BS: How to remove faucet handle

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Gurney
Date: 17 Feb 12 - 03:04 PM

A flannel placed under the drip will stop the water torture. If she leaves it long enough, years, the water will eventually cut a channel in the seat and it will become a stream.
Streams are quieter.
I have seen taps that were so deeply cut they were unsaveable, but it takes many years, and taps are pretty cheap, particularly second-hand/used.

As a general observation, I wouldn't care if MOST bank managers lost sleep.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing
Date: 17 Feb 12 - 10:05 AM

Hey, you guys. Don`t you realize that all the while you are engaged in comic repartee and pleasant banter poor Melissa`s tap is still dripping when she turns the mains stopcock on, she is having sleepless nights with the "Chinese torture" and finding funding for the plumber is causing her bank manager to take valium!! Have a heart!.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 12 - 07:10 AM

*glug glug*

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 08:10 PM

Dare I ask for an update?

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 09:04 AM

999-

You show promise but don't quit your day-job yet.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: GUEST,999
Date: 10 Feb 12 - 08:01 AM

The frisky myopic drunken Coptic
Was eating curds and whey
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And in a panic she used a piece of halyard to beat the sh#t out of it!

The End


It's my first attempt so please feel free to change it.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 08:00 AM

Well, go to the Devil, Sir!
Go to the Devil, Sir!
You can go to the Devil if you want some dough,
I've a fiberoptic man who can roll and go!

Doodily doo,
Doodily doo,
Doddily, doodily, doodily doodily doodily doo!

I really loved "drunken Coptic" and "frisky myopic" but maybe I can work them into another ditty.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 06:43 AM

Time for a little levity. To stay within thread parameters, I will tell you that I got this one from a plumber. It's not true, but that's what I'm tellin' ya.

Guy goes to the butcher shop and says, "I'd like a pound of kidley please." Butcher asks him twice to repeat what he'd said. The guy does. Finally, the butcher says "You mean kidney, dontcha?" Guy replies, "That's what I said, diddle I?"

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 01:11 AM

maybe it would be easier to rhyme 'guy from the phone company' or something like that..but that wouldn't be half as much fun.

Well Bobert, the thing is, the guy was here AND he snazzed up my phone/computer connection. An offer of song and shine isn't really anything to sneeze at..he worked much cheaper.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 11:06 PM

frisky myopic?

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Gurney
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 11:02 PM

Drunken Coptic?

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 10:15 PM

Oh, dear. I feel another worse verse coming. What rhymes with "fiberoptic"?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 06:37 PM

Yeah, Rap... All she offered me was a song and some shine...

B;~)

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 06:36 PM

heh heh heh, wouldn't you?

He's not all that strange, Rap..just a little bit.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 06:34 PM

You're going to invite a stranger into your bathroom? Hmmm....

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 06:04 PM

..and if I hear/see him tomorrow when he comes to check on the fiberoptic hookup, I just might ask him if he'd mind trying to pull off that dang handle!

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: maeve
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 05:50 PM

Great alternate strategy, Melissa! How kind of them to assist you.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 03:45 PM

Hooray for nice guys who come to switch the house over to fiberoptic! I asked him to see if he could give the inside shut-off a try and he got it to break loose.
The water is off inside the house!
I will not have to keep messing with the meter..

Yay!!

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bert
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 10:02 AM

The plumber's motto

"If you can't fix it, Faucet"

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 09:33 AM

Apologies to Bobert in advance but this is where the muse takes me:

"No, I won't, Miss. No, I won't, Miss,
I won't fix your faucet,
I won't stop the flow;
It's sink or swim
If you ain't got the dough!"

Doodily doo,
Doodily doo,
Doddily, doodily, doodily doodily doodily doo!

But let's all meditate on a brighter and drip-free day.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 06:42 PM

I probably would have resorted to one of these when the first efforts didn't work.

With a rotary tool of the Dremel type, and a cutoff wheel, you can make a nice cut about 1/16 inch wide in just about anything. A cut down each side of the handle close to but not necessarily all the way to the stem should make the handle loose.

When the handle falls off, if you can't find a replacement, just lock a pair of these on the stem and you're back in business.

While the rotary tool may cost you $20 or $30 (US) and the cutoff blades are about a buck each, once you've used it the first time you'll probably find something else you need it for at least every week or two for the rest of your (or it's) life. (I do recommend the AC powered kind, not the battery type.)

John

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 06:38 PM

a uke serenade while you work..and a quart of shine, Bobert?
..that's about the best I can offer.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 05:28 PM

Have pipe wrench, will travel...

For the right price, that is...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Rapparee
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 02:07 PM

Keep your paddle handy.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 02:04 PM

Ha, Charley!
When I was straining the handle yesterday, I got to thinking about shitcreek and backed off right quick!

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 02:01 PM

Oh, Mr. Bobert, Mr. Bobert!
Will you fix my faucet,
It's been leaking for a week?
If it don't stop,
We'll be up Shit's Creek!

Doodily doo,
Doodily doo,
Doddily, doodily, doodily doodily doodily doo!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 01:18 PM

I'm going to try the idea I came up with in my sleep..and then it'll be over (unless it works and I come up on another sticky spot!)
If my scheme works, I'll be back to tell you all about it. There's a good chance that it's kind of a dumb idea..so I doubt I'll tell about it here if it flops.

If I wasn't planning on moving the bathroom, I'd probably go ahead and get a different faucet set now..but since I am moving it (and my other tub will use different faucet) I can stand to give up and live with wasting water for a while.
If I go ahead and keep catching the leak in the tub..and use it for flushing, I won't be wasting as much as it seems like.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 01:01 PM

So the story is over???

Or did you just dream it was over???

Well, if yer gonna move everything anyway you'll be installing a new diverter valve in anyway and it will come with new everything...


B~

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 12:39 PM

I don't use much water when I sleep and as a SuperScout, I made sure to have plenty in the tub for flushing. Having the water off for a while isn't a great hardship (since I can turn it back on easily)

I dreamed out another thing to try today..and then I'll just give up on the project and live with the leak. Knowing when to quit is a virtue sometimes.
I really don't want to break the handle and turn the small stream into a gullywasher!

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 11:51 AM

No, we don't think she does, maeve... After all, she's had to have the water shut off to her entire house...

(Bobert bites fiungernails)...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: maeve
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 10:54 AM

Ahem... I don't suppose Melissa has anything else to do besides torture her faucet handles and cause weeping among the meringues, do you?

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bert
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 10:50 AM

You didn't go drown yourself, did you Melissa?

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 08:31 AM

Once again, the silence is deafening...

Melissa???

Melissa???

MELISSA!?!?!?!

(Hmmmmmmmmm, water's been off for 12 hours now??? Poor girl been up all night pounding on that handle... This looks bad, bad, bad...)

B~

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 08:10 AM

Melissa-

I would also back off at this point, and I did not mean to impugn your morals above. Please accept my abject apologies.

I do hate a messy flood, remembering the kitchen sink spray attachment I endeavored to replace.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bert
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 03:29 AM

OK. It seems that you have removed the screw and that you have the puller installed correctly, but the bugger still wont come off.

And tapping it gently hasn't worked. The next step is to get serious with it. As I said earlier, get yourself a two pound hammer and give it a sharp whack downwards right on the screw of the puller. Then tighten the screw a little more and repeat the process. Don't be gentle with it. If is is set up correctly you shouldn't break anything.

I know that you have checked that the arms of the puller are under the handle and that the screw is pushing directly on the faucet spindle and is not itself overlapping the screw and pushing on the handle.

If the puller screw is too large in diameter that can sometimes happen.

If all else fails you will have to cut the handle off with a hacksaw, being careful not to damage the spindle. Replacement handles are cheap.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 02:28 AM

Melissa, if I was determined to use a gear puller, I'd try to find another screw that fits well into the shaft, and preferably a square of Phillips-head one so that the puller is centred in the screwdriver recess, rather than use the original screw and bugger it up. The original is likely to be a brass screw, therefore not very strong, and the shaft is likely to be brass too. Threads in brass are EASILY stripped.

I'd consider getting someone to grind/file off the first threads (on the new screw) leaving a 'tit' on the end in hopes that you can bottom-out the 'tit' and NOT work on the thread. Careful comparison of the thread depth versus hole depth needed here.
I'd also use a hose clip around the legs of the puller so that it worked on the boss of the handle.

As several people have said, use heat, maybe from a borrowed gas blowlamp, ONLY (as far as possible) on the handle. Brass expands well with heat, and it should expand away from the shaft.
Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 11:08 PM

I've learned quite a bit more than I expected, Rap..and appreciate it!

There's a lot of information in this thread.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 11:07 PM

Okay, you have the screw out??? Correct???

Look at the bolt portion of the gear puller and be sure that it isn't just pushing down on the handle and not the shaft... It has to be pushing on the shaft... That's where you might have to reinstall the screw and just don't screw it all the way down so that the bolt on the puller is pushing on the shaft...

If you are 100% sure that that is occurring and taping on the handle (at the shaft, not the handle part) then you might have to go to Plan B which is a torch... No, not a cutting torch but a Harry-Homeowner torch... Butane...

Wish I could be there and we would get this thing off tonight!!!

Sumabichin' handle.... Grrrrrrr!!!

B~

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 11:05 PM

If it's not going to come, it's not going to come. Leave it and hope for decent weather. At least you'll have learned some new stuff from this.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 11:00 PM

If I break it, I will have no water to the house..and I never want to have to live a waterless life again.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:55 PM

I think you might be underestimating my intelligence or tenacity, Bobert. I am fairly strong and tightened it pretty hard..and made sure I had it set up sensibly.

I'm on my own and if I break it, I am screwed. I am strong enough that it isn't impossible for me to break it by overforcing..

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Bobert
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:50 PM

Forget the professionals...

If the center screw is out then the handle is free to come off... Be sure that you are actually pullin' the handle itself and don't have the puller pulling against itself (i.e. something that is part of the valve housing and not the handle)...

Make sure you are not pulling against yourself... If you are indeed pulling ONLY the handle than it's gotta come... Gotta...

If you are sure that you are pulling on the handle than crank it down.... There is nothing there that can break... Tighten it as hard as you can and then tap the handle next to the shaft...

It will come... It has to...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:49 PM

I'm pretty sure the morals are somewhat unpredictable, now that you mention it!

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:47 PM

I'm sure Charley meant "morale booster" as the morals in question are surely unpeckable.(?)

John

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:46 PM

Charley,
As pathetic as it seems, I really can't afford to splurge on a replacement now AND a set for my clawfoot tub when I get it moved in. Just one set is enough to pinch my pocket pretty hard..so, no professionals for me even though it probably Would do me some good to learn a few professional words of encouragement for defiant knobs.

I guess I'll just have to hope the weather complies with a moved-up date for hauling my tub from home to here. Our upcoming cold snap might be the last one and IF it doesn't get too muddy for a while, I'll be able to get to work with the heavy shuffling.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:38 PM

Melissa-

I certainly can't fault you for being cautious.

Maybe it's time to call in a professional, and observe what he says when the rotted old fixture breaks off in his wrench.

Something new and shiny might be a real moral booster at that moment.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:27 PM

Thanks, JiK..that's kind of what I expected to hear.
The persuasive words in various strengths and tones didn't seem to help any more than the whacking and wiggling.

I can't get inside/under to grab the stem with anything..the sleeve/cover is in the way.

..guess I'll be living with a running drip until I switch rooms and install a different set. Maybe I'll be able to keep the meter tool for a while and can sort of limit my water wasting a little bit that way.

The only thing I could think of to do was turn the handle a little bit toward open in case the washer wanted to fluff itself up while it isn't pressed. I'm sure it won't fluff up, but I'm sure not losing anything by trying..

Thanks

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 10:16 PM

Melissa -

If you still can't get the handle off, it's likely that there's enough corrosion on the handle and/or stem to pretty much "weld" them together. This isn't really too uncommon with old faucets. If there was a screw in the middle of the handle that you were able to remove, that means the handle is meant to come off and yours "just doesn't want to."

Plumbers are divided about the best approach for this. Some seem to talk to it in the hope that it will change its attitude and become more cooperative; but this seldom works until the language becomes quite forceful and inappropriate for young ladies, and is accompanied by other displays of persuasive actions.

"Tapping" on the handle to attempt to "rock it" on the stem is sometimes claimed to eventually loosen things, and usually starts with light tapping but eventually moves to the "get a bigger hammer" approach. Sometimes innocent adjacent parts are injured with this method.

There are also numerous "soak it with &#||&$@#" where the potions used can be almost anything nasty. Since most waters that might have contributed to corrosion there are at least slightly alkaline, a mild acid like ordinary vinegar might possibly help to at least soften the crud, but most things aggressive enough to do much good are likely to make the stem unsuitable for reinstallation.

Some recommend applying heat, meaning with a propane torch or the like, but lots of walls have been set on fire with this approach, sometimes well inside where you don't see it until it's too late (and it seldom does any real good IMO).

IF YOU CAN GET TO the packing nut to get a wrench on it (see the picture at my link above) and can unscrew it, the whole innards of the faucet should come out quite easily, and you'll be able to deal with the handle and stem separately where you can beat it up without risking damage to the piping. Note that the packing nut should be a normal right-hand thread, but the faucet stem may screw out either way once the nut is backed off a ways.

Chances are that if the handle and stem are really stuck together as tightly as described, your best bet would be to replace the whole stem and handle parts, since any way you put the old ones back together they're gonna be stuck again very soon.

John

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: maeve
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 06:57 PM

We haven't had plumbing since May of 2010, so I understand your reluctance to lose your hot-water-in-tub arrangement. I reckon someone will stop by here with cheerful and helpful suggestions.

And the answer to your other question: shower; no room for a tub.

Subject: RE: BS: How to remove faucet handle
From: Melissa
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 06:55 PM

In the 60s, did they sell faucet sets that were supposed to never need washers replaced? Is there a chance that I have something like that?
It could explain why I can't get the knob pulled off..