Among Friends

[Bird mama]

Yea @viva923   when I started to realize that I was gonna need a reciprocating saw I thought, hmmm, with the stove install you bought a jigsaw, maybe it's time for a new tool for the garage?  Everything is bettery operated these days but the high point is these battery operated recip. saws are one handed.

I checked reviews and was like - eww these things burn out, maybe one with a cord.  Instead of spending the money on a cool tool of the moment I said, calm down Bernie and see if home depot tool rental has them.

I only needed it for 20 minutes however they made me rent it for a 4 hours minimun.  It was $16 for the tool and $3 and some cents for insurance if you break it, lol.  I moved on to sanding after I used the recip saw and then said, ohhh this thing needs to go back at 4 pm.  I took it back at 3 pm.  I put a $25 deposit down on it and got $5 and some cents back.  $19 and some cents is cheaper than what it would have cost me to buy that Makita and have it.

Your husband is right.  Get a new blade on that thing and it's like cutting through butter with a hot knife.

[viva923]

hey all

not much going on tonight.

watching my dvr'ed shows Coach. 

Not much else. See all tomorrow

[Bird mama]

I finished the countertop cut out and did the final fitting with the new cooktop yesterday afternoon.  I didn't feel like going to home depot after that so I went shortly after they opened this morning.  I took the installation instructions, my natural gas regulator that came with the cooktop and hit the plumbing aisle.  I think the guy who helped me was named Art.  I had drawn a picture of all of the components I would need from cooktop to shut off valve.  Art said that I had a good understanding of what I was doing which made me feel good.

Everything I need including two types of pipe dope are in the house and I'm relieved.

It's been 2 weeks since I cut the grass and the cool temps we've had this last week helped the grass grow so I need to mow the front and backyards.  There could be rain by mid afternoon and the forecast includes a good chance of rain for the next few days so I need to get it done.  

[viva923]

hey all

not much happening here.

did chores, mini walk in this morn. getting warmer out but still have house opened up. going to try to keep open all day,will see

not much else.

glad your cooktop stove is moving along birdmama.

[viva923]

hey all

just a quick check in

watching my dvr'ed programs, doing an English 40 min special now. It is about mail in England.

ok guys later

[Epicurean]

Birdmama good luck with your stove top insert. Good for you doing it yourself! We had a couple of days where I could open the windows,boy it felt good. Now I'm not doing anything for the last few days. Having a bad flare up,with a lot of pain. I hate fibromyalgia !! 
this coming week my son,the second born,will be 47. How is that possible 😂?

[Bird mama]

This should be the final updated about the cooktop. 

This is what I took with me to Home Depot yesterday when I was buying the connections and piping 

It helps when I can plan out everything that I need, lol.

I was still tired when I got up yesterday so after I did the yard work, I sat with my birds awhile and then took a nice hot bath before I started to connect everything on the cooktop.

The cooktop came in a box with styrofoam supports on either side.  I used that to my advantage and brought the cooktop in the family room, flipped it over and did most of the piping that way.  Makes a big difference when you got nothing but room to move.

Everything was connected coming down from the cooktop itself and I was feeling pretty good about myself, lol.  I was also watching the series binge of Get Smart on decades TV and seriously, who can be down in the dumps with Maxwell Smart?

The flexible gas line came with two end adapters.  I was near the finish line and was gonna install the adaptor on the gas shutoff and then drop the cooktop in the cabinet and connect the bottom end of the flexible gas line.

This is where I ran into a snag.  The gas line kit included the final adapter that looked like this:

See the right end of this uhh, adaptor?  When the threads don't go all the way to the tip of the pipe, it's called a flare fitting.  When I looked at my new gas shutoff valve I saw that it was machined to accept a flare fitting only.  Of course it was after 6pm when I saw this and the Home Depot was not open.   

So, by bedtime I had gotten this far

[Bird mama]

I was a bit dissapointed with myself and that I think that contributed to a rocky night's sleep.  It didn't help that we had storms I could hear the walnuts from my black walnut tree hitting the roof of the family room where I feel asleep.  

Just a brief aside:  I am born on the Leo-Virgo cusp and it's ain't easy being me, lol.  The Leo in me is the stubborn person who awoke at 7:15 am was checking out with my new union fitting at 7:25 am.  The Virgo in me just has to get it right which can be maddening, even for me.

So this is the fitting that I needed (flared on both ends)

So I finished the connection and was pleased with myself until I smelled the slightest whiff of gas.  I used the bubble test and everything.  I crawled into that cabinet and smelled every inch of pipe, hahahahah.

I said, hmmm, I think it's the new connection I put in right above the shutoff - dangit.  So, I called the gas company and splained my concern and they had a tech out within an hour.  I needed somebody with the right equipment to pinpoint my issue.

Dude used his special tool, applied more soapy water to the pipe that I did and confirmed everything was air tight except the new connection I did today.  He suggested I remove the fitting and reinstall it and then gave me a danger ticket

So now I got a record with the gas company.  I filled out the card he left with me, indicated that I fixed the error gave the date and my name and I will mail it tomorrow.

As as aside - love that teflon based pipe dope.  The old fart on This Old House recommends it because he said at some point you will want to remove a connection and this allows you to do it more easily.

I used

I disconnected the new connection and I inspected the double ended flare.  I removed all of the old pipe dope and reinstalled.  No stinky gas smell and I used so much soapy water for the bubble test I had to put a towel down before so I wouldn't ruin the cabinet floor.

I have fire, in a good way.

My sister asked me if I liked the cooktop yesterday and I said, not really, it's ugly as sin to me, rofl.  It's like everything else in the world - biggie sized like some playskool toy.

I don't have the burners on my old one - this is what I replaced. 

This was a sealed burner glas cooktop by Dacor ^^^.  Aside from liking the bisque color, there were dedicated burners and space between them.  The knobs didn't have instruction on them like Light, High, Mid and Low.

There was an elegance about it.  It was unobtrusive.

This thing I have now looks like a guy designed it.  I have two grates that cover 4 burners - here's my cooktop in the white color. Looks like you could toss a slab of ribs on them.  

It is what it is and this is what they sell these days.  I guess I'll get used to it.

[chessielady]

You done good girl !!!  I'm a Virgo and I completely understand ! I have started projects and found some of the same stumbling blocks.......but I always git-r-done !

PS Loved your story about the freezer and the safe !!

[Bird mama]

There ya go @chessielady   you understand.  OMG that freezer/safe experience was the first time I used a demolition hammer.