How to drill a tap hole in a s/s sink?

abankerbutnotafatcat

We bought this sink online (no car). I admit it's my fault for not thinking it through but my OH points out there is no tap hole and he doesn't have a drill bit nearly big enough (haha).

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S09848094/

Our local friendly plumber is due round to do the pipework, is he likely to also have the drill to do the tap hole? Sorry if this is a stupid question but I don't know if it's a specialised piece of equipment or something that a decent plumber is likely to do all the time.

keystone

You don't. You fit the tap in the worktop behind or to the side of the sink.

Cheers

abankerbutnotafatcat

That's what I thought initially (until it arrived) but it's the full depth of the work top i.e. it could be a standalone unit. I now note that this similar sink says in the description that there is no pre-drilled hole and if i'd seen that I'd probably have realised.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S19897201/

keystone

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

That's what I thought initially (until it arrived) but it's the full depth of the work top i.e. it could be a standalone unit.

I didn't read the link tbh but now I have its clear that this one is designed to fit directly onto a 600 base unit and presumably(?) you would butt the worktop up to it either side on installation. Again. looking at it more closely by the depth of it it's clearly not designed to fit on/in a worktop.

I think you probaly need a rethink, return for refund and buy something else. But, whatever, you don't drill a ss sink suplied sans tapholes. End of.

Cheers

cyclonebri1

But inline with Keystones thinking, why not fit itin the worktop to 1 side rather than behind??

And yes, a plumber should carry the drill needed to fit the tap, but to be honest you can bang a 1/2" drill through a S/S sink and then file the hole to size just as easy. ;)

keystone

KDR - your theory is fine. What would your practical proposal be for ensuring that the tap doesn't wobble as the ss flexes in use?

Cheers

snax

keystone wrote: »

..... you don't drill a ss sink suplied sans tapholes. End of.

Cheers

Was in this situ a couple or 3 years back and iirc most ikea sinks are 'hole-less' as they think you might like to choose where it is sited on the sink ... [left, right, centre, next-to, etc].

Anyways I bought their 'make a hole kit' and it has been perfect .....
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/28512100/

The red bit on the left is for cutting copper pipes [it's a wee bit rubbish tbh] but the black bit on the right does a fine job 'if you take your time and go slowly'

after a few turns to tighten the tool - slacken off and turn it round about 1 cm and re-tighten - repeat and repeat until it cuts through the sink metal with a resounding ' thunk!!'

hope it helps.

googler

keystone wrote: »

KDR - your theory is fine. What would your practical proposal be for ensuring that the tap doesn't wobble as the ss flexes in use?

Cheers

With a Carron sink and B&Q tap, the solution appeared to be merely a flat plastic plate supplied with the tap, which fitted below the sink plate, and above the securing nut. Still wobbles.

And the sink assembly PDF clearly shows a tap mounted on the sink itself, not on the worktop.

keystone

Kitchen_DesignR wrote: »

What stops a tap wobbling on a SS sink thats had the hole cut in it already ?

Evading the question by posing another doesn't help.

Use a tap brace.

Ahh the newish Franke thingy but these are designed to be fixed to the worktop. OPs sink isn't designed to be fitted to a worktop - it's for sitting on a 600 base unit.

Cheers

googler

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

But inline with Keystones thinking, why not fit itin the worktop to 1 side rather than behind??

...because the depth of the worktop is likely to make it exceedingly difficult to tighten the securing nut on the base of the tap, and/or tighten the pipe tails, and/or the OP may find the thread depth on the tap is less than the depth of the worktop.....

keystone

googler wrote: »

...because the depth of the worktop is likely to make it exceedingly difficult to tighten the securing nut on the base of the tap,

Only if you don't use the correct tools. You've no chance with an adjustable spanner but if you use the correct box spanner its a doddle.

and/or tighten the pipe tails,

which you fit to the tap before instaling the tap which is why the hole has to be large enough to take the whole of the tails.

and/or the OP may find the thread depth on the tap is less than the depth of the worktop.....

Sorry I don't immediately understand that. Perhaps being thick this afternoon.

Cheers