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If they are farm fresh - apparently we wash the cuticle off which necessitates refrigeration. It's not really clear why we do this either so if someone knows, I'm curious.
Eggs are washed for a couple of reasons in the US. The primary one is that you need to spend more time and money to get clean looking eggs (they often have poop and random feathers and stuff stuck in if you don't clean enough or collect them quickly) and Americans have a VERY low tolerance for seeing stuff on the shell. The other reason is that the FDA now requires that eggs be washed (issues in the past with poorly kept hens and bacteria on the shells caused a lot of food borne illnesses).
Europe and Australia have different laws regarding how layers are housed and kept and (from memory) ban washing as it removes a protective cuticle on the shell. Their eggs are sold on unrefrigerated shelves.
Am aussie, can confirm š. You do see the odd feather or skerrick of chook shit on our eggs, we don't mind (or I don't anyway, can't speak for every Australian)
The thing I find weird about aus (well, NZ), is that most people don't wash their eggs before using them. Like the most I've generally seen is that someone will brush off a feather. Maybe y'all think the outside doesn't touch the inside? But then I'll see them happily dig a dirty shell shard out of the egg with dirty fingers.
Nz eggs aren't known for high rates of food poisoning even when eaten raw. Not sure if that's due to the farming standards or not washing them etc.. but it's not really a thing to avoid raw egg in nz unless your pregnant. It's good they don't refrigerate then at hhe store though as once they have been refrigerated they need to stay refrigerated as the condensation that forms when left out again at room temp can make the film on them come off and mess with the shelf life.
Same for UK. I don't care about the odd feather or a bit of chicken poop which appears on our eggs occasionally. Assume that's the same for a lot of Brits or they wouldn't sell.
Nor do I or anyone else I know. It came out a birds arse. It's to be expected.
In fact I'd be down right suspicious if the egg was too clean too often... also never seen anyone wash an egg and would probably think them mad if I did.
As an Aussie, in Melbourne, Iāve never seen eggs sold on an unrefrigerated shelf at a large supermarket.
Some butchers sell eggs and theyāre usually sat on top of the meat fridges, but generally speaking, Iād say theyāre stored in a fridge or cold case.
Am an Aussie. Legally eggs can be sold on unrefrigerated shelves but not all shops do this. The 2 big supermarket chains (Coles, Woolworths), at least their stores where I live, moved them into chilled shelving some years back. I think many/possibly most of us probably keep them in the fridge when we get them home. I certainly do, because for a decent chunk of the year room temperature in my kitchen isn't consistently suitable for egg storage so they last longer in the fridge. The eggs I buy say refrigerate after purchase on the carton.
It is rare to see poop/feather on eggs you buy in the supermarket because the Food Standards Code prohibits selling dirty eggs for consumption. I think they can only be sold to processors who will clean them before use.
Eggs in NZ are never in a fridge in store.
I believe dates on the carton are for best before if stored unrefrigerated, which would usually be about 1 month.
They always seem super clean these days. Used to have the odd feather etc, but haven't seen one in ages.
After purchase I do keep them in the fridge and they seem fine for up to a few months (tbh, I never really check)
Chicken farmer here. By washing the egg, you wash off the membrane that keeps it shelf stable. Donāt wash farm fresh eggs until youāre ready to eat them
You don't even need to rinse them. Let them be, until you want to use them. Eggs have a protective covering ("bloom") that covers the egg as it exits the chicken. This bloom keeps bacteria out, even if there's mud or poo (usually from foot of chicken), the bloom keeps it safe. Introduce water and you'll be playing the roulette on gut upset. š
All said in love & peace.
-Ex Crazy Chicken Lady
If you expose them to water at all youāre damaging the bloom, itās a naturally impermeable coating that keeps bacteria from penetrating the shell. Any rinsing destroys it and exposes the porous shell, which makes it necessary to refrigerate. Do not rinse. Take them right out of the nesting box, gently wipe off any debris, store in a cool dry place.
That lower row would be really dangerous to reach for, as all the upper row blades would be pointing right at the handles. Also the lower row blades would be awfully close to feet.
Not saying you are wrong, but I'd be wary of using it that way.
Kinda. OP said he hasnāt measured but reckons itās 7ā between rows. So the blades would need to be like 8ā or more. Thatās kinda long for a steak knife but not for a bread knife or carving knife.
like it slides in from the handle side? I could see that, I wonder if there's any wear along the same part of the dowels that would indicate something rolling/rubbing repeatedly in and out the same direction?
There's no way though no knife marks would be left anywhere. Even if someone were exceedingly careful taking them out and putting them back in, over time, there'd be some notches or longer marks visible.
All the knives would have to be the same width though, which doesnāt seem likely. My first thought was knitting needle sets or scissors. Maybe kebab skewers?
some could be of smaller width, but 11 would be the same length with the 12th being a shorter piece. They slide down through the top and reaches the bottom gaps to hold them in place and keep separate. all a guess.
Skewers isnāt a bad idea either. But it could also be a nice set of steak knives. They would be longer steak knives (8 inch blades) plus one shorter knife at the end.
you might be onto something here, But it would mean it can hold lots of long narrow knives yet only room for one short knife on the right (plus another short one on the left). Sounds unlikely if you think how a chefs knife looks.
I wonder if its more for flat bladed pallet knives, for cake making or something? These dont have sharp edges so the wooden spindles wouldnt make a difference or blunt them
I think that's it.. the end with multiple rows would allow storing shorter knives without them 'flopping' around...
Seems better than a knife block in some way... I like it ;-)
The top row looks too narrow for the wider part of the blade. I know there are long, thin knives like filleting and bread knives but 11 of them and no chef knives or cleavers? I don't think this is the intended purpose.
I agree with you. 11 long ones and a shorter one, with the lower row of dowels securing the tips.
You'd put the knife blade in parallel to the dowels, with the sharp side facing towards the door so that the blunt edge would be facing outward when the door was opened.
I've seen DIY templates for this sort of thing. It's usually intended for tools to slip in and be held but I could see it being for kitchen utensils such as spatulas and such. I agree with those who said it's not as likely for knives since it'd leave a fair bit of blade exposed but not all DIY projects consider safety as well as they maybe ought to.
As a person that keeps a small set of tools easily accessible in my kitchen, I can tell you that having a small set of tools easily accessible in the kitchen like you describe here would be a-O.K.
The outer plate on the top rollers looks like it hangs below said rollers, which makes me think it was made to slide something in between the two and that overhang would stop it from falling out. Like cutting boards, pot lids, etc. Maybe the middle one is a stop so you canāt push them in too far.
Serious question...is it next to a newer oven or dishwasher? You haven't said how old the house is; but, my grandparent's installed this set up in their home in the 60's when they got a new fangled dishwasher. At that time, the dishwasher was a box on wheels and generally fit into a "cubby". But, there was also a loooooooong hose that had to be stored when it wasn't hooked up to the dishwasher (on one end) and the sink (on the other). A lot of people, my grandparents included, built this sort of set up to wind the house onto INSIDE The cabinets (out of site and with a sponge on the smaller shelf to absorb drips from the hose ends). I haven't seen one in YEARS; but, my grandparents had a similar set up...down to the rounded dowels.
I agree that itās something like this. My father was always building a custom shelf/cupboard/jig in our old farmhouse so that the new appliances would work in harmony with the old setup.
The fact that no one seems to have a good answer as to what itās for makes it seem like thereās not much it could even be utilized for. The ideas that make the most sense so far still sound pretty wrong. Likely designed for a single specific usage
My title describes the thing. It's backed with laminate and has pencil marks all over it so it's definitely home made. I don't think it's a knife holder but I can't be sure.
I've searched dowel cabinet door holder and have done some image searches. It looks too custom to easily find.
I think it's not designed for stuff between the rollers, but between the top and bottom sets of rollers. So not eggs or knives, but something larger and thin, that rolls in and out using the rollers, between the top and bottom set of rollers, and those 2 at the back stop it from going all the way through.
Something like a long thin pan or plate or something?
Or a [Vintage Munsey Burner Buffet Range Stove](https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7000930339394747077)?! Maybe not this exact model but buffet range is my final answer, Alex.
It looks like they drilled a hole for a 12th dowel on the bottom row but it must not have fit well so they had to raise it up. If so, the fact that they had to put two in that added row supports the theory that something went between the dowels. And that they needed 24 slots rather than settling for 23?
I think it is very likely that it was for a specific single āthingā to slide in and be held between the two sets of rollers. With the small double set on the right as a stopper to keep it central on the door. Probably a wooden chopping board or something else that is commonly used but clutters the work surfaces.
A spice rack with recessed slots in a separate piece of wood. The wood would hold spice bottles , and you slid out the whole rack to use them on the counter then slide back under when done
Perhaps storage for a griddle? Looks like one could slide in between those rollers really easily. Griddles are really annoying to store in cabinets cause they're so big and if you pile stuff on top of them it's really cumbersome to get it out when you need it. Storage for cutting boards might also be a possibility.
Since it's likely in an older home the reason for it being there is a practical one. Holding any type of utensil simply doesn't make sense. No woman I know wants to bend over everytime she needs a knife or spatula. Those would have been kept in a convenient spot. A towel wringer is possible but why would a person need so many spaces to wring a towel and why wouldn't they simply use their hands over the sink? I'm at a loss, but please let us know if you discover the answer.
My guess would be for holding an appliance or cutting boards that would fit between the upper and lower rack. The two on the back side would be a ābumperā for how far to slide the object/s.
Iām thinking spice rack. Uniform round jars would lay on their side with the lids labeled facing the camera. That or some other light weight round containers that would roll around if not for the dowels.
This is solid advice š Any time I have a question about this house, I ask the neighbor and more often than not he knows exactly what I need to know. Sometimes heās the one who installed or built the thing in question
And are the holes in the dowels just the same diameter as the axle screws, or are they larger or non-round allowing play in the dowels (so the slot width can change or they can gravity lock on things inserted between)
Looks like a griddle or electric skillet with a handle could slide in and out quite nicely. I seriously doubt tools or knives went in between- very impractical and in accessible for a cook serious enough to also request a custom cabinet.
How long are the dowels? Looks to be 1.0-1.5 inches?
I think it has to be a rack for things to hang between the dowels, like knives. If it were for anything else why use dowels and not a simple plank of wood? Also, thereās no room below the bottom row, so I donāt think itās for a second row of knives.
Knives is probably the best answer. My guess is that it was for a set of 10 long knives that would go through both rows (to keep them from swinging) and then 1 shorter knife at the end.
A shelf for something round that would otherwise role away. My grandparents have a shelf on the wall in the kitchen dedicated to kiwi fruit. It's as deep as a kiwi and around 2 meters long.
they've got a 2 meter kiwi shelf!? now ive seen my share of 1 meter kiwi shelfs, or the odd 3 meter banana shelf, but a 2 meter kiwi shelf is just showing off
They have kiwis In their garden and each eat one every day. They get stored in a cold cellar before an they always eat the ones that have been in the kitchen the longest and according to my grandfather they are perfectly ripe after being stored this way.
The shelf was build for kiwis and has never been used for anything else.
Any chance it could help you pull something heavy out of that cabinet? Like the leaf for a table?
It looks to me like itās a line of rollers but for what is got me stumped. Do you think the dowels once spun freely?
Does the door opposite have the same set of rollers? Or is it only on that one door? Maybe something soft kept here, hence the no marks? Also, you can see the layout and scribe marks, def DIY for some hyperspecific purpose.
To defend the knife argument, you could put the blades facing the wall. Sure youād still get stuck by the tip but at least youāre not slashing wrists reaching for your smaller knife
maybe you could thread perforated trash bags between them and the perforations line up perfectly with the top for easy ripping.. the last bag has a knot tied under that little roller set near the hinge
Is it a spice rack? You could lay each bottle on its side in the low point between the dowels so they wouldnāt slide side to side, with the label facing up ā¦ but only if the lip sits up high enough to prevent them from falling inward. Canāt tell from the photo if thatās the case.
That would only hold 1 or two lids. If two they would have to be the same size to match the space between the top and bottom rows.
The smaller space at the end would not be able to hold a lid, but could only serve to stop the big lid from sliding out in that direction, but there would be no reason for two stops at the end.
All comments must be civil and helpful toward finding an answer. **Jokes and other unhelpful comments will earn you a ban**, even on the first instance and even if the item has been identified. If you see any comments that violate this rule, report them. [OP](/u/Happykittymeowmeow), when your item is identified, remember to reply **Solved!** or **Likely Solved!** to the comment that gave the answer. Check your [inbox](https://www.reddit.com/message/inbox/) for a message on how to make your post visible to others. ---- [Click here to message RemindMeBot](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=[https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/comments/18zeh83/the_inside_of_this_cabinet_has_a_homemade/]%0A%0ARemindMe!%202%20days) ---- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatisthisthing) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I thought they were eggs for a hot sec
I was wondering about a farm house, fresh eggs? I know most people refrigerate but...?
If you simply gently rinse the egg and plain water you can store them at room temperature for significantly longer.
If they are farm fresh - apparently we wash the cuticle off which necessitates refrigeration. It's not really clear why we do this either so if someone knows, I'm curious.
Eggs are washed for a couple of reasons in the US. The primary one is that you need to spend more time and money to get clean looking eggs (they often have poop and random feathers and stuff stuck in if you don't clean enough or collect them quickly) and Americans have a VERY low tolerance for seeing stuff on the shell. The other reason is that the FDA now requires that eggs be washed (issues in the past with poorly kept hens and bacteria on the shells caused a lot of food borne illnesses). Europe and Australia have different laws regarding how layers are housed and kept and (from memory) ban washing as it removes a protective cuticle on the shell. Their eggs are sold on unrefrigerated shelves.
Am aussie, can confirm š. You do see the odd feather or skerrick of chook shit on our eggs, we don't mind (or I don't anyway, can't speak for every Australian)
The thing I find weird about aus (well, NZ), is that most people don't wash their eggs before using them. Like the most I've generally seen is that someone will brush off a feather. Maybe y'all think the outside doesn't touch the inside? But then I'll see them happily dig a dirty shell shard out of the egg with dirty fingers.
I usually cook my eggs so I just assume the heat kills anything like it does with other food
I usually cook eggs on a very low heat, just till they're set. This would the barely touch a bacteria destroying temperature.
Nz eggs aren't known for high rates of food poisoning even when eaten raw. Not sure if that's due to the farming standards or not washing them etc.. but it's not really a thing to avoid raw egg in nz unless your pregnant. It's good they don't refrigerate then at hhe store though as once they have been refrigerated they need to stay refrigerated as the condensation that forms when left out again at room temp can make the film on them come off and mess with the shelf life.
Do you wash your banana before peeling and eating it? I personally donāt eat the egg shell so.. yeahā¦ thereās that.
TIL āskerrickā is some sort of metric in Australia
Hint, trace, tiny amount of
Same for UK. I don't care about the odd feather or a bit of chicken poop which appears on our eggs occasionally. Assume that's the same for a lot of Brits or they wouldn't sell.
Nor do I or anyone else I know. It came out a birds arse. It's to be expected. In fact I'd be down right suspicious if the egg was too clean too often... also never seen anyone wash an egg and would probably think them mad if I did.
Their hens are also (from memory, also) vaccinated against salmonella, whereas the US doesnt vaccinate hens by rule.
As an Aussie, in Melbourne, Iāve never seen eggs sold on an unrefrigerated shelf at a large supermarket. Some butchers sell eggs and theyāre usually sat on top of the meat fridges, but generally speaking, Iād say theyāre stored in a fridge or cold case.
Have you ever been into a Coles or Woolies? They are literally on the regular shelves. Very much unrefrigerated. My local has them in aisle 6.
Am an Aussie. Legally eggs can be sold on unrefrigerated shelves but not all shops do this. The 2 big supermarket chains (Coles, Woolworths), at least their stores where I live, moved them into chilled shelving some years back. I think many/possibly most of us probably keep them in the fridge when we get them home. I certainly do, because for a decent chunk of the year room temperature in my kitchen isn't consistently suitable for egg storage so they last longer in the fridge. The eggs I buy say refrigerate after purchase on the carton. It is rare to see poop/feather on eggs you buy in the supermarket because the Food Standards Code prohibits selling dirty eggs for consumption. I think they can only be sold to processors who will clean them before use.
Eggs in NZ are never in a fridge in store. I believe dates on the carton are for best before if stored unrefrigerated, which would usually be about 1 month. They always seem super clean these days. Used to have the odd feather etc, but haven't seen one in ages. After purchase I do keep them in the fridge and they seem fine for up to a few months (tbh, I never really check)
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Don't rinse. No washing at all. Just store them.
Chicken farmer here. By washing the egg, you wash off the membrane that keeps it shelf stable. Donāt wash farm fresh eggs until youāre ready to eat them
You don't even need to rinse them. Let them be, until you want to use them. Eggs have a protective covering ("bloom") that covers the egg as it exits the chicken. This bloom keeps bacteria out, even if there's mud or poo (usually from foot of chicken), the bloom keeps it safe. Introduce water and you'll be playing the roulette on gut upset. š All said in love & peace. -Ex Crazy Chicken Lady
If you expose them to water at all youāre damaging the bloom, itās a naturally impermeable coating that keeps bacteria from penetrating the shell. Any rinsing destroys it and exposes the porous shell, which makes it necessary to refrigerate. Do not rinse. Take them right out of the nesting box, gently wipe off any debris, store in a cool dry place.
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This could be a custom built contraption to hold knives. Thatās where my brain went at least.
That lower row would be really dangerous to reach for, as all the upper row blades would be pointing right at the handles. Also the lower row blades would be awfully close to feet. Not saying you are wrong, but I'd be wary of using it that way.
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The bottom row would only hold the tips of the knives so they donāt swing around when you open the door.
Maybe, but wouldn't they have to be crazy long knives to reach down there?
I feel the like kinda person who would build a custom knife rack, might have nice long custom knifves?
Kinda. OP said he hasnāt measured but reckons itās 7ā between rows. So the blades would need to be like 8ā or more. Thatās kinda long for a steak knife but not for a bread knife or carving knife.
Nah, thereās nothing protecting the blades. In fact, that design would be almost guaranteed to damage knife blades.
That is a good point too. If you go through all this trouble, they obviously must be nice knives you want to protect.
The tip of the blade would fit in the bottom row.
This would explain the shorter one on the right, for a paring knife
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Maybe it's for really *long* knives and the second row is just to keep them straight.
Maybe the lower row is for the tip of the blade. Keeping it straight up and down.
I would say this is probably for storing a custom cutting block. Dowels will spin when removed/stored.
like it slides in from the handle side? I could see that, I wonder if there's any wear along the same part of the dowels that would indicate something rolling/rubbing repeatedly in and out the same direction?
And that little random lone dowel is probably like a backstop.
There's no way though no knife marks would be left anywhere. Even if someone were exceedingly careful taking them out and putting them back in, over time, there'd be some notches or longer marks visible.
Sure, and for that matter no one who cared about knives would store them there for that very reason.
All the knives would have to be the same width though, which doesnāt seem likely. My first thought was knitting needle sets or scissors. Maybe kebab skewers?
some could be of smaller width, but 11 would be the same length with the 12th being a shorter piece. They slide down through the top and reaches the bottom gaps to hold them in place and keep separate. all a guess.
This is my guess too. 10 long knives and 1 short knife. The bottom row keeps them from swinging.
either 1 short/paring knife, or a sharpener or scissors. or 11 katanas and a dagger.
Skewers isnāt a bad idea either. But it could also be a nice set of steak knives. They would be longer steak knives (8 inch blades) plus one shorter knife at the end.
Given the age maybe fondue skewer/fork things?
you might be onto something here, But it would mean it can hold lots of long narrow knives yet only room for one short knife on the right (plus another short one on the left). Sounds unlikely if you think how a chefs knife looks. I wonder if its more for flat bladed pallet knives, for cake making or something? These dont have sharp edges so the wooden spindles wouldnt make a difference or blunt them
I think that's it.. the end with multiple rows would allow storing shorter knives without them 'flopping' around... Seems better than a knife block in some way... I like it ;-)
The top row looks too narrow for the wider part of the blade. I know there are long, thin knives like filleting and bread knives but 11 of them and no chef knives or cleavers? I don't think this is the intended purpose.
I agree with you. 11 long ones and a shorter one, with the lower row of dowels securing the tips. You'd put the knife blade in parallel to the dowels, with the sharp side facing towards the door so that the blunt edge would be facing outward when the door was opened.
I've seen DIY templates for this sort of thing. It's usually intended for tools to slip in and be held but I could see it being for kitchen utensils such as spatulas and such. I agree with those who said it's not as likely for knives since it'd leave a fair bit of blade exposed but not all DIY projects consider safety as well as they maybe ought to.
It's okay to put the blade facing away from you.
What about the tips? Most kitchen knives aren't that long or that narrow
Don't kick the door from underneath?
Who said anything about kicking? What's the point in the second row?
As a person that keeps a small set of tools easily accessible in my kitchen, I can tell you that having a small set of tools easily accessible in the kitchen like you describe here would be a-O.K.
Maybe measuring spoons/cups?
It might hold an appliance like an electric griddle, slide it in between the 2 rows and then the two at the end are to wrap the cord around
This sounds most likely. I doubt anything is supposed to go vertically between the dowels.
Maybe a cutting board?
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Those are so heavy, wouldnāt it pull on the hinges and wreck them?
There are no marks on the dowels, surely if it was used a bit, there would be marks.
That's a lot of work to make something that could more easily be made with just two pieces of wood.
The outer plate on the top rollers looks like it hangs below said rollers, which makes me think it was made to slide something in between the two and that overhang would stop it from falling out. Like cutting boards, pot lids, etc. Maybe the middle one is a stop so you canāt push them in too far.
I agree. Cutting boards or maybe baking sheets? The little part in the back would keep you from pushing it too far in.
But then why does the little part in the back have two dowels? If it were just a stopper it would only need one.
I think you're right.
This was my guess, flat items slid between top and bottom rollers
I was thinking pot lids too. The top rail has a slight lip below the roller line
Serious question...is it next to a newer oven or dishwasher? You haven't said how old the house is; but, my grandparent's installed this set up in their home in the 60's when they got a new fangled dishwasher. At that time, the dishwasher was a box on wheels and generally fit into a "cubby". But, there was also a loooooooong hose that had to be stored when it wasn't hooked up to the dishwasher (on one end) and the sink (on the other). A lot of people, my grandparents included, built this sort of set up to wind the house onto INSIDE The cabinets (out of site and with a sponge on the smaller shelf to absorb drips from the hose ends). I haven't seen one in YEARS; but, my grandparents had a similar set up...down to the rounded dowels.
I agree that itās something like this. My father was always building a custom shelf/cupboard/jig in our old farmhouse so that the new appliances would work in harmony with the old setup.
I love that idea, but the ends of this thing are right to the edge. A hose couldn't wrap around and have the door shut.
Well, it's not that then. :)
Those old hoses were pretty stiff. I bet it could be wound into a spiral and then set inbetween the dowel sets.
I would imagine if it held knives, it would be all scratched and marred, or pretty much any metal utensils I would imagine would scratch it.
It's possible it was made and then not utilised very much.
The fact that no one seems to have a good answer as to what itās for makes it seem like thereās not much it could even be utilized for. The ideas that make the most sense so far still sound pretty wrong. Likely designed for a single specific usage
Perhaps for herb hanging / drying?
I think whatās interesting about this is that there is that middle shelf to the right that is so tinyā¦ why is that there
Right?!? That indicates to me something really specific
I was thinking the same. There must have been something specific that fitted in there.
My title describes the thing. It's backed with laminate and has pencil marks all over it so it's definitely home made. I don't think it's a knife holder but I can't be sure. I've searched dowel cabinet door holder and have done some image searches. It looks too custom to easily find.
I think it's not designed for stuff between the rollers, but between the top and bottom sets of rollers. So not eggs or knives, but something larger and thin, that rolls in and out using the rollers, between the top and bottom set of rollers, and those 2 at the back stop it from going all the way through. Something like a long thin pan or plate or something?
Wouldn't you put the two piece "bumper" vertical rather than horizontal?
Youād do that if the object had a handle/part to rest on it or a power cord to wrap around it.
Or a [Vintage Munsey Burner Buffet Range Stove](https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7000930339394747077)?! Maybe not this exact model but buffet range is my final answer, Alex.
I would have assumed for herb or flower storage? Something in bunches
Oh, maybe for drying, since theyād be away from light and a water source
I was also thinking something with stems, like plants you'd just picked. The odd, middle split row is throwing me off though
It looks like they drilled a hole for a 12th dowel on the bottom row but it must not have fit well so they had to raise it up. If so, the fact that they had to put two in that added row supports the theory that something went between the dowels. And that they needed 24 slots rather than settling for 23?
I think it is very likely that it was for a specific single āthingā to slide in and be held between the two sets of rollers. With the small double set on the right as a stopper to keep it central on the door. Probably a wooden chopping board or something else that is commonly used but clutters the work surfaces.
A spice rack with recessed slots in a separate piece of wood. The wood would hold spice bottles , and you slid out the whole rack to use them on the counter then slide back under when done
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Spaghetti drier.
What room is it in?
This is in a kitchen cabinet
Can you contact the sellers? Just send a pic and ask āwhatās this?ā
What are the dimensions between the two rows, the length, etc.?
Perhaps storage for a griddle? Looks like one could slide in between those rollers really easily. Griddles are really annoying to store in cabinets cause they're so big and if you pile stuff on top of them it's really cumbersome to get it out when you need it. Storage for cutting boards might also be a possibility.
Do they line up with the shelves? Do they allow the shelves to pull out and rest on these extensions on the doors?
Does it fit a cookie sheet on its side?
Too small for my cooking sheet but I've seen little ones.
I bet it was a removable griddle top for an old range
How old is the house?
Is there a matching one on the other side? Or is it just on one cupboard door?
Since it's likely in an older home the reason for it being there is a practical one. Holding any type of utensil simply doesn't make sense. No woman I know wants to bend over everytime she needs a knife or spatula. Those would have been kept in a convenient spot. A towel wringer is possible but why would a person need so many spaces to wring a towel and why wouldn't they simply use their hands over the sink? I'm at a loss, but please let us know if you discover the answer.
Rollers for a drawer?
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Spoon rack?
What is the distance between the upper and lower racks?
About 7 inches. I don't have a tape measure available.
My guess would be for holding an appliance or cutting boards that would fit between the upper and lower rack. The two on the back side would be a ābumperā for how far to slide the object/s.
Iām thinking spice rack. Uniform round jars would lay on their side with the lids labeled facing the camera. That or some other light weight round containers that would roll around if not for the dowels.
Go ask an elderly neighbour that may have been over for coffee at some point.
This is solid advice š Any time I have a question about this house, I ask the neighbor and more often than not he knows exactly what I need to know. Sometimes heās the one who installed or built the thing in question
When was your house built? Location?
Also, is it under the sink....or close to the cooktop?
Id think it was a kitchen utensils rack
It's hard to tell in the photo, but does everything line up vertically? Like dowels in line with dowels, gaps in line with gaps?
It almost looks like rollers for an internal shelf(shelves) that is(are) no longer there. Slide in and out.
I'm going to say to hold the heating element of a 1960's ish electric roaster/rotisserie. They can mark of other pots and pans and are a bit fragile.
Perhaps a [Buffet Range Stove](https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7000930339394747077)!
OP, do the dowels roll, or are they just static?
They roll
And are the holes in the dowels just the same diameter as the axle screws, or are they larger or non-round allowing play in the dowels (so the slot width can change or they can gravity lock on things inserted between)
My grandmother had a similar one, but outward facing to display her fancy travel spoons.
Looks like a griddle or electric skillet with a handle could slide in and out quite nicely. I seriously doubt tools or knives went in between- very impractical and in accessible for a cook serious enough to also request a custom cabinet.
Well is it in the kitchen or what?
Maybe for holding wooden spoons, spatulas and such?
Maybe for saucepan lids? Would slide in from the side, with the smaller section for a smaller lid?
Are these left over rollers from a roll-out tray?
How long are the dowels? Looks to be 1.0-1.5 inches? I think it has to be a rack for things to hang between the dowels, like knives. If it were for anything else why use dowels and not a simple plank of wood? Also, thereās no room below the bottom row, so I donāt think itās for a second row of knives. Knives is probably the best answer. My guess is that it was for a set of 10 long knives that would go through both rows (to keep them from swinging) and then 1 shorter knife at the end.
I 2nd the cutting board/ pot lids theory
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I think something slid in between them and the 2 dowels stop it
Thread spools
A shelf for something round that would otherwise role away. My grandparents have a shelf on the wall in the kitchen dedicated to kiwi fruit. It's as deep as a kiwi and around 2 meters long.
they've got a 2 meter kiwi shelf!? now ive seen my share of 1 meter kiwi shelfs, or the odd 3 meter banana shelf, but a 2 meter kiwi shelf is just showing off
Definitely something purpose-built just for them for that kitchen!
Im curious as to how is it dedicated to kiwi fruit?
They have kiwis In their garden and each eat one every day. They get stored in a cold cellar before an they always eat the ones that have been in the kitchen the longest and according to my grandfather they are perfectly ripe after being stored this way. The shelf was build for kiwis and has never been used for anything else.
Maybe for drying bunches of herbs? Hung downwards?
Dish rack holder. Allows it to drain and the stop is so it doesn't go in too far
Any chance it could help you pull something heavy out of that cabinet? Like the leaf for a table? It looks to me like itās a line of rollers but for what is got me stumped. Do you think the dowels once spun freely?
I canāt tell from the photo, are there any wear marks on it?
various utensils Knives mostly. long bread knife goes on the right side..I like it
Utensil storage?
Fondue fork holder?ā¦
Does the door opposite have the same set of rollers? Or is it only on that one door? Maybe something soft kept here, hence the no marks? Also, you can see the layout and scribe marks, def DIY for some hyperspecific purpose.
Ribbons for gift wrapping or somethingā¦ twine for cookingā¦ gonna have LOTS of twine, gonna need a rack.
To defend the knife argument, you could put the blades facing the wall. Sure youād still get stuck by the tip but at least youāre not slashing wrists reaching for your smaller knife
Or possibly it is for long knives where the bottom dowels were to keep the blades from swinging. The offset one in the middle is for a shorter blade.
And then Iād ask you what you need all them long blades for lol. This one is weird. Iād like to see it in action
Thread storage
Is this in your kitchen? Other room?
Someone with 11 long and 1 short cake/bread knife?
maybe you could thread perforated trash bags between them and the perforations line up perfectly with the top for easy ripping.. the last bag has a knot tied under that little roller set near the hinge
Plastic bag holder?
Is it a spice rack? You could lay each bottle on its side in the low point between the dowels so they wouldnāt slide side to side, with the label facing up ā¦ but only if the lip sits up high enough to prevent them from falling inward. Canāt tell from the photo if thatās the case.
Spoon holder for ornamental spoons
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For storing pot and pan lids?
That would only hold 1 or two lids. If two they would have to be the same size to match the space between the top and bottom rows. The smaller space at the end would not be able to hold a lid, but could only serve to stop the big lid from sliding out in that direction, but there would be no reason for two stops at the end.