dual_sport_dork 🐧🗡️

PLA is a poor choice for this application. PLA will permanently deform under constant load (creep) even at room temperature. Hanging things on a hook is definitely a constant load – especially up to 45 pounds worth of something. These may not fail under short term static testing at that weight but I can tell you they absolutely will not withstand that type of load for an extended period. They’re probably fine for very light duty hanging, however. I have a variety of PLA pegs and hooks around the place that are at most holding a couple of ounces in some cases for 2+ years and they have not appreciably deformed, or at least not to the extent that I’ve noticed enough to care.

But to avoid the inevitable customer complaints of this ilk, I advise you to either lower your advertised load rating or print these out of ABS or ASA, or at the very least PETG if your machine can’t handle the higher temperatures required for ABS reliably. Polycarb would be even better but it is extremely difficult to print with consumer printers and is probably more trouble than it’s worth. Out of the “normal” non-exotic, non-super-high-temp filaments readily commercially available, ABS has the best creep resistance.

I’ve been using those integrated flat LED fixtures in my place lately. I don’t find them too difficult to install, and at least one of my rooms has a rather low ceiling so I’d rather not have stuff dangling down where I can bonk myself on the head with it.

I haven’t had a single problem but if they die they’re trivially easy – for me – to replace. They’re just held onto the ceiling electrical box with two screws, and the electrical connection is two wire nuts. It’ll take me longer to find and lug my stepladder into position than it will for me to replace one. Light fixtures are dead easy, you don’t even have to find and turn off the breaker. Just turn it off at the switch before you mess with it.

The example you linked is suspiciously expensive. I’m getting these for around $15 each.

If you are going to go the socket-and-bulbs route for any of the reasons raised by the other comments here, make absolutely certain that you don’t get a fixture that is enclosed in any way. Enclosed fixtures will kill LED bulbs quickly, and in extreme cases you’ll go through them faster than filament bulbs.

Yeah? You ought to try buying a house that used to be a rental. Everything is done wrong and jury-rigged, because PO was a landlord who refused to spend money on anything. You never know what gremlins or structural issues you may find lurking under half an inch of spackle and 67 layers of cheap paint.

Are the cracks just in the paint, or do they go all the way through to the drywall beneath?

Drywall joint compound has no flex. These cracks were caused by the wall moving via some means. Either thermal expansion and contraction, the house settling, or some other construction putting torsion on it. Therefore, if you fill it with joint compound it’ll just crack again. The “correct” method I suppose is to notch it out and make a joint over it with seam tape and joint compound, then sand it flat, touch it up, sand it flat again, etc.

Here in reality, though, I had several of these in the walls in my house (particularly in the corners) and I just filled them in with painter’s caulk – which does flex. Screw it. It’s getting painted over anyway. I’ve had no issues, and I probably avoided taking years off my life not only in aggravation but also in not breathing yet more drywall dust.

Fair. That’s why they make all kinds.

Whirlpool has a new “flush mount” over-the-range now as well, which is taller but only 12-7/8" deep to the face of the door. That one is taller than a typical OTR but shallower. They allege it doesn’t “need” a turntable and it hasn’t got one, but I remain skeptical.

I do dig the rustic plankwork above it. Goes well with the butcher block countertops. I’m trying to talk the missus into letting me do butcher block when we redo ours. Everyone is all starry-eyed over granite nowadays, but granite is a pain in the ass and if you fuck it up that’s a $5k replacement. But I can work with wood any old time, all day long.

You know, I’ve never seen someone buy one of those Whirlpool low profile WML55011’s in any situation where they had the option not to. It almost feels weird to see somebody finally mount one at the correct height, too.

Screws into studs are always best when possible. Get yourself a stud finder. Even a basic one will do and they are super cheap these days. Like, less then $20.

If you can get to two studs, wall anchors are unnecessary.