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Sequences (a long story with no real point)

csxjohn

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Patrick McManus wrote the story and talks about how you can't just do something.

Sometimes when you make a list of what you need to prepare before even starting a project, it's so overwhelming you just go fishing instead.

Our kitchen sink was separating from the mounting ring and looking underneath I saw that the clips holding everything were corroding and all were not there. Hmmm, only 30 yrs old and I have to replace them?

Went to Lowes and bought a package of clips. Sunday morning I decided to tackle the job. I was going to put some new clips in where there were none and add some where there were none.

Of course I would need to take the sink out to clean caulk and dirt from between the sink and ring and the ring itself where it sits on the counter top. My wife would take care of cleaning the counter top for me.

Well, to get the sink out I have to disconnect the trap and then the garbage disposer but first disconnect the dishwasher drain hose. Then of course the water supply needs to be cut off to the sink.

Once I get it all apart I tell my wife that if she want's a new sink, now is the time to tell me before I do all that scraping, emery clothing, and steel wooling downstairs. She said no, if we can make this one right why spend the money. I like her thinking.

Now I get it all cleaned up and I'm looking at it and thinking something is not quite right. How do I keep the ring and sink together while I install the clips. We go on the internet to get clues on installing a top mount sink. They all are one piece.

This is when I realize that the ring should be attached to the sink and it's not. I see two marks that tell me it was welded at one time and now it's not. Decision time again, use goop or sealant to attach the ring, let it sit a day then install the whole thing or go buy a new sink.0

The sink itself is over 30 years old as it was used when we installed when we built this house.

In the meantime I see two rubber washers inside the tubes leading to the faucet supply tubes. One's in bad shape so I bag it up for my trip to Lowes.

The water cut off on the cold side was still one of the old style that you turn a few time to go off or on with a rubber washer inside. It's only a matter of time before it will need replacing, remember it's 30 yrs old. I'm also not going to re-use the solid supply tube with the knob on top, often too hard to fit to a new faucet in case I decite to buy a new one.

The hot side cut off and supply line was replaced last year because I couldn't shut it off any longer so I went with the newer quarter turn ball valve and flexible stainless supply line on that side.

So I take measurements of the old sink, the ring, and the hole it all sits in just in case I can't find a way to use the old one. My list had the rubber washer size along with the washer in a zip lock, cutoff, and supply line.

Before I get to the plumbing supplies at Lowes I see the sinks and see that a new single bowl stainless sink is only $105. That made the decision easy. I pulled the sink out of the counter, found a measuring tape at the workers desk and sure enough, it's the exact size I have.

Well, I can't buy a new sink and use the old faucet, right? I call home and she wants a non single handle faucet and with a sprayer if possible. By this ime a very helpful clerk was assisting me and we found a faucet that would work nicely. Got the other pieces I needed and headed home. Still an hour before the Super Bowl starts. I decide not to attemp to start and to enjoy the game.

On Monday I shut off the water supply to the house and take off the old cold water cutoff valve. Should be easy right? The old compression ring would not come off the supply pipe so I put it together with the old one. I never like to do that because they usually don't fit properly and leak.

Yep, I go to the basement, turn the water on and it leaks. Back to the basement to turn off the water. An hour later I finally get the old compression ring off, use the new one and no leaks. I had thougt about heating the compresion ring with a torch or soldering iron but the water is cut off in the house so I don't want to take that chance. I was then going to use a hacksaw and cut the ring until it loosened but what if I cut into the copper pipe? I just fought it and used different combinations of pliers until it finally came off.

The rest was relatively easy. Attach the mounting clips that came with the sink to the sink, attach the insinkerator drain assembly and the new faucet. Put a bead of cauld on the sink lip and the counter surface, set in place and align, tighten the clips.

Next attach the garbage disposer then the drain assembly. This sink is 1 1/2" deeper than the old but the drain went together with no cutting at all. How did that happen?

Now I see that the front center of the new sink is not quite sititng tight on the counter top. I had positioned the clips the way the instructions said but I should have figured that on the long sides I should have put the clips one notch closer to the center. Too late now, I tried to disassemble one of the clips and move it but no go. I'm still not sure why I couldn't do that but I had enoudh trouble trying to put the two peices that fell on my head back to the clip.

I took a couple small boards and two clamps and clamped the front down. If that fromt seam gets mold I'm in deep doo doo because that's what's was happening with the old one for the last several years.

I am proud that all the connections, supply and drain, had no leaks. That is rare for a first try with me. The new faucet did move a little even though I tightened the plastic mounting nuts more than I think I should have had to. I took that apart this morning without having to disconnect any supply lines and put a bead of cauld under it. That will keep it from sliding.

All done and now what? The cold water faucet starts to drip. I took the handle off, moved the valve a few times, put it together and no leak. I think I am done.

Except that original package of mounting clips that started this whole thing is going back to Lowes soon.
 

theo

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John, I admire your perseverance and your "can do" attitude, but your tale definitely reinforces to me just how much I hate plumbing projects of virtually any sort. ;)
 

SueDonJ

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You get a gold star! Very good job and a delightful post to read on this gray day in between shoveling out from yesterday's and tomorrow's storms.

We have a contractor renovating our new home in Hilton Head while I'm up here in Massachusetts and Don is still in India. Both of us would much rather be down there with toolbelts strapped on and taking direction from the contractor!

Nothing beats the feeling of doing a job and doing it well - give yourself a pat on the back and now put your feet up. :)
 

ace2000

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Enjoyed reading this! And I'm reminded about why I prefer to hire someone else to do this type of stuff. I'm always amazed at what a handyman can do in less than an hour, that would take me all day to do myself.

I'd rather be outdoors!!! :)
 

Elan

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My rule of thumb for all DIY projects:

1) Estimate time for completion. Add a little, just in case.
2) Estimate total cost. Add a little, just in case.
3) Multiply both (1) and (2) above by 2 to determine actual time and cost.
4) If you come in under the numbers calculated in (3), then you've likely done it wrong.
 

RonB

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Maybe not....

I,ve been looking at our 30+ YO sink recently, and thinking it might be time to replace it. Maybe not...
Ron

And thanks for this post. :p
 

csxjohn

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Thanks for the nice replies, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Sometimes my sequences make me crazy. I need to do something but need a flashlight, the batteries are dead and I need to get new ones. When I open the closet to get the batteries, the extension cord that I was going to replace and end on is on top of the batteries.

So I get my multimeter to check the wiring on the cord and realize I have no replacement ends left and need to go to Harbor Freight for some new ends. By now I've forgotten all about the original project.

Of course you all know this is the way of the home handyman.:hysterical:
 
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