Microwave Replacement

"Now...on to the microwave, when you can take the time from all of the other chores." Cop Car, 10/2/16.

Little did she know that I was in the middle of that project as she was typing.A little background first; when I bought the house, all the appliances were black, except the microwave. Weird, but I could live with that. I could also live with a beeper so quiet that only bats and owls could hear the thing even standing right next to it. HOwever, sometime last spring the turntable stopped working. Yes, I could still nuke my coffee in the morning, but nuking food was inconvenient as I had to do the quarter-turn thing liek I was back in the 1980's :D. So, I looked on CL until I found an unused GE microwave of the correct size and color, had the amenities I wanted (underneath light and fan for the cook stove underneath), and was at a price I was willing to pay.

I started the project Saturday, late afternoon by taking the old microwave out.

Dang it was nasty at the sides. See that area on the right? I thought that was an area that hadn't gotten painted because the microwave was in the way. Not so - and the other side was worse. A little time and elbow grease, and I was ready to put in the new microwave.

I was happy to find that the bracket from the old ovenwould work with the new oven, so I didn't have to change that out (happy, happy!). Then, it was on to putting the new microwave in. Well, there was one glitch in that being as I bought it from an individual, who had bought it as a floor model, it didn't quite come with all the parts. Namely, the self aligning machine screws that go thru the cabinet into the top of the microwave. I was hoping the screws that came out of the old microwave would work, but they were the wrong size. So, Sunday I went in search of . . .

Naturally the local hardware place didn't have any screws of the correct size - who knew that 1/4-28 x 3" were so rare? So I headed to the city and stopped at H*me Dep*t. Nope, not there either. tried both the appliance section and the hardware section. Then off to Se*rs - no joy there either. Last shot (other than net order) was Rocky's Hardware. Although they didn't have self-aligning type, they did have the correct size screws - exactly two of them. Well, dang, I needed 3. However they did also have some 2.5" bolts of the correct size, so I got one of those (I didn't technically need 3" screws as the hardware list was for worstcase scenario - that spacing blocks would need to be used also).

Sunday afternoon, there much swearing while trying to align the oven with the wall bracket, in which you really needs eyes on the bottom of the stove to align the nubs with the holes in the oven frame - while at the same time being on a step stool to lift and cant the oven to go over said nubs. Yes, the instructions warn that you should use two people, but being without that option, I just had to do the best I could. Finally, I got the thing lined up, held it up with one hand while trying to manipulate the screws and screw gun, then realizing the electrical cord was in the way (it goes thru the upper cabinet). ARRGGHH!

I did have the foresight to have a support system in place so that I could just drop the front of the oven and thread the cord thru the hole. Then back to manipulating screws/screwgun with one hand. Finally I got the results I was looking for and not only do I have a microwave that works, but it matches the rest of the appliances.

Remember kids, don't try this at home :)

Comments

[Cop Car]

Wonderful, wonderful, Bogie - well done! What luck that the support bracket didn't need changing; but, how frustrating on the fasteners. It looks great!

[bogie]

I was super happy that I didn't have to change out the bracket - who knows what is actually behind that wall? And I was sure that the existing bracket was solidly anchored.