Who fixes antique (1940s) sink faucets??

13 years ago

I'm in a bit of a bind. Bought a 1940s (American) Standard console sink at a salvage yard to renovate a bathroom needed for a room rental in our house (to earn income since I've been unemployed). Obviously, couldn't afford to spend much.

Unfortunately, the sink leaked (no surprise, right?). I didn't think it would be a big deal to repair, but the plumber I hired to do the work had the hardest time finding a drain gasket, and when he finally fixed it, a second leak opened up in back of the sink where the water line entered the spout.

He says it's almost impossible to fix these old sinks and he's not going to do any more disassembly, since he claims it will only cause more problems. He says I should send it away to an antique sink restoration company.

I can't afford to do that. Is this such a difficult repair, or is my plumber just not comfortable with old plumbing fixtures? The guy at the salvage yard said that a plumber who's used to working with old sinks would be able to make any necessary repairs.

I have a tenant scheduled to move in next week. Can't afford to buy a new sink. Any suggestions of what to do?? Are these gaskets impossible to find, and how would I go about finding a local plumber who can do this work? (I'm near Washington, D.C.)

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Comments (7)

homebound
13 years ago
Sometimes the time to find the parts, then the labor cost, makes it not worth it, except for a DIY'er, retiree w/plenty of free time or someone that's into restoration. I'm near DC, too. Where did you buy it (Community Forklift?, Habitat Restore?, Brass Knob Warehouse?)? (And don't forget about craigslist.)

Anyway, instead of spending any more money and time on it, I would find a way to buy something else..new or used..but at least something that's more standard. And don't forget that sometimes new can be cheaper when you don't have to worry about also replacing bad parts .
crcurrie
Original Author
13 years ago
Yes, it was Community Forklift. They had two more identical sinks but neither has faucets.

Unfortunately the space is customized now for the unusual dimensions of that sink - not to mention the supposedly non-standard fittings, etc., that have already been installed.

Getting something new that is like it is likely several hundred dollars.

What made me a tad skeptical about the infeasibility of getting the parts is that the plumber initially special ordered a gasket that took two weeks to come in, but then it wasn't the right size. I then saw him sneak something in that had a Home Depot house brand name on the package, and it worked.

So I wonder how non-standard the plumbing really is ...
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homebound
13 years ago
It's a good thing that your plumber had extra parts to solve the first problem.

Parts of an fixture itself can be really tough to match. For the gaskets, I guess that depends. Try another salvage place and ask if they can recommend a plumber that works on the old stuff. One of them is bound to know someone that comes in to scavenge old parts, etc.
brickeyee
13 years ago
"Parts of an fixture itself can be really tough to match. For the gaskets, I guess that depends. Try another salvage place and ask if they can recommend a plumber that works on the old stuff. One of them is bound to know someone that comes in to scavenge old parts, etc. "

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) gaskets are very likely to be as dried out and useless as the ones already there.

Just about any gasket can be cut from sheets of the appropriate gasket material.

Even HD used to have 1/16 inch 4 inch x 8 inch gasket sheets.

The edges of a flat gasket rarely need to be perfect, the seal is on the flat portions trapped between surfaces.
homebound
13 years ago
I suppose, but my point was to help find someone to mess with the old thing, then they can do whatever they want to address the gasket issue.

How often are plumbers willing to cut gaskets, anyhow? Is that common, or do you need a special type of guy? Seems everyone I've come across would push the replacement of the fixture so they can guarantee it, etc.
crcurrie
Original Author
13 years ago
Where would I find a gasket sheet? Is "gasket sheet" enough of a description? I gather that HD no longer carries them? A plumbing supply store? I'm wondering whether, if I get the material, it might be easier to coax a plumber into taking a stab at it ...
crcurrie
Original Author
13 years ago
Is this what I'm looking for?

DANCO Rubber Packing Sheet 6 In. x 6 In. (1/16" thick)

Described on the HD Web site as "the right packing or gasket material for any job."

Who fixes antique (1940s) sink faucets??

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Who fixes antique (1940s) sink faucets??

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