Corner sink Q

I have a very small, very old corner wall mounted sink with the faucet and hot and cold handles coming out the back vertical face of the sink. The sink does have an area (ledge) on the top. The hot and cold handles are round plastic cylinders and the spout is in between, about 1 inch out and pointing down. My baby girl can't turn the thing off and always leaves it dripping. Rather then rip the room apart, and try and hunt down a new midget sink, I was thinking about removing the old faucet and then drilling a hole in the top ledge for perhaps a single hole basin faucet. I would then be left with the 3 holes to somehow cover. Sound like a plan? Its porcelin and I think Cast iron.

Covering up the existing faucet holes would be easy but drilling through cast-iron I have not been able to do myself. I've heard it can be done but I'm sure it takes a while to go through cast. Maybe someone on here can give reference to what you need.

I'm not a plumber but I've drilled cast sinks etc. and all you need is a metal hole saw or carbide tipped hole saw and a slow drill and to use oil or water as a coolant and let the drill bit do the work. You'll need a pilot hole, and to do that you need to break the porcelain with a punch etc.. Tape the whole hole are and drill and then saw through the tape so there is no chipping.

As to time, it takes what it takes based on the condition of the hole saw and the thickness of the cast. Don't push any harder than to remove some material with each rotation.

I use a single tooth carbide tipped hole saw and don't hurry it. I use a 1/2 hp two speed drill on the lowest setting and mostly help the weight of the drill do the job.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

Don't underestimate the task of drilling case iron. It is not easy. I would prefer to replace the faucet or the entire sink and faucet before I take on that task. Good luck.

LOL. You sound like me finnegan. I tried it once, the bit was turning blue and after 10 minutes I decided this ain't happening. And trying to drill a cast iron Kohler sink you might as well pack a lunch.

Yeah, doing a good job usually takes time and isn't the easy way in many cases. Blue is an indication of improper cooling and/or higher speed than needed. Talk to a machinist if you want to learn proper drilling of various materials; I did. And be patient.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

faucet

Do both handles turn the same direction when you turn the water on? If not, I suspect someone has put replacement handles on it at some time, since those sinks typically had lever handles the rotated in opposite directions to turn on. The hot water went CCW to open and the cold CW. If that is what you have, then get the correct lever handles and your little one should be able to operate them properly. The sink is probably a Kohler, because they made the most common cast iron corner sink.

HJ, yup your are correct, the hot turns CCW and the Cold turns CW. The existing are plastic round clear (Looks Like for a Shower) and are removed by popping off the round caps labeled h and c and removing a screw. So basically if I can find new lever handles that fit I should be OK...more torque...It appears like a Leg tub filler would fit the location but might look funny...

faucet

It wouldn't because a leg tub faucet is 3 3/4" and yours is either 4" or 6". In addition you would lose the pop up drain function. Take one of the stems to a plumbing parts store and have them check it against a Kohler lever handle. It will probably be the correct one.