Is there a plumber in the house? [Archive] - SoonerFans.com Message Boards

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Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:06 PM

I mean ... on the board.

OK, I'm hooking up my mom's new kitchen faucet. There are holes in the counter, long brass pipe thingies that are part of the faucet, plastic thingies that hold the faucet to the counter, and then the hose that transports the water from the shutoff valve to the faucet. And there is some other stuff too, but I think I have all of that right.

So I stuck the faucet in the holes and tightened the plastic nut up under the counter to hold the faucet on. Then I put the water lines on the pipe that's part of the faucet ... only to discover that there isn't enough thread to tighten the water line all of the way! I guess the counter is thicker than normal or something.

So, what do I do? The solution I would like is there to be some sort of extension that connects to the pipe that will hold the faucet on and have the right threads on the bottom to connect the water line. I somehow doubt there is such a beast.

My second idea is to spend $30 on a 2" forstner bit and drill out a cavity so the plastic nut can go farther up the pipe. Then maybe I'll have enough thread to tighten the water line all the way. I think this might work, but I don't know how I'm going to be able tighten the nut up in a hole, I don't know if I'll be able to get a drill all the way up there, and even if I can I don't know how I'm going to make the hole be straight with the already drilled hole.

Soooo - are there any other ideas?

Also, is there some sort of special tool that is made to tighten water lines? There isn't a whole lot of room back there. It's quite frustrating to turn the nut a 1/64th of a turn and have your wrench fall off.

SoonerWood

4/19/2006, 08:11 PM

http://www.fileitunder.com/uploaded_images/unexpected_plumbers_crack-794247.jpg

that help?

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 08:13 PM

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 08:14 PM

maybe gdc's troll can help out also.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 08:14 PM

Pics ? I mean other than Soonerwoods ;)

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 08:16 PM

Basin wrench is about $7 at harbor freight tools. or a little more at HD/Lowes. Well worth owning. The one at Harbor freight is a knock off of the $30 one HD/Lowes carries.
http://www.coastaltool.com/hand_tools/ridgid/images/basin_wrench.jpg

Next. Possible option is to solder an extention to the faucet. Most of the time the ID of the threaded part is made to receive 1/2" copper. You could extend the length a little with copper and tie on a little lower.

This is NORM, remember :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:22 PM

Basin wrench is about $7 at harbor freight tools. or a little more at HD/Lowes. Well worth owning. The one at Harbor freight is a knock off of the $30 one HD/Lowes carries.
http://www.coastaltool.com/hand_tools/ridgid/images/basin_wrench.jpghttp://www.moen.com/consumersupport/installation/moen0102/images/moen0102_2hndlfaucet3.gif

Next. Possible option is to solder an extention to the faucet. Most of the time the ID of the threaded part is made to receive 1/2" copper. You could extend the length a little with copper and tie on a little lower.
Ok, that will be purchased tomorrow. I may stop by harbour freight at lunch.

I have no idea how to solder a copper extension on. I'd think that would make it so the threads wouldn't accept the plastic nut that holds the faucet down. That's probably way past my skills.

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 08:29 PM

Ok, that will be purchased tomorrow. I may stop by harbour freight at lunch.

I have no idea how to solder a copper extension on. I'd think that would make it so the threads wouldn't accept the plastic nut that holds the faucet down. That's probably way past my skills.
the solder would go inside the brass, not on the outside where the threads are.

sounds like forstner bit is best suited to your skills, but to be honest, that wont be as easy as it sounds. You will need to bore a hole in another piece of wood and clamp it in place to use as a guide since there will be no center point in the hole.

There might be a few other options, but without seeing it and doing it for you, that's all I think will work for you.

BajaOklahoma

4/19/2006, 08:35 PM

Call a plumber. This is Norm, remember?

OUHOMER

4/19/2006, 08:37 PM

you might be able to buy some thinner lock nuts. i did something like that once

jmvac97

4/19/2006, 08:48 PM

What sas said. There's several plumbers on this board.

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:49 PM

you might be able to buy some thinner lock nuts. i did something like that once
I looked at Ace, but they didn't have jack crap. If there was a metal nut that was half as thick, I might be in business. Maybe Lowes has some. They have a basin wrench for $15. It's only 11" though - I don't know if that will work.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 08:51 PM

What are the supply lines like ?
If they are plastic with that big fat head , just put some washers between that and the nut ;)

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:53 PM

the solder would go inside the brass, not on the outside where the threads are.

sounds like forstner bit is best suited to your skills, but to be honest, that wont be as easy as it sounds. You will need to bore a hole in another piece of wood and clamp it in place to use as a guide since there will be no center point in the hole.

There might be a few other options, but without seeing it and doing it for you, that's all I think will work for you.
I think I could screw a 1/4" piece of wood to the underside, drill a pilot hole in the center of the other hole, then bore it. It's not ideal, but I think it will work. What sucks is I'm not exactly svelte, so I don't have much room to work. I may have to tear the drain stuff and the garbage disposal out in order to reach everything. That sucks, since I was so happy that I figured out how to get that all together.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 08:53 PM

If nothin else get your camera and get us actual pics of the dayum thing

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:54 PM

What are the supply lines like ?
If they are plastic with that big fat head , just put some washers between that and the nut ;)
The supply lines are sort of like an outdoor water hose. It won't work unless it is tight against whatever you are screwing it on.

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 08:55 PM

I looked at Ace, but they didn't have jack crap. If there was a metal nut that was half as thick, I might be in business. Maybe Lowes has some. They have a basin wrench for $15. It's only 11" though - I don't know if that will work.
the wrench at Harbor Freight extendes to different lengths. Very handy in certain situations.

Some old Price Pfister nuts are metal and very thin, but I don't know how much luck you'll have finding them.

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:55 PM

If nothin else get your camera and get us actual pics of the dayum thing
It's at my mom's so I can't take a picture tonight. I might Gimp me up an illustration though.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 08:55 PM

I think I could screw a 1/4" piece of wood to the underside, drill a pilot hole in the center of the other hole, then bore it. It's not ideal, but I think it will work. What sucks is I'm not exactly svelte, so I don't have much room to work. I may have to tear the drain stuff and the garbage disposal out in order to reach everything. That sucks, since I was so happy that I figured out how to get that all together.
Lord help us and Senior mrs Norm :eek:
Norm befor you do anything radical get us pics I implore you

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 08:57 PM

the wrench at Harbor Freight extendes to different lengths. Very handy in certain situations.

Some old Price Pfister nuts are metal and very thin, but I don't know how much luck you'll have finding them.
Hmmmm - there is a plumbing place in town that seems to have a bunch of weird crap like that. Maybe I'll try them.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 08:57 PM

It's at my mom's so I can't take a picture tonight. I might Gimp me up an illustration though.
K stupid type ? but did you take all the OLD gasket shat off ?
Did the new faucet come with lil brass washers ?
So many ? so few pics
Compare the old one to the new one whats the differance ?

yermom

4/19/2006, 08:58 PM

http://www.fileitunder.com/uploaded_images/unexpected_plumbers_crack-794247.jpg

that help?

that's gotta be the hottest Plumber's Crack i've seen

other than that, call a plumber, especially if she looks like that one ;)

Sooner24

4/19/2006, 09:20 PM

They just rescued Norms mom. :eek:

http://www.dummocrats.com/images/x/album02/stbernard.jpg

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 09:30 PM

Here's my gimped up illustration:

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/4198/faucet3kq.th.png (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=faucet3kq.png)

As you can almost clearly see, the nuts on the water lines are larger than the amount of thread I have left.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:30 PM

that's gotta be the hottest Plumber's Crack i've seen

other than that, call a plumber, especially if she looks like that one ;)
She could get under anything of MINE ;)

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 09:31 PM

K stupid type ? but did you take all the OLD gasket shat off ?
Did the new faucet come with lil brass washers ?
So many ? so few pics
Compare the old one to the new one whats the differance ?
Brand new countertop, brand new faucet. Everything is on there per instructions, no washers on top and I'm flush with the countertop.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:32 PM

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 09:32 PM

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:36 PM

exactly as I had pictured it. :D
I think I might have a clue now ,go with me SAS
New counter top , Check . new faucet check .
Who cut the hole in the NEW counter top ? for the sink ?

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 09:41 PM

Countertop guys.

Actually, there is an extra piece of wood connected to the countertop in the back. If it wasn't there, I'd be golden.

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 09:42 PM

Looks like somebody used 3/4" material to elevate the countertop and should have trimmed it in the vicinity of the sink/faucet.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:44 PM

Countertop guys.

Actually, there is an extra piece of wood connected to the countertop in the back. If it wasn't there, I'd be golden.
There in is the problem
the sink hole is set to far back , cut that shat out of the way , Or make the counter top guys come back and do there job correctly ;)

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:45 PM

Looks like somebody used 3/4" material to elevate the countertop and should have trimmed it in the vicinity of the sink/faucet.
yep they didnt care they got thiers ! :mad: Bastages

sanantoniosooner

4/19/2006, 09:46 PM

There in is the problem
the sink hole is set to far back , cut that shat out of the way , Or make the counter top guys come back and do there job correctly ;)
I don't think it's too far back. I think they used some material to raise the counter and didn't cut it out of the way where it needed to be.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:50 PM

I don't think it's too far back. I think they used some material to raise the counter and didn't cut it out of the way where it needed to be.
Could be
Ive seen it both ways , At least we got Norm on the right path ;)

OUinFLA

4/19/2006, 09:51 PM

ya got one of these?
You can do a lot of damage with this one.

http://www.crownrent.com/saw%20jig.jpg

Norm In Norman

4/19/2006, 09:52 PM

Maybe I'm going about this all wrong. Maybe I should have my mom force them to come out and fix the countertop. Of course, they already have the money and could care less if she is happy now.

olevetonahill

4/19/2006, 09:57 PM

Maybe I'm going about this all wrong. Maybe I should have my mom force them to come out and fix the countertop. Of course, they already have the money and could care less if she is happy now.
It aint you this time :D Like I said they got thiers , ya just have to see why the new faucit aint sittin down enough then fix it
Can ya stop payment on a check ? just askin

OUinFLA

4/19/2006, 10:39 PM

Did you use illegals to make your countertop?
They may have been deported by now.
Also, you could be arrested for employing them. Watch Nightline.