Feb 19, 2022 19:48:58 GMT
As per subject line, freezer compartment door which is hinged at the bottom, the left hand hinged area look like it is corroded, basically I bought new hinges, and the left hand wont screw in securely, I think the area where screw locates into is gone.
I have tried various fixes, last for a while, then the LH hinge drops, which of course results with food defrosting. Apart from this issue, the fridge works well on all options.
What i am planning to do is as follows: Image 3, the affected area, is to drill the circled thickness, and the hinge, then have the pan head screw inside freezer compartment, hole also frilled through hinge, secured with a bolt in the fridge compartment. My thinking if the pan head screw will spread the weight when opening and closing freezer compartment.
My question is, does anyone know if there are any fridge/freezer parts, such as electrics, withing the bottom part freezer?
I hope the above makes sense.
Thanks in advance.
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Feb 19, 2022 20:25:01 GMT
Hi Seaman. From memory I take it that the flat bit the bolt is standing on on image 2 is the bottom of the freezer box, and the door to the freezer box swings downwards.
The bottom shelf of the freezer box is hollow, and it is highly unlikely that there are any pipes/wires inside at the front. or even inside at the rear, because all the gubbins for the gas, 12v and mains leccy are at the back of the fridge, outside.
You can insert a blunt probe inside the broken hole and gently probe around, (with all power/gas off) and I think you will find it clear to insert a bolt through from the top without any problems as you want to do.
You can even pre-fill the void with something like 'Lilliput' cement and drill through it carefully from the bottom, to avoid over-tightening of the bolt and to give it purchase.
Suggest large pop rivets for the other holes.
Hope this works,
Roger & out.
|
|
|
Post by seamen on Feb 19, 2022 20:40:12 GMT
Thanks for reply prof20. Yes the the bolt with nut is resting on inside bottom of freeze compartment. I googled "Lilliput" nothing jumps out, Milliput does, though. Is it the latter? If there is nothing to worry about with workings around the L/H/S hinge area, I may revisit and look at cutting out a section around the black circle area and see if I can wedge something solid in between, which may be better than drilling into the box.
Thanks again.
|
|
|
Post by prof20 on Feb 19, 2022 21:22:47 GMT
Sorry, it is Milliput. Cutting out is a bit drastic, especially when your original idea was to drill. The idea of the Milliput was to give it rigidity, rather than have the bolt compressing the top and bottom of the freezer shelf and risk cracking it. You have a number of visible cracks there and the plastic does go brittle with age. Putting a liberal amount inside the hole would spread any load and prevent the cracks spreading.
You could cut the hole a bit larger to facilitate putting the Milliput in.
Just the way I would tackle it. Somebody else on here may have a different approach. Good luck with it.
|
|
|
Post by Sir Rowley Birkin on Feb 20, 2022 8:51:50 GMT
Buy a new fridge...! (Joking! )
|
|
|
Post by GB584 on Feb 20, 2022 9:23:26 GMT
I would also recommend filling the gap before putting the bolt through as that plastic is extremely brittle. Milliput is a good call as it goes hard but won’t run like epoxy resin. You can feed it into the hole and pack it down as it has a reasonably long curing time and does tend to shrink. Good luck and disregard the post that will recommend Velcro…
|
|
|
Post by seamen on Feb 20, 2022 11:19:18 GMT
Many thanks for your replies, gents. Including SRB-QC, I could pay off a third world country national dept with what I would have to pay for a replacement!!
Milliput it is then, not a product I am familiar with, I've ordered two off, from Amazon.
Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by Sir Rowley Birkin on Feb 20, 2022 12:00:07 GMT
Many thanks for your replies, gents. Including SRB-QC, I could pay off a third world country national dept with what I would have to pay for a replacement!! Milliput it is then, not a product I am familiar with, I've ordered two off, from Amazon. Cheers. Milliput - It's a great medium for modelling. The smaller quantity has never troubled me with shrinkage but I can see that larger quantities could. And I've never thought to use it for anything other than modelling! Thanks, Roger/Tel!
|
|
|
Post by GB584 on Feb 20, 2022 16:18:58 GMT
I used Milliput for repairing porcelain figures and my post should have read doesn’t shrink! To be fair I only used small quantities to rebuild missing parts of fill cracks but it can easily be sanded or carved.
|
|
|
Post by seamen on Mar 5, 2022 17:50:22 GMT
A wee heads up on this repair. Milliput used to fill up void between outer and inner part of fridge. I made up an alloy plate to spread the weight around hinge area, and used male/female screws you use for joining kitchen units together. Job done, seems to be working a treat, we just have to be careful when opening freezer compartment. Thanks for all your input, gents. Attachment Deleted
|
|
|
Post by GB584 on Mar 5, 2022 19:27:18 GMT
Glad that it worked out for you.
|
|