Lowes/Holiday 5cf Freezer Handle Removal?

[disney7]

Anyone ever tried to take the handle off of one of these freezers?

I can't tell whether it is just held on by press fit plastic barbs or if there is a screw coming in from the back side.

I'd rather not disassemble the lid if I don't have to. It might not help anyway as I think the area where screws for the handle might be is probably covered up in insulation foam.

I don't care about preserving the handle, but I don't want to screw up the finish or bend the metal on the freezer.

 

[EasyE]

My freezer was by Frigidair.......7.2 cu/ft. I too wanted to remove the ugly handle from the top. I replaced it with a walnut handle. to get to factory handle, I had to take off the lid, lay it upside down, then carefully remove the under side of the lid. first the rubber gasket needs to come off, then the plastic lid which was held together with those plastic press screws. Then you get a bunch of insulation. After working those loose, I was able to get to the handle, which was screwed in to the lid. It all went back together easily. Slow and steady will work here. Sip some craft beer too. One thing to think about, what will you do with the holes that were used to hold down the handle?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/chest-freezer-keezer-conversion-mikees-diy-build-242624/

 

[disney7]

That's a nice looking keezer build you have there EasyE!

I don't need any sort of handle to open the lid with, so I was thinking of covering the holes with some sort of white, flush fit, press in retainer like you see used in car interiors.... or covering the holes with stickers or something like that.

I could also add some cabinet knobs. I just need to get rid of the handle because it will interfere with the third faucet I plan to install.

 

[b-boy]

You can add some spacers to move the taps out a little. I had a similar issue with my wooden lid and my longer tap handles.

I ended up getting a bunch of 1/8" black rubber washers that were the same size as the black shank flanges. I stacked them and was able to push the faucets out about 3/8" without effecting the look of the keezer.

Gave me just enough room for my tap handles.

 

[disney7]

Just following up in case anyone else needs to take the handle off one of these.

The handle has two plastic pins that are in about an inch or two from each end of the handle. These pins are not barbed. They are a press fit and pull out fairly easily. They aren't the problem though. At the very right and left edges of the handle there is a vertical tab that is about an inch tall and probably 1/16" wide. This is glued into a matching slot in the freezer lid. I used a razor blade to cut that tab off flush with the freezer lid face.

It doesn't look bad as is, but I'll find something interesting to put in the holes where the plastic pins were. Maybe some nice cabinet knobs. The slots are filled with the remainder of the plastic tabs and don't look bad at all.

I'll post some pics tonight.