| Project by Heath | posted 1144 days ago | 11395 views | 28 times favorited | 13 comments |  |
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I built this “Cowboy Cooler” for my sister and her husband for Christmas 2009. I first saw one of these as a mass produced unit at a local sporting good store. I thought it was a really neat item, but way overpriced. After that, I started seeing them pop up at road-side vendors and flea markets and such.
Except for the side handles, this was built entirely from broken down pallets. The ice chest is an Igloo brand I purchased at the above mentioned sporting goods store. It didn’t have a drain, so I bought a cooler drain there as well and connected it to PVC plumbing coming out the bottom and over to the spigot. The Native American silhouette and bottle opener were purchased from a vendor at a local festival.
I didn’t follow any plans. I had a rough idea in my head of what I wanted to do, started with the ice chest and just built around it.
-- "I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso
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13 comments so far
Cozmo35
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2138 posts in 1208 days
#1 posted 1144 days ago
Best looking pallets I have ever seen!
-- If you don't work, you don't eat!.....Garland, TX
Dennisgrosen
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10854 posts in 1288 days
#2 posted 1144 days ago
great recycling of pallets
Dennis
jm82435
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1217 posts in 1915 days
#3 posted 1144 days ago
Great project. I especially like the bottle opener and the rustic quality of the recycled pallets.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
Jason
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631 posts in 1681 days
#4 posted 1144 days ago
Does the bottom of the cooler simply sit inside or are the sides attached to the cooler?
-- Jason - Colorado Springs
Heath
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14 posts in 1653 days
#5 posted 1144 days ago
Thanks for the compliments, guys.
Jason, the cooler sits on a shelf. The cooler is not attached and can be pulled out but it is a nice tight fit.
-- "I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso
RexMcKinnon
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2590 posts in 1368 days
#6 posted 1143 days ago
There should be one of these beside every BBQ in existence.
-- If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail!
knapster
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39 posts in 1648 days
#7 posted 1143 days ago
i agree! :-)
-- jk
Dave Price
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90 posts in 1147 days
#8 posted 1127 days ago
that is very cool, i need one of those
-- Dave Price , Roswell New Mexico
Leonard5
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192 posts in 865 days
#9 posted 800 days ago
Nice job. There is definetely some nice hardwood in some of the pallets.
-- Leonard H.
grogg
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1 post in 790 days
#10 posted 790 days ago
How did you attach the cooler chest lid to the top? I think I will make one for my son in law.
Harold
Heath
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14 posts in 1653 days
#11 posted 789 days ago
After building the basic box (minus lid), I turned it upside down with the cooler in it to make sure the top of the cooler and the top of the box were even. Then I put in the “shelf” against the bottom of the cooler. Then I turned it right side up, put the lid on the cooler and just build the wooden lid around it to fit and added hinges. Then I just glued the cooler lid to the wooden lid. I don’t recall what kind of adhesive I used.
-- "I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso
CWChandler
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6 posts in 380 days
#12 posted 380 days ago
Amazing job! My girlfriend has me to make one of these for her and I just happened to pick up a truckload of pallets today thinking I could find something to do with the lumber. The only downside is that she has asked me use tin on the inside and NOT use an igloo cooler. Thanks for sharing!
CWC
-- CWC
Dustin
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376 posts in 1622 days
#13 posted 93 days ago
totally cool!
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