New Sink Faucet

What's wrong with this picture? This was Monday night, when Jim broke the sprayer end of the faucet off while doing the dishes. It startled him, and he yelped (actually he screamed like a girl, but it irritates him when I say that), scaring me to death. Anyway, water just went everywhere.

So, Tuesday morning we got up with the intention of replacing the faucet. Faucets have an extension that goes through the counter top, a threaded doo-dah comes up from the bottom and cinches the faucet down to the counter top. Unless you own a Keystone product, a manufacturer known for always using the cheapest components available to man, it shouldn't be a big deal to remove the threaded doo-dah and replace the faucet. No way was that thing coming undone. So, I called Ken of Cameron's Reliable and asked him to come over and unscrew the doo-dah for us. HAH! Double HAH HAH HAH!

There is a word for when two pieces of metal weld themselves together over time. I used to know it, but it's gone now. Suffice it to say, we were well and truly welded. Ken got out a diamond coated cutting wheel to attempt removal from under the sink. Ken was unsuccessful in cutting from the bottom. Unfortunately he did slice through the sink.

So, removal technique two was to bring the Sawzall in to cut the faucet off the Corian top. The big piece went relatively easily.

Then the diamond cutting wheel was used to cut the circular piece off the Corian top. That involved wedging paint scrapers underneath so the cutting wheel didn't cut into the counter top.

It was a long morning. After Ken finished up, we drove down to a plumbing supply store for a new faucet. It was a beautiful day.

Here is the new beautiful and expensive faucet. Hopefully it will not weld itself together.

Ken called later, Keystone will not sell him a replacement sink. No, they want to sell him the entire corner section of counter top with sink attached, they want $1100 for this. I can't stand it. These people just drive me crazy with their lack of quality control and stupid policies.

Today is day 7 of the plague. I went into UPH yesterday because my sinuses were starting to hurt, and I don't want to risk another sinus infection backing up into my ears. I got antibiotics, and today I feel marginally better. I'm losing my voice, however. I sort of sound like Dame Edna.

Tonight it's supposed to go back down to 18 degrees again. Tomorrow should start a warming trend, can't happen too soon for moi.

Update: Jim says the doo-dah is a lock ring.