New Fridge

Our Cluttered Pantry Where the Fridge Will Go

Lately for our birthdays K and have given each other gifts that improve the house. My birthday is coming up this week. I decided to get a new beverage fridge to to replace the one that I currently keep in the garage under the bench.

Getting the Fridge into the Pantry Required Trimming Back a Shelf

For years we have kept the beverage fridge out in the garage. This is a less than ideal set up for several reasons. First it is just inconvenient to have to go out the garage to get a cold drink. Second, our garage is not well ventilated or air conditioned. From May to September it stays about 100 degrees around the clock. It takes a lot power to keep a fridge cool in such in environment. By moving the beverage fridge into to the air conditioned house I hope to keep the power bill down a little

In Order to Ensure a Straight Cut a Installed a Temporary Guide Rail

The other advantage of doing this is that Krissy will be able to take our old beverage fridge into her new classroom, which apparently will be useful. I will however probably need to scrape the beer logo stickers off it before she puts it in her classroom.

Unfortunately I Was Unable to Get All the Way Through With the Circular Saw

The only place indoors that we could put that made any sense was the pantry. Unfortunately do this would require a little more work than just setting it where we wanted it and plugging it in.

What the Circular Saw Couldn't Reach I Had to Finish By Hand

I had to remove a chunk of the built in shelving in the pantry. This really was not a big deal because the shelves on the back wall are unusually deep. So deep that items often go missing within there depths.

The Hole

On of the great things about owning a home is that I can do things like saw a giant hole in pantry shelves I can do it. There is just something nice about being able to customize your home exactly the way you want it.

Adding a Leg to Support the Remaining Shelf

There is no outlet in pantry so the difficult part of this project was figuring out a way to get power to the fridge. I though about adding a plug into the pantry. However after getting a shock from a 220 volt power supply while working on the pool pump last summer I have lost my appatite for electrical projects. Fortunately I came a much simpler solution.

The Nearest Outlet is Above the Washer

The solution was to punch an extension cord through the wall into the adjacent laundry room. The trick would be doing it in a way that does not look totally trashy.

The Hole for the Power Cord to Pass Through

I came up with a way to run a cord through the wall with only make a small hole that would be easy to patch up when we eventually sell the house.

The Beheaded Extension Cord

In order to get the extension cord through the tiny hole I had to cut the head off it and the subsequently rewire it. This made me smile because in Junior High I once had project to make a how to video tape, a chose to show how to rewire a plug. The memory makes me smile because my brother Nate who was into videography at the time helped me film and made sure that I turned out real nice.

Threading the Cord Through the Wall

The difficult part of the operation was getting a cord through the very small hole in wall. Finlay I cam up with obvious solution of attaching the cord to a stiff lead made of wire coat hanger. Since we no longer go to the dry cleaner it was very hard find a wire coat hanger, fortunately there was one left in the house.

The Installed Plug

Moving the washer out the way to bring cord through I found a major treasure trove of missing socks, apparently when they go missing under the washer is one the places they go.

Rewiring the Plug

This project went very smoothly, a very surprising development. Almost inevitably when I do something like this I mess something up, and then have to come up with a creative solution to the problem I have caused.

The New Plug, Plugged In

Normally projects that I do come out functional but very inelegant. I am so pleased with this project in addition to working like it should it is not an eyesore. A major accomplishment for me.

Painting, the Final Step

Overall this turned to be a great birthday gift. I think it adds a lot to our house. I am already finding it nice to not go out to the garage to get something to drink.

The Final Product