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Failure avoided at the engineer's house.


Thaddeus Kosciuszko

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Today I went to the big box building store to get a laundry tub faucet.  Mrs. TK accompanied me, and I noticed her looking at the kitchen faucets.  Our kitchen faucet worked well enough, but in the interest of domestic harmony I asked Mrs. TK to point out the one she liked best. We bought that one too.

Upon arriving home I started to remove the old kitchen faucet, which had been there about a dozen years.  The lock nuts that hold faucets in place are directly under the faucet, under the counter top, behind the sink bowl.

In other words, nearly impossible to reach, and impossible to get a wrench or pliers on.  Even a faucet/basin wrench won't work. You have to turn them by hand.  And the threads on the faucet had calcium deposits gummed up on them so the plastic lock nuts weren't going anywhere.  Not looking good, with failure brewing on the horizon.

Some people split the lock nuts with a hammer and chisel, but even just to reach them (to find out they wouldn't turn) I had to do a declining double-dog reverse immelmann half-gainer habanero pose, so that option was out.

But I was able to get a drill behind the sink bowl, and I drilled three holes in the plastic lock nut.

nut.thumb.jpg.922c7dcea7515c0b7d6c102876

With the holes drilled, the threaded part of the lock nuts expanded over the calcium deposits as I turned them and I could remove the faucet. :nod head:

Which permitted me to install the new faucet, and enjoy the ensuing domestic tranquility.

 

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Some people split the lock nuts with a hammer and chisel, but even just to reach them (to find out they wouldn't turn) I had to do a declining double-dog reverse immelmann half-gainer habanero pose, so that option was out.

 

​Especially at your advanced age.:o

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FSOG- That is exactly what Mr. Aire said.

​I bought mine on a whim, as a refurb, at Big Lots. The very next day, I used it to trim siding when installing an entry door. It did a really nice job, made it super easy. I almost felt guilty paying half price for it.

I've used it a bunch, since then, including I believe, the very job TK is talking about.

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I have a Dremel, but the space between the basin and the wall - with the basin being an extra deep style - was too narrow to get the tool at the lock nut to cut through it with one of those rotary wheel attachments.  The tool itself would fit, but not enough space for my hand and the Dremel, and then position it to cut the lock nut. :angry: The Dremel was one of my first thoughts - probably could have just put a drill bit in the Dremel as well to drill the lock nut out though. 

I found during an online search the tool that 2Far posted the link for, of course, after I was home fighting with the faucet, and after I'd left the big box store assuming :rolleyes: like an idiot that I had everything I needed.  I think I may get me one of those for the next faucet I change 12 years from now.

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​I bought mine on a whim, as a refurb, at Big Lots. The very next day, I used it to trim siding when installing an entry door. It did a really nice job, made it super easy. I almost felt guilty paying half price for it.

I've used it a bunch, since then, including I believe, the very job TK is talking about.

​Those are about the best I have found for undercutting door jambs and molding for installing flooring too!  I bought mine as an open box special from Home Depot.  And you can buy other heads, like a right angle drill, recip saw, etc. to go onto the motor.  I got the 3 amp corded version for $79.00 with some extra blades, a carry bag, sanding attachment.

https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/jobmax

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