Doubled Up

Our double oven was delivered today. Of all the components going into our new home, it had the longest lead time of more than a year. As if to ensure it was here to stay, I immediately installed it, a task easier said than done given its weight of 333 pounds. Working alone forces you to always have an approach that does not rely on brute force. In this case, I built a temporary platform out of scrap lumber so that I could slide the oven directly into its opening. None of the cabinetry I have built has more demanding tolerances than the one for the double oven. It has to be dead plumb, dead level, and perfectly square in all orientations. If any one of these attributes is off by even the slightest amount, it will show up as a problem with the installation. I am happy to report that the time I spent making sure that the cabinet was just right resulted in a perfect fit. Also operational now is our microwave. We debated for some time if we should even have one in the kitchen. The new oven has a steam heating feature which is the healthiest way to reheat foods, the primary task which we have used the microwave for in the past. In the end, we decided a microwave would be convenient but need not be large and we wanted it to be located for convenient use. Our Road House has an under counter unit with automated drawer, a perfect solution for three foot tall people but a terrible location for anyone taller.