For some years I have scavenged the clock panel from deceased microwaves. This mechanism is self-contained with the clock and timer working just fine without the rest of the microwave attached. Of course all the fancy cooking controls are at best only capable of emitting “beep” when pressed.
For some time I had been wondering what could be done with the rest of the kitchen appliance’s carcass. In our “neck of the woods” quite a few streetside little free libraries had appeared. I think this is a wonderful idea, but they all seemed to be too “ordinary” for my taste.
But then another Wile E. Coyote-class inspiration popped into my mind (not involving anything from the infamous Acme catalog). How about a microwave library? Could it be done? Probably, but our microwave was nuking along nicely, so I filed the idea in my “what about” drawer.
A few months later our microwave crossed the kitchen appliance version of “The Rainbow Bridge“, so I did what anyone should do with the remains of an expired mechanical servant – I put it on the slab in my workshop and proceeded to Frankenstein it into a mini library.
The mechanics of conversion were not complex, although a bit time consuming, especially those of sealing the insides from the inevitable rain (and snow) which would fall upon it. Then another inspiration attacked me – the clock should be running. Well that wasn’t difficult either – I just had to run a very long extension cord into the front yard, one which hung from the conveniently present tree which hung over it.
The result is a mini library with a running clock (the timers would also run and beep). But that was not the end of it – it just would not allow itself to just sit there and hold books – it kept telling me that it needed upgrades from two flexy steel arms to something more showy – something which would light up in the dark hours.
How has the library been received? Well it’s never been empty of books, either from our surplus or the contributions of others. I have seen cars drive by our house, actually stop at the stop sign, back up to the library, pull out their phones and take pictures. A couple of times a small child was found running at full speed to reach the library with their parent trying to keep up.
Continually it receives glowing reviews and a good share of “is that really a microwave?” inquires. Hence I can consider the undertaking as successful.
Recently (mid 2023) I pulled the library back into the shipyard for a major refit. Now there are lights which blaze away when the door is opened, the tentacles were recommissioned as arms and the extension cord replaced with a buried power line.
What’s next? Well I have this other much larger deceased microwave in the garage waiting for its post food warming life as yet another library. Oh, did I mention that our ancient Kenmore dryer finally gave up the ghost after over 30 years of service? And it is screaming to me “really, really big library”. Not withstanding some of the logistics of presenting something which is far too big to stick on the top of a piece of former sailboat mast, I am looking forward to the challenge.
Funny what can happen when you listen to “dead” mechanical thing.
Shouter to Dead Parrots 