Thursday, January 4, 2018

Installing Rev-A-Shelf

Another small project we completed on the house while home for Christmas was installing the pull down shelving in the upper kitchen cabinets. 



It allow a person in a wheelchair to use the upper cabinets because the shelving unit pulls down and out of the cabinet. 



We had seen these in handicap accessible places we have stayed and we knew they would be a benefit to Odie. The brand is Rev-A-Shelf.

Bro. Galen Cummins (His company built the cabinets, which is another story I need to tell you) made it possible for Odie to have one of these in all of the upper cabinets in the kitchen and also the cabinet in the utility room. It was an incredibly generous gesture and one that will be a blessing for many years.

Bro. Galen installed one of them so that I could have a pattern to go by. I am thankful I had one as a guide. The instructions were good but having an installed shelf unit to compare to the directions was a huge help to me.

Here is the process.



I first marked the center of the opening. Then measured over the prescribed distance to the first screw for the bracket below. I made a little jig for that and the other measurements. It helped speed up the process.


Install the bracket in the cabinet.


These are the sides with gas pistons and springs.


The sides and the baskets.


The baskets, the brackets and the handle on the bottom assembled.


Then I installed that assembly in the cabinet and fastened it to the brackets. Next I installed the synchronizer bar across the back. That turned out to be the most difficult part because of my short, fat arms.


There you have it.


The Rev-A-Shelf pulls down easily with one hand and locks into place.


You pull down on the handle again and it will go back into the cabinet on its own assisted by little gas piston.


There are two on the east wall of the kitchen.



And three on the south wall.



Plus one in the utility room that is not pictured. It was the pattern Bro. Galen installed.

The directions said it should take 45 minutes. The first one I was interrupted by phone calls and visits. Plus I took time to make a little jig for the various measurements. With all that, the first one took me 1 hour and 45 minutes from opening the box to closing the cabinet door. Ouch!

Did I ever tell you about the puzzle one of my toddler nephews or nieces received for Christmas one year? It said on the box 2-4 years and it only took me 6 days. I guess I am a little above average.



You will be happy to know the second Rev-A-Shelf took me only 38 minutes and by the fifth one I was down to 22 minutes. Maybe you can teach an old elephant new tricks.😀

It felt good to get those put in the cabinets. There were several other little things I completed during this short stay and I am sure there will be a few dozen more on our next visit to the Lazy OD Ranch. We are making progress.

Thank you for going with us.

Davy