New canning and meat processing station.

[Worth1]

Thank you all for the kind words.
Carolyn and Barb I think I would be a very good kitchen designer if I do say so myself.
Here are some rants and complaints about modern kitchens.
Who ever the idiot was that thought it would be a good idea to incorporate the microwave above the stove and use it as a ventilation system should be hauled out and shot.
I can tell you one thing they have never had to clean one.
And I dont mind the comments about men that don't cook designing them even though I am a man.

I have worked in and around commercial kitchens in 5 star restaurants.
The chefs, men and women alike go around making pigs of themselves many times leaving it up to some poor kitchen worker to clean up after them.

Okay the meat station.
The counter top is 36 inches from the floor and 2 feet deep.
The knife rack is 4 foot 10 inches from the floor.
The tip of the longest blade is 1 foot from the top of the counter.
I gave this careful consideration before I put it up.
I am 5 foot 7 inches if you stretch it.

I am right handed for the most part so the hand crank for the stuffer is on the right side.
I can use my left hand to do things very well but wright.
So it is very easy for me to feed the grinder and turn the bowl at the same time.

As I said before some place, kitchens are designed for better homes and gardens not for people to use them.

If I were to design a kitchen for someone their would be a a questioner to fill out.
Some of the questions would be as follows.
Do you bake.
Do you preserve food such as canning.
How tall are you.
Do you have back pain.
Will there be more than one person cooking in the kitchen.
Do you want your kitchen to be functional or for show.
Do you fry food.
Do you use cast iron.
Does the sound of a vent hood bother you.
Do you create a lot of smoke when you cook.
Have you felt the need for more than one oven.
Are their going to be children helping.
How often do you cook.
Do you make or would you like to make pasta.
do you cook in huge kettles and how many do you have and what size.
Do you want your kettles to be hidden or out for use hanging.
Have you ever felt the need for more than one sink.
Do you want the kitchen incorporated with the rest of the house and living area or in more of a private space.
Do you make sausage and cure meat.
Do you like modern or rustic.
The list could go on forever but I think you see what I am getting at.
With the questions above answered I could truly build anyone the kitchen of their dreams.
Pick out the best appliances for there needs and everything including the style of cabinets and doors.

It could be anything from totally functional to a worthless show place fit for nothing much more than microwave burritos.

[Father'sDaughter]

Worth, you would make a great kitchen designer. You get that function needs to come before form.

I have had my new kitchen planned out in my head for years. I've made some adjustments to my original plan whenever I realize there's some small change that would work better. I know exactly where I want everything, but it took some time to get to this point.

The execution of the plan won't be financially possible for quite a while, but my 1966 kitchen--built back when kitchens were still workspaces vs showplaces--is still serving me well.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Thank you all for the kind words.
Carolyn and Barb I think I would be a very good kitchen designer if I do say so myself.
Here are some rants and complaints about modern kitchens.
Who ever the idiot was that thought it would be a good idea to incorporate the microwave above the stove and use it as a ventilation system should be hauled out and shot.
I can tell you one thing they have never had to clean one.
And I dont mind the comments about men that don't cook designing them even though I am a man.

I have worked in and around commercial kitchens in 5 star restaurants.
The chefs, men and women alike go around making pigs of themselves many times leaving it up to some poor kitchen worker to clean up after them.

Okay the meat station.
The counter top is 36 inches from the floor and 2 feet deep.
The knife rack is 4 foot 10 inches from the floor.
The tip of the longest blade is 1 foot from the top of the counter.
I gave this careful consideration before I put it up.
I am 5 foot 7 inches if you stretch it.

I am right handed for the most part so the hand crank for the stuffer is on the right side.
I can use my left hand to do things very well but wright.
So it is very easy for me to feed the grinder and turn the bowl at the same time.

As I said before some place, kitchens are designed for better homes and gardens not for people to use them.

If I were to design a kitchen for someone their would be a a questioner to fill out.
Some of the questions would be as follows.
Do you bake.
Do you preserve food such as canning.
How tall are you.
Do you have back pain.
Will there be more than one person cooking in the kitchen.
Do you want your kitchen to be functional or for show.
Do you fry food.
Do you use cast iron.
Does the sound of a vent hood bother you.
Do you create a lot of smoke when you cook.
Have you felt the need for more than one oven.
Are their going to be children helping.
How often do you cook.
Do you make or would you like to make pasta.
do you cook in huge kettles and how many do you have and what size.
Do you want your kettles to be hidden or out for use hanging.
Have you ever felt the need for more than one sink.
Do you want the kitchen incorporated with the rest of the house and living area or in more of a private space.
Do you make sausage and cure meat.
Do you like modern or rustic.
The list could go on forever but I think you see what I am getting at.
With the questions above answered I could truly build anyone the kitchen of their dreams.
Pick out the best appliances for there needs and everything including the style of cabinets and doors.

It could be anything from totally functional to a worthless show place fit for nothing much more than microwave burritos.

Absolutely... fabulous questions Worth. I put TWO stoves in my new kitchen. Unfortunately I almost burned it down last week. how stressful. it is not as if we haven't had enough fire around here lately. geesh! I was cleaning out my solar oven so I could use it outside and I sat the pans and book for it on the island stove and accidentally (unbeknownst to me) bumped the control knob on the one burner and caught the solar cook book on fire. good thing somebody else was in the house because I wasn't.

[Worth1]

I knew a family that burned the whole trailer house down.
Here is how it went.
A plastic gallon of paint thinner next to the stove.
Why is a gallon of paint thinner next to the stove? 'they were slobs worse than me.
The stove got turned on the wife saw the thinner and went to pull it away from the stove burner.
The bottom and side was hot and stretched and broke open, the 1 gallon of thinner spilled all over the fire and lit off like a bomb.
The wife got burned badly all up and down her arm
The only thing they could do is run out of the house as fast as they could with the clothes on their back and her on fire.
Two kids and the husband and wife homeless with no clothes but the ones on their back.

Another friend of mines wife broke her finger with the KitchenAid mixer.
She had her hand in the mixing attachment the mixer came on unexpectedly and wrapped her hand up in it bending her finger backwards to the breaking point.

It is the simple tools you dont expect to hurt you that will hurt you many times the worse.
My lathe can eat you alive and even kill you in so many ways it is unbelievable and so fast you will never get a chance to think about it.
Anyone that wants to mess with it will have to have proof they know what they are doing.
If not they can go to school and get hurt or mess up the school machine.
I treat it, my sausage grinder and everything like a loaded gun.

The lady that lived here before me was 4 foot 10 inches.
I have no idea how she was able to use the sink.
Worth

[coronabarb]

When I get some down time, I am going to answer those questions, Worth. ;-)

carolyn! I'm glad your house didn't burn down. I have to be careful to check and double check that I've turned the electric stove off before leaving the kitchen. Hate the dang thing. I won't have room for a double oven like I'd like. I will get a 36" stove/oven unit though. Insisted that I have a gas stove which means we have to put in a propane tank outside. Absolutely have to have it. I mainly cook everything from scratch and I consider my kitchen appliances, etc my tools.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

When I get some down time, I am going to answer those questions, Worth. ;-)

carolyn! I'm glad your house didn't burn down. I have to be careful to check and double check that I've turned the electric stove off before leaving the kitchen. Hate the dang thing. I won't have room for a double oven like I'd like. I will get a 36" stove/oven unit though. Insisted that I have a gas stove which means we have to put in a propane tank outside. Absolutely have to have it. I mainly cook everything from scratch and I consider my kitchen appliances, etc my tools.

Barb I have been looking into propane tanks.
Here is what I have came across but still need to do more research.
How much the stove will use and how big does the tank need to be.

What I have came across is.
People are buying the 100 gallon tanks from Lowes and getting them filled.
This takes you out of the contract with a gas company.
They also have a flex line that is listed for use instead of having to thread black iron pipe.

Propane weighs about 4.2 pounds at 60 degrees F.
A gas cook top and range will use from 5 to 10 gallons a month.
So at 5 to 10 gallons you will use around 21 to 42 pounds of propane a month So in around 2 1/4 to 4 1/2 months you will use up the 100 pound tank.

Just something I spent some time on the other night and thought I would share.
I have decided I am going to get a good propane burner for my canning station.
I already have the tank.

Worth

[clkeiper]

"Why is a gallon of paint thinner next to the stove? 'they were slobs worse than me."... well, some people just have no sense of order or discipline. I grew up in a house that there was no designated place for ANYTHING. do you know how hard it is to rise above that? if you came from that type of household you know, but if not... wowsers and good luck overcoming that type of disarray in a household.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

"Why is a gallon of paint thinner next to the stove? 'they were slobs worse than me."... well, some people just have no sense of order or discipline. I grew up in a house that there was no designated place for ANYTHING. do you know how hard it is to rise above that? if you came from that type of household you know, but if not... wowsers and good luck overcoming that type of disarray in a household.

I bet.
But you have to understand the guy was the gun shop owners gun smith.
The smithing part was a nightmare to behold but the guy was very good at what he did.
He was the gun mechanic and I was the guy that made things pretty so I would take the stuff home to my shop away from the nightmare.
You should see two of my rooms I cant get in.
One of them has about 800 square feet of solid teak flooring stacked up under a bunch of junk.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Barb I have been looking into propane tanks.
Here is what I have came across but still need to do more research.
How much the stove will use and how big does the tank need to be.

What I have came across is.
People are buying the 100 gallon tanks from Lowes and getting them filled.
This takes you out of the contract with a gas company.
They also have a flex line that is listed for use instead of having to thread black iron pipe.

Propane weighs about 4.2 pounds at 60 degrees F.
A gas cook top and range will use from 5 to 10 gallons a month.
So at 5 to 10 gallons you will use around 21 to 42 pounds of propane a month So in around 2 1/4 to 4 1/2 months you will use up the 100 pound tank.

Just something I spent some time on the other night and thought I would share.
I have decided I am going to get a good propane burner for my canning station.
I already have the tank.

Worth

Thanks for posting this! I was having this very discussion with my son two days ago because his town has no natural gas supply and he was saying how he and his wife hate cooking on an electric range. I suggested propane and we were wondering how big of a tank he would need and how often it would need to be filled.

[loulac]

[

Originally Posted by Worth1

People are buying the 100 gallon tanks from Lowes and getting them filled.
This takes you out of the contract with a gas company.
They also have a flex line that is listed for use instead of having to thread black iron pipe.

A 100 gallon tank is a reasonable size. Of course if you intended to heat the house (expensive !) as well you would need something bigger.
Just for general information : In France we chose between the following capacities : 13kg (cooking) 35kg (cooking, hot water) often twin bottles. Then big tanks, in the open or buried, from 1000 to 3200kg (heating the house).

I'm sure there are strict regulations on gas installation in the US so I suggest calling a professional to have the job properly done.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by loulac

[

A 100 gallon tank is a reasonable size. Of course if you intended to heat the house (expensive !) as well you would need something bigger.
Just for general information : In France we chose between the following capacities : 13kg (cooking) 35kg (cooking, hot water) often twin bottles. Then big tanks, in the open or buried, from 1000 to 3200kg (heating the house).

I'm sure there are strict regulations on gas installation in the US so I suggest calling a professional to have the job properly done.

Considering the fact I have made up many gas lines and high pressure lines exceeding 3000 psi and more I am capable of doing it myself.
Not all people are.
When I do put in gas lines for homes which I have I pressure tested them.

Here in Texas at least a home owner can do just about anything he wants.
Sometime there is an inspection sometimes not.
The tanks I am speaking of are portable and you have to load and fill them..
100 pounds is as far as I would go on a tank but I would have two of them with a selector valve.

I refuse to pay some local half wit plumber to run a gas line when I know I can do it better.

The last time I hired one the stub up he left me was out of plumb so bad I had to re-do it.
Sorry for the rant but we have some real crappy electricians plumbers and carpenters here where I live.
The last time I had an inspector come out and inspect my work he said it was better than anything he had ever seen from anyone.

If you dont know what your are doing find someone that does and make sure the person they send out has a license and not working under some that does sitting in an office.

There are so many people that do this here.
They hire illegal immigrants to work and they have no clue as to what they are doing and do crappy work.

Worth.

[loulac]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Considering the fact I have made up many gas lines and high pressure lines exceeding 3000 psi and more I am capable of doing it myself. Worth.

Of course my advice ot calling a professional plumber was only directed to Father's daughter.
I can't believe all US plumbers are half wits though finding a good one may be tricky, Father's daughter can start her search now.

Polish plumbers have invaded all Europe, Polish welders were called to help build Harmony of the seas, the biggest existing cruise liner, for US Royal Caribean. Finding highly qualified workers isn't always easy...

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by loulac

Of course my advice ot calling a professional plumber was only directed to Father's daughter.
I can't believe all US plumbers are half wits though finding a good one may be tricky, Father's daughter can start her search now.

Polish plumbers have invaded all Europe, Polish welders were called to help build Harmony of the seas, the biggest existing cruise liner, for US Royal Caribean. Finding highly qualified workers isn't always easy...

It is mostly in the border states and not always that case for that either.
A lot of it has to do with non union workers in the right to work states.
And it isn't always the case for union or non union it is really hit and miss.

Qualified craftsmen are becoming very hard to find in some parts of the US.
Everyone wants to sit in front of a computer to get paid 10 dollars an hour instead of 30 dollars and hour working with their hands.
I dont get it.

Worth

[Father'sDaughter]

Well... I actually have no further to look than the recliner across the room. I happened to be married to a man who holds a plumbing and gas fitting license in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He not only does high quality work, but he also happens to be mostly Polish...😄😄😄😄

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Well... I actually have no further to look than the recliner across the room. I happened to be married to a man who holds a plumbing and gas fitting license in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He not only does high quality work, but he also happens to be mostly Polish...😄😄😄😄

Oh yeah, and he's also a member of the local union!