A Torturous Weekend.

This weekend involved hours and hours of labor, plenty of sound and fury, and the purchase of a saving grace.

My new oven and cooktop arrived for the House of Rock. I was both excited and nervous about doing the installation because the cooktop is a gas cooktop and working with natural gas piping, and thus accepting the general though perhaps minimal risks of exploding the house of rock, rightly makes me nervous.

Interestingly, it was not the gas piping that brought on the anguish, it was the appliance dimensions. The oven was 5 inches shorter than the previous one and the range was 5/8″ too long and half an inch too wide. That means I had to build a table for the oven and cut open my tile counter top for the range.

UGH.

I got through the tile with a diamond rotary cutting wheel for my skill saw. If that trial wasn’t enough, I found the wood underneath to be laced with screws. I’m not talking a screw here or there, I mean they were everywhere. Imagine cinnamon raisin bread where the bread is wood and the raisins are metal nails. Some of the nails and screws were positioned in such a way that they could not be removed.

sawzall.PNGThe heads were under tile, or coming in from weird bewildering angles. I chiseled away the first of the three sides I had to cut. It was arduous to say the least. Instead of continuing with the chiseling, I decided to go out and buy a Saws-All. And thank heavens for that. It was expensive but it was wholly worth it. Anyway, the appliances are in and I’m pleased with the result. Shaun L. and I made some epic ribs, green bean casserole, and peach-a-berry cobbler to celebrate the new cooking tools.

With this done, the only remaining tasks for the kitchen are some crown molding, painting, and general clean-uppery.

12 thoughts on “A Torturous Weekend.

  • 4/6/2009 at 8:43 am
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    I’m surprised that with all your home improvement you only just not got a Saws-all. It’s a lifesaver when it comes to making “somewhat delicate” cuts through something you want to retain.

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  • 4/6/2009 at 11:00 am
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    I hope we get some before/after/during shots of this fiasco.

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  • 4/6/2009 at 11:04 am
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    Indeed there will be, though I’m waiting until I’m totally done. It’s probably going to take a few more weeks.

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  • 4/6/2009 at 6:30 pm
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    Dude…the Sawzall ROCKS…that is my most useful tool by far!

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  • 4/6/2009 at 6:30 pm
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    BTW, did you get a Milwaukee?

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  • 4/8/2009 at 9:08 am
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    Excellent question. I decided to go for wall power, and I must admit I put a lot of thought into it.

    The cost differential was such:

    Battery Power: $199
    Wall power: $140

    Battery Power is far more convenient and easier to maneuver, but with the infrequency of my home renovation projects it seemed that the inconvenience of a cord would not justify the additional $50+ dollars. BUT, was there a scenario where a cordless sawzall would be the only option? Yes, there were a few that came to mind.

    1) If electrical power goes out.
    If I was doing work and my electrical power went out, then I would be unable to finish my work. Worst case scenario, my project would be delayed.

    2) If I needed a sawzall on a boat in the ocean.
    I don’t own a boat so this is unlikely as well and what’s the chance that I would happen to bring my sawzall out with me on a boat? I think a lot of motor boats these days have outlets too – so I might still be okay

    3) In the case of Zombie or Vampire infestation a sawzall would be a phenomenal weapon.
    This is the one that got me thinking. Take a wooden stake and put it on a Sawzall? You’ve got the ultimate Vampire killing machine. Put a long blade on a sawzall? You’ve got an amazing decapitation device (and as we all know decapitation is a great way to end a zombie’s pursuit.) If I was tethered to a single location by a cord it would make my defensive sawing very limited. For Zombies, it would only be a matter of time before they were able to overcome me with their numbers alone. Vampires are fast and smart, and surely one would be able to realize that if they tripped the breaker in the basement or speedily ran in and unplugged my sawzall I would be without weapon and they would be free to convert me into their unholy minion.

    Furthermore, Zombie or Vampire infestation could occur unannounced, so I might not have time to make it to Lowes and purchase the upgraded sawzall. If I were to wake up tomorrow to find an army of undead clawing at my doors it would already be too late and I’d have to settle for my portable weed whacker with its thickest weed cutting blade (an inferior weapon by every standard).

    Needless to say, it was a difficult decision and I took the pansy out and bought the cord version. May God have pity on me if I ever have find myself regretting that decision.

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  • 4/8/2009 at 11:52 am
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    penny-wise, zombie-foolish

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  • 4/13/2009 at 8:57 am
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    In practice with the battery operated saw, what happens is you pull it out to work on a job, and you get one or two cuts in, then the battery dies. Imagine the horror of thinking you’re safe from the zombie hordes, only to to have the battery die before the first zombie does!

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