Dry Ice?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

My local Publix has a new Dry Ice display set up in front of the store.

I have never used the stuff.

My PUP has a small fridge, so I always have a cooler or two along on our camping trips to the Fort. I end up spending a few bucks each trip keeping ice in the coolers.

Anyone have any experience with dry ice?

Is it something that I would want to look into using?

TCD

[Carl 8]

I used it once. I did not read the package. I took th e dry ice out of it's package and placed it into the cooler and then added drinks and ice. Little did I know I created a fog nachine and could hear it bubbling and making all kinds of noise. But it did work great. I would leave the dry ice in it's package.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I used it once. I did not read the package. I took th e dry ice out of it's package and placed it into the cooler and then added drinks and ice. Little did I know I created a fog nachine and could hear it bubbling and making all kinds of noise. But it did work great. I would leave the dry ice in it's package.

LOL!

I picked up a brochure, and looked at all the directions. It sounds complicated, and I guess it can burn you if you touch it. I would like to give it a try, but I don't want a fog machine under my awning.

TCD

[Judy in Texas 150]

I'm interested in the responses, too, but for a difference reason. I have some hail dings on my car. I understand I'm supposed to use a hair dryer to get a ding hot, then put dry ice on it and Voila! the ding is supposed to be gone. The only thing I know about dry ice is "DON'T TOUCH IT!!!!"

PS: I found this some very basic information at this site:

http://www.dryiceinfo.com/camping.htm

[Gots2pitt.. Jeff 64]

LOL!

I picked up a brochure, and looked at all the directions. It sounds complicated, and I guess it can burn you if you touch it. I would like to give it a try, but I don't want a fog machine under my awning.

TCD

TCD would just need a disco light and radio and there would be a dance party at TCD's site.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

TCD would just need a disco light and radio and there would be a dance party at TCD's site.

Sweet. TCD's Disco Dance Party

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Dry ice is usually only good for 24 hrs exposed to the air,48 hrs not exposed to the air at max. It works ideally for short term shipping/travel with frozen items. I don't think the cost would be any cheaper than using regular ice for cooling drinks etc.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Dry ice is usually only good for 24 hrs exposed to the air,48 hrs not exposed to the air at max. It works ideally for short term shipping/travel with frozen items. I don't think the cost would be any cheaper than using regular ice for cooling drinks etc.

Thanks, Dave.

That is kind of the impression I got after reading the brochure. It sounds like 24 hours is about all you can expect out of it in a cooler. So not really very useful for a camping trip. For some reason, I thought I remember hearing of folks using it for dry camping though. I can't see how it would have any advantage over regular ice at a place like the Fort, where ice is easy to come by.

I am guessing that the dry ice company must be paying Publix for the honor of having the display in front of the store like that. I wonder who they think is going to buy the dry ice and for what?

TCD

[Judy in Texas 150]

Dry ice is usually only good for 24 hrs exposed to the air,48 hrs not exposed to the air at max. It works ideally for short term shipping/travel with frozen items. I don't think the cost would be any cheaper than using regular ice for cooling drinks etc.

I added a link in my previous post (above) that discusses dry ice and camping. Sounds like you use the dry ice to keep your ice and frozen stuff cold.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I added a link in my previous post (above) that discusses dry ice and camping. Sounds like you use the dry ice to keep your ice and frozen stuff cold.

Thanks. I took a look at that link. There are some interesting stories there. Like the guy who used 50 lbs of it to keep his regular ice frozen. I guess if I was going out in the real wilderness, this stuff could be useful, but not so much at the Fort.

TCD

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The only reason I've ever bought dry ice WAS to create fog at a Halloween party.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I have some hail dings on my car. I understand I'm supposed to use a hair dryer to get a ding hot, then put dry ice on it and Voila! the ding is supposed to be gone.

I would love to know the outcome of this little experiment. I have hail dings all over one of our cars too. With my luck I'd blow the hood right off the thing.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Might be a good way for me to bring a couple of boxes of Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars home....hmmmmmmmm

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

I could get technical and discuss thermal mass, hydrogen bonding in water and its vital role in supporting life on earth (and keeping things cool), etc......But I would hate to get all Larry J on y'all:-)

[Judy in Texas 150]

I would love to know the outcome of this little experiment. I have hail dings all over one of our cars too. With my luck I'd blow the hood right off the thing.

I wonder if I can skip the hair dryer part if I leave the car out in the 105 degree sun for an hour or so? Perhaps this weekend I'll stop by the grocery and pick up a piece of dry ice. I'll keep you posted.

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

well, call me crazy, but I did use dry ice my first camping trip at the fort, it lasted about 3 days wrapped in a newspaper and then a ziploc bag, I read that somewhere and it worked pretty good, it wasnt cold enough to keep anything frozen for that long but it did keep the drinks cool :) I didnt do it again because I was paranoid about the kids "touching" it.. lol

[Discamper 394]

We used Dry Ice for all of our meat products and other things we didn't want to sit in icy water when we went out on the boat for the week end. For the beer cooler we added a real block of ice not the crap pressed block the most places sell. We filled the cooler with beer and topped with one bag of Ice. Even adding beer the Ice would last about 4 days in the sun.

[AuburnJen 777]

almost all the Publix over here on the East Coast of Florida have the dry ice in the front of the store

the fishermen use it in the boats for the bait so it doesn't spoil before they use it

[BassMaster 7]

Metal Dad and I have sound-activated lights to add to TCD's disco dance party. As long as we're at it, we'll bring the mirror ball, too. Personally, I think dry ice is too expensive. I've been freezing water in used milk jugs and other larger fluid containers to create my own "blocks" of ice for the trip. I brought half dozen or so on the July 4th trip and they did OK.

PS > We also have a real, full sized casket (empty, but satin-lined) if that TCD disco party is in October.

[Gots2pitt.. Jeff 64]

well, call me crazy, but I did use dry ice my first camping trip at the fort, it lasted about 3 days wrapped in a newspaper and then a ziploc bag, I read that somewhere and it worked pretty good, it wasnt cold enough to keep anything frozen for that long but it did keep the drinks cool :) I didnt do it again because I was paranoid about the kids "touching" it.. lol

Who is this mystery poster? Glad to see you are around and doing ok. :)

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Metal Dad and I have sound-activated lights to add to TCD's disco dance party. As long as we're at it, we'll bring the mirror ball, too. Personally, I think dry ice is too expensive. I've been freezing water in used milk jugs and other larger fluid containers to create my own "blocks" of ice for the trip. I brought half dozen or so on the July 4th trip and they did OK.

PS > We also have a real, full sized casket (empty, but satin-lined) if that TCD disco party is in October.

Since you and MD are in the business, I am sure that would be one heck of a party.

I have a fog machine that I bring when I visit the Fort in October, so I don't need the dry ice. Freezing your own blocks sounds like the way to go.

TCD

[Discamper 394]

Everyone you’ll be amazed how much longer your beverages will stay cold and the cheep ice will last if you put a block or frozen jugs in your cooler. You do have to leave some water in it but the water will be 32 degrees and will stay that way for a long time even adding more beverages to it. If you need a bag of Ice the ice at the trading post is better and last longer than the machines at the CS. The CS ice it fluff ice and not solid ice like the trading post.

[Memphis 105]

The ice out of the comfort stations vending machines is at 32 deg so it can be dispensed. So it is at melting temps. From the get go. Pre bagged ice can be frozen to a lower temp. and so last longer.

We use block ice I make in my own freezer at -5 deg. that will easily last 10 days in a good cooler.

We have used dry ice on a 2 week trip to keep only frozen meat in for the second week. Everything in the cooler was hard frozen from the start and layered in the cooler with dry ice. We did not open the cooler until the start of the second week and everything was still frozen even though the dry ice was gone. However, unless I was going somewhere with no place to refill provisions I don’t think it is worth the cost, extra effort and precautions. Besides, I much prefer fresh to frozen meat, especially steaks.

[Judy in Texas 150]

Dry ice and hail dent update.

It's 101 degrees outside and the car's been sitting in the sun all day. I bought a block of dry ice - I'm guessing it was about 8x4x2 inches for about $4. It was sold by the pound. The first step in removing hail dents from the car is to heat up the dent with a hair dryer. I decided to skip that part, figuring the car would be hot enough as is. I used tongs to hold pieces of the dry ice to the dents. I didn't see enough improvement in the size of the dents to make it worth the effort. Maybe I shouldn't have skipped the hair dryer step. I'll be interested to hear if anyone else tries this.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

It actually will remove hail dings. However, you do have to use a blow dryer and you have to get the metal very very hot. Then when you place the dry ice on the heated metal it contracts and "pop" the dent out. Now before you try this keep in mind it only works on very small, non creased dings. And when I say small ding I mean small dings. When I tried this I thought I was going to pocket the money my insurance company gave me but the vast majority of hail dents remained. It was a waste of time and money because it only took out about 5 or 6 very small dents that where pretty much to small to see. Maybe I was doing it wrong or it's more hype then fact.