Ancestor Fridge Restoration - This Ice Box Was Hidden for 100 Years!

In this video, I restore a beautiful antique wooden fridge (Ice Box) found in a historical abandoned building. More about the restoration process: It was very challenging but rewarding, as usual, and I learned a lot about these types of ancient wooden fridges! Back in time, I restored a similar one but smaller and with some differences. The ice box was in disrepair when I got it. The ice container was damaged and dirty and couldn't be used anymore; it had a considerable layer of zinc corrosion that required a lot of patience to remove, as well as many dents and the top lid was as well very corroded. The back margin was water-damaged and required full replacement, so I had to rebuild it from scratch. If you want to learn more about this antique fridge, I encourage you to watch this video. When I saw it, even though I was shocked at how bad it looked, full of dents, bends, rust, and white corrosion!
After removing the old paint, the parts were treated and stained, and waxed to get an antique look. At the end of the video, I made a test so you can see how it works! I hope I have caught everything, but if you have any questions, you can comment, and I'll get back to you! Cheers! Johnny.
Join this channel to get access to the perks: / @rustyshadesrestoration #restoration #restorationvideos #howto #icebox

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Hi folks! I bought this ancient wooden fridge from someone who discovered it in an abandoned historical building over 150 years old. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to give it a second chance, even though it needed a lot of work. Restoring it was challenging, but I’m thrilled with the final result and proud that I managed to preserve its antique charm. I hope you enjoy watching the restoration process as much as I enjoyed working on it. Have fun! - Johnny

[@natrunner]

Sandblasting the original parts was awesome. Not fixing the parts and just spray painting them wasn't. Disappointing.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you! That's not spray paint 😄 It is a cold galvanization spray that contains a high concentration of finely powdered zinc suspended in a carrier or solvent. When applied, it forms a durable, zinc-rich coating and it is exactly what those zinc parts need :D Not fixing? I fixed everything that was possible, when I choose to don't touch something it is due to concern of breaking it completely and irreversibly. That's how restoration works sometimes. You must make decisions like this. :) Cheers

[@hp9mm]

There was a reason why the shelves were made out of metal and not wood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Of course, but I had my reasons to replace them 🙃

[@juliesoane7399]

Great job, it looks lovely. I’m sure ice was delivered in large blocks when this was originally purchased.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I think so too! Many thanks!

[@mskayla7747]

Reminds me of my great-grandparents. When i was young, they lived on a farm (no indoor plumbing, not electricity), and they had an ice box. I remember the ice man coming. Thanks for bringing back those memories. 👍❤️

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Wow, what a beautiful memory to share. ❤ That must have been such an amazing experience, living close to those simpler yet meaningful ways of life. Seeing the ice man deliver big blocks of ice-those little things were so special and hold a charm that’s hard to find today. I’m really happy that the restoration brought back those warm memories for you. Thank you for sharing! 🙏😊

[@gerryhuntman]

A lot of work was put into this one - kudos to you

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much! 😊 Yes, this restoration was definitely a labor of love, but seeing it all come together made it worth every moment. I appreciate the support! 🙏✨

[@cuervonoronista4629]

MANY THANKS for tour work.. AMAZING... I specially LIKE The ORDER you follow un every each piece you restore .. AND THANKS for The presents THAT you Will GIVE to your suscríbers... GREETINGS FROM MEXICO

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you very much!

[@lepurkhan]

Love it can't get well built items like that anymore

[@MrsIsmena]

Great job! Your videos keep getting better and better, and the woodworking in this restoration is truly satisfying to watch. The attention to detail is impressive! How long did the entire restoration process take?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I worked on it almost 8 consecutive days, sometime less than 8h sometimes more 😅 Thank you!

[@cathybenson5119]

We had one of those when I was a kid. 😅

[@WastrelWay]

What a beautiful restoration! No one needs an wooden icebox that's made to last 100 years these days; we have our refrigerators made of cheap metal and plastic that we throw away after 20 years or less. A lock on the fridge would be a fine thing! But this piece would make a interesting storage cabinet for odds and ends, a curiosity with a history, or as someone else said, it belongs in a museum. I have an old credenza or storage cabinet (I'm not sure what to call it) of about the same size and shape. I use it as a liquor cabinet, although other things find their way into it.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you for the kind words! 😊 I agree-it’s incredible how these old wooden iceboxes were built to last, with craftsmanship and materials that have stood the test of time. You’re right about today’s fridges-they don’t hold the same charm or longevity.

[@ВикторГалянин-т6с]

Интересный холодильник. Реставрация на все 💯, трудовая. За видос, спасибо.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Спасибо большое! 😊 Да, реставрация действительно была трудоемкой, но оно того стоило. Этот старый холодильник теперь снова сияет и хранит в себе историю. Рад, что видео понравилось! 💯✨ Занимаетесь реставрацией или просто интересуетесь такими проектами?

[@ВикторГалянин-т6с]

Очень интересно смотреть как оживают ретро вещи. Спасибо за ваши видосы.​@@rustyshadesrestoration

[@delo1951]

Awesome restoration and the natural wood is so much nicer than the paint!❤

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much! ❤ I couldn’t agree more-there’s something special about letting the natural beauty of the wood shine through. Stripping away the layers of paint really reveals the character and history underneath. It’s always worth the effort!

[@jamiekatz7591]

What a great piece! Thanks for bringing it back to life.

[@elisabeta4696]

Yes, în my childhood we have a piece like this. În România we tell it "răcitor"= freezer 😊 with block of ice into I was 3 years old when my parents buy a refrigerator în 1970

[@MKCarol-ms7lg]

You always do it. II always think it can't be fixed and still you do it. Great work . . . and a cool drink.

[@maudwelford1843]

A man of many talents, well done 👏👏👏🙋‍♀️🇬🇧

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much! 👏😊 Your kind words mean a lot. I’m always excited to share these projects, and it’s amazing to have such supportive viewers like you.

[@cathybenson5119]

Nice job. 😊👍👍

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you!

[@gutesherz9049]

💯👍😎💯

[@chuckclark9464]

👍👍👍🫵🪨👁️❤️ it. Now that belongs in a museum.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much! 👍👍👍🫵🪨👁️❤️ I’m really glad you think so. I agree-it’s a piece of history that deserves to be preserved. I’d be happy to donate it to a museum if the opportunity arises. It would be amazing to see it appreciated by more people! 😊✨

[@x84pav84x]

В хорошем холодильнике должно быть хорошее пиво. Как всегда, отличная работа и мой 1000 лайк, к видео.

[@sebastianmasowski7068]

Great job, as always. PS. I feel warm in my heart when i see our green national cleaning tresure 'Ludwik' 😅

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much! 😊 I’m really glad you enjoyed it. PS: Haha, yes! Ludwik is definitely a classic. It’s like a little piece of home, right? 😄 Do you still use it regularly, or was it just a fun surprise to spot it in the video? 🌱✨

[@tomswindler64]

Great to see you bring the old refrigerator back to life,I’m sure there is a lot of history behind that piece.great work,great video,just keep on doing what you do best.👍👍👍😎😎😎

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much! 😊 I’m really glad you enjoyed the restoration. This old refrigerator definitely holds a lot of history, and bringing it back to life was a rewarding experience. Your support means a lot-I'll keep doing what I love and sharing it with you! 👍👍😎😎✨

[@westernerserge1676]

beau travail

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Merci beaucoup ! 😊 Je suis vraiment content que le travail vous ait plu. Votre soutien me motive à continuer ces projets ! ✨

[@pablobarros610]

What majestic work! Congratulations and keep it up always.

[@ESk__07]

The effect afterward is amazing, great job!

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Glad you like it!

[@JulioCochrane-lq1po]

Great job buddy Nice and shine old Frezzer happy sunday 🇻🇪💯👍🏻😎🤘🤗

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thanks! You too!

[@AMIRMORTAZAVI-mt3ul]

I have never seen such a fridge in Iran. I was born 1959 . I remember we used to keep/ hang meat and some food stuf in a deep borehole during hot seasons when my mum wanted them she used to bring them up by the same hanging rope. 1964 we bought a fridge thanks to my mums continious naggings 😂

[@modellbahnagenda]

Kompliment 👍👍👍

[@luxordeathbed]

The heat gun trick to remove varnish or paint on the wood is a new one for me. Was it varnish, laquor, paint?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

The heat gun trick is a game changer for sure! That was actually paint I was removing. It works great because the heat softens the layers, making it much easier to scrape off without damaging the wood. Plus, it’s pretty satisfying to see the old layers peel away! 😊

[@LJB103]

Great work. Just curious: what made you decide not to restore the original shelves?

[@LeCrenn]

Also wondered that.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

More factors made me decide to replace them. 1. They were shorter (perhaps two were missing, one up and one down), so things couldn't stay well on them. 2. One was badly damaged by corrosion and couldn't be saved anyway. I had as well some safety concerns, as I did not want any food to get in direct touch with that old zinc. I still have them and I will run some tests on it and keep you posted. (I suspect some lead on it because they were quite heavy).

[@LJB103]

@@rustyshadesrestoration Thank you.

[@cejkwo100]

Interesting to see they used wood chips as a form of insulation. Very nice restoration. Did your water get cold?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's right, wood chips were a common and surprisingly effective form of insulation in iceboxes. It's fascinating how they utilized readily available materials to achieve a desired result. Yes, the water get very cold :) Thanks!

[@momosoo4933]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@MarvsFixitShop]

Really nice job. Our family has been in this type of restorations for over 100 yrs. Over the years our work was mostly with historic buildings (log, covered bridges, grist mills, furniture, houses, barns etc). My parents grew up Amish and me now at age 70, I have all this knowledge. I have a channel but mostly working on other things in the repair and restoration area. I have a small following but if I shifted my focus a bit could do better. I’m happy to see you saving old stuff keep up the great work. Would you consider a collaboration? I feel I would add dimensions to your channel and with your subscriber base you could help me as well. Also if you wanted another set of eyes with your videos I think I would be a great person to preview your stuff/videos.

[@joelboutier1736]

I am glad to see you are doing a giveaway for your members. But please... DO NOT GIVE AWAY THIS FRIDGE! I hope you find a buyer for it that pays you top dollar. Editing the work you put into restoring it down to 27 minutes does not do it justice. That was a lot of hand planing, stripping, sanding, etc. You did a great job and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this brought back to life. Thank you RustyShades

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Thank you so much for the kind words and support! 😊 I really appreciate that you recognize all the work that went into restoring this piece. And don’t worry-this fridge definitely won’t be part of the giveaway! It’s just too heavy, hard to ship overseas, and the shipping costs would be through the roof. 😅 I’m really happy you enjoyed seeing the process, even if it was condensed into 27 minutes. It was a labor of love, and your feedback makes it all worth it. Thank you for watching and supporting RustyShades! 🙏✨

[@joergcrux]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@Kansasflatlander]

Thank you for another entertaining video. How long did this restoration take?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I worked 8 days on it, 8 or more hours per day. Filming and edditing also takes a few good days.

[@christophsziedat1496]

Hab fast den gleichen nur mit 2 Kühlfächer ! 🤗🛠👍🏻

[@-Deena.]

I have a thing about fake metal paint. It always, always, akways looks awful. It ALWAYS looks like fake metal paint! A matt grey would be more honest to the materials.❤

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

That's cold galvanised spray, not paint. The zinc was galvanised in his good days, so I just brought it back as it was 😀 But again, I must say, 10 people 10 colours 🙃

[@TheParkAttendant]

They didn't use steel in these old Ice Boxes, as the steel would rust away. The metal of choice was always zinc. Zinc didn't rust.

[@-Deena.]

@@rustyshadesrestoration Just looks fake and wrong to me. Properly galvanized, yeah, beautiful, silver like paint, not for me.

[@-Deena.]

@ Yeah, and galvanized looks perfect. Paint, to me looks ewwww

[@robertmanley7556]

Very nice work my friend !! It looks amazing !! 👍👍👍

[@pamelareed3079]

❤ How long does the ice last? 😊

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Good question! 😊 The ice can last anywhere from 1 to 3 days, depending on the room temperature and how often the icebox is opened. Proper insulation and minimal airflow really help extend its life.

[@pamelareed3079]

@@rustyshadesrestoration awesome, though that probably wouldn't be the case where I live as it hotter than Hades most days 🤣

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Now I'm curious 🤔 Where are you located?

[@pamelareed3079]

@rustyshadesrestoration beautiful South Mississippi 😃

[@sawomirzet8361]

Perfect forniture for vintage enthusiast. In case of shelves, maybe glass or grill frame can be better than wood. Did you checked what temperature acheieve inside and how long can keep it? Test like that is important for youtube users 😊 greetings from Poland! 🙂

[@HafedSedrata]

جميل

[@renes2245]

Sehr schöne Arbeit ❤ Wie lange hast du gebraucht?

[@LOTGiscool]

Nice job on the old ice box.

[@fritziepisarski8681]

I've watched for a long time and you always take everything apart before sandblasting and painting. Is there any reason why you did it differently this time ? Still always a great job and a wonderful old piece thats useful again.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

I love being creative and experimenting with the way I plan and edit my footage. I hope you enjoy it! :)

[@x84pav84x]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1250">20:50</a> надо было плотно закрыть отверстие. Если вода попадёт туда, там всё будет гнить.

[@x84pav84x]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="556">9:16</a> вот такого лучше не допускать.

[@francislematt7079]

Did the drainage tap work OK?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Yes, the drainage tap works smoothly! 😊 I made sure to clean and restore it properly, so it’s fully functional.

[@LordOfHunger777]

i want something.

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Hi! What exactly? An item that I restored?

[@paulinobenito6905]

Si no me equivoco para ésas neveras diario iba el señor con sus bloques de hielo y se compraba la porción q se necesitaba 🤔

[@metalmilitia5000]

How can I join your KZbin channel, when a restorer spends thousands of euros or dollars on spray paint. For me it stops being interesting, I know that you would buy me a paint gun, or a powder paint gun, because for me the video loses relevance, see you, take care

[@jools182]

Painted finish would have suited this piece more

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

10 people 10 colors 😁

[@richintalent]

Wooden shelves? Aren't you worried about them warping?

[@rustyshadesrestoration]

Good question! 😊 Wooden shelves can warp over time, especially if they’re exposed to moisture or heavy weight. For this project, I made sure to choose well-dried wood to minimize the risk of warping. If moisture ever becomes an issue, I could always reinforce the shelves or season them. But for now, they should hold up pretty well! Have you had any experiences with warping wood in your own furniture or projects?