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One of the shelf brackets that hold up the crisper drawer and main shelf in my refrigerator gave out and pulled out of the side wall. I've been pondering ways to fix it and it seems the easiest is to use some sort of epoxy to glue a plastic washer over the breaker that can be drilled to the correct size for the bracket. The problem is finding an.epoxy that is strong enough and will cure in the cold and that will bond to the liner without breaking it down in anyway. Most glues don't seem to work to well at fridge temps. Does anyone have any experience with a repair like this that can offer insight? I'm also looking at double sided tape maybe or a holder of some kind that rests on the floor of the fridge like a hanging file kind of thing.
Pics are the bracket and the hole.
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I would look for something the cures/sets. Bondo, or a 2 part 5 minute epoxy. Both of those generate heat while curing. You could use a hair dryer to keep it warm while it cures. Once it is cured the temperature won't matter. If there's a way to work some wires or something across the hole behind the wall of the fridge those would help anchor it.
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I was initially thinking to get a large plastic washer that can cover the break and get into the solid parts of the wall with a small enough hole for the pin to fit properly. Epoxy that over the existing and then pop the pin into that. It was the curing of the epoxy that seems to be the issue because of the cold.
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My shop is not heated. I have cured epoxy in the winter with a heat gun keeping the work warm until the epoxy sets.
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Epoxy.. re-drill it. You might try Tiger Hair.. it's a body filler with fiberglass in it. But for some reason, it's real expensive now. It was about $20, now it's over $50. Walmart might have it cheap. It may be the Bondo brand (Bondoglass).. but that's ok.
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(03-08-2023, 07:12 PM)Snipe Hunter Wrote: Epoxy.. re-drill it. You might try Tiger Hair.. it's a body filler with fiberglass in it. But for some reason, it's real expensive now. It was about $20, now it's over $50. Walmart might have it cheap. It may be the Bondo brand (Bondoglass).. but that's ok.
The odor of Bondo and Tiger Hair would not be wife friendly in her refrigerator.
Any free advice given is worth double price paid.
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(03-09-2023, 11:26 AM)Woodenfish Wrote: The odor of Bondo and Tiger Hair would not be wife friendly in her refrigerator.
Good point
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I have an epoxy called PC11 that cures underwater. I'm going to do a sample in the refrigerator this weekend and see how it works. I also have a shelf that happened to break when the crisper came down so I have some donor refrigerator plastic as well.
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Some time ago, I bought some epoxy at Lowes advertised to work on plastic. I tried it on some rigid acrylic and it is holding up well. I don't know if it will work on the plastic you have, but it might be worth a try.
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I'll give Lowes a look and see I'd something stands out.
I still have yet to try the PC11. Been working late all week.
