Ice

[Glenn]

Bagged ice is too expensive and doesn't last very long in this Florida heat and sun. About 10 years ago my brother in law bought a small chest type freezer for 50 bucks. It is just big enough he can set two five gallon buckets of water in it. When he needs ice he uses a heavy duty ice pick (ground down Phillips screw driver) to chip out what he needs for the day. He gets nice big hunks (some are soft ball sized) of ice this way. Ice this size will take a long time to thaw. He then fills the bucket back up with water and puts it back in the freezer for next time.

I have two upright freezers and did not want another one, so I freeze one gallon bottles of water. I hold them over the cooler and whomp the heck out of them with a hammer. Usually takes 3 or 4 pops and you have BIG pieces of ice that will last a day or two.

$2.09 a bag at 7-11 was getting to me.

[skiptomylu]

Bagged ice is too expensive and doesn't last very long in this Florida heat and sun. About 10 years ago my brother in law bought a small chest type freezer for 50 bucks. It is just big enough he can set two five gallon buckets of water in it. When he needs ice he uses a heavy duty ice pick (ground down Phillips screw driver) to chip out what he needs for the day. He gets nice big hunks (some are soft ball sized) of ice this way. Ice this size will take a long time to thaw. He then fills the bucket back up with water and puts it back in the freezer for next time.

I have two upright freezers and did not want another one, so I freeze one gallon bottles of water. I hold them over the cooler and whomp the heck out of them with a hammer. Usually takes 3 or 4 pops and you have BIG pieces of ice that will last a day or two.

$2.09 a bag at 7-11 was getting to me.

We just freeze bottles from Gatorade or something like that to aid the bag ice. We have about 3-4 sizes and also can use them to cool the minnows if we are using them.

[Ranger R61]

I use all sizes of bottles from 20 oz soda to gallon milk jugs. The 2 liter soda bottles can be mashed up pretty fine and works great in our ice cream freezer.

[joejv4]

We cut the top half off half gallon plastic milk jugs and freeze softball size hunks of ice in those to put in the cooler. We also use cool whip bowls and the half liter bottled water bottles for ice in the cooler. We still use the bag ice from the store, but now, one bag lasts maybe 2-3 times longer than it would - and it's one bag, not 2 or 3.

[Gadget Man]

We have used 1 gallon milk cartons for years. When "breaking up" the ice, I use an old roofer's hammer/hatchet ($2.00 at a flea market). The hammer face breaks up the ice inside. I then use the hatchet blade to cut a line around the carton. When opened, you generally have a few large pieces and numerous smaller pieces depending on how much you pounded the carton before it is opened.

[crappiekid24]

I usually get my ice from McDonald's or Burger King a 10pound bag for $1 cant argue about that.

[NIMROD]

I buy my drinking water in gallon jugs. Them and bleach jugs work great to make ice in. We just drop a couple in our ice chests. For crushed ice ,a ball peen hammer works great and then cut open the jug. I fish several days a week and ice gets expensive at the bait store. Sometimes a friend who has connections at an ice house brings me a bunch.