Kitchen Sink Fitment Newbie Help!

[Dorsetfella]

Hi all.
I've joined this site hoping you can help me install a new sink (Blanco Classic 6s jasmine) in my kitchen.
I'm pretty handy with tools but i have one stumbling block that i don't know how to do.
My exisiting sink has tubes running down from the tap and look like they are welded just above where the hold & cold cocktaps are.Below the tap it looks like there is a nut and rod system to hold it in place tightly.
Now my new tap also comes with new tubes which screw into the bottom of it.
What i want to know,and without using traditional welding,how can i reconnect my new tap to the exisiting tubes?
I have heard you can buy ''flexi-tube''...after hacksawing through exisiting tubes (i have a small ratchet pipe cutter) i could re-fit with that type of solution.
What do you all think?

I have attached some pictures.

Thank you all

Mark View media item 40250 View media item 40251 View media item 40252 View media item 40253

 

[Dan Robinson]

Take your new copper tails to a plumbing merhcants and see if they have some flexi's that match the thread on the tap end of your copper ones.

Then you can proceed as you intend.

You might have to try a couple of merchants though - not all will stock what you need. And in the larger chains, if they don't stock it, the grunt behind the counter will assume it doesn't exist.

 

[Dorsetfella]

so you mean take the taps into a store and find flexi's that fit into the holes in the bottom of them?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Pretty much...

 

[Dorsetfella]

Cool,And i guess the other ends of the flexi will fit into the cut pipes water tight?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yep - they will be compression fittings so make sure you cut the risers with enough clean pipe with no deformations.

Will be worth fitting isolation valves whilst you're at it.

 

[Dorsetfella]

okay...and isolation vales would do what?

(N.B i have a main stopcock at the base of these pipes and turn off vales for the hot and cold just below the pipes i plan on cuttting)

 

[Dan Robinson]

Why turn off the whole house just to work on your kitchen taps?

It is good practice.

Trust me.

 

[Dorsetfella]

okay i have purchased a set of JE Speedfast monobloc tap flexi connectors which fit perfectly into the bottom of my new tap so i think i'm ready to do the job.
I'm going to turn the water off,cut the pipes ,remove the old sink then refit new with new tap and push fit the flexi's on making sure i recut if necessary the old tubes to match length.

Is there any words of wisdom before i do the job that i might ned to know?

Thanks all for your help soo far.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Either purchase yourself a cheap copper tube cutter or if you must use a hacksaw, bevel the ends of the pipes after you've cut them with a file. The Speedfit fittings rely on a rubber O ring to make a watertight seal, if there are any rough edges on the cut pipes it could damage the O rings and leak....

Tube cutter will cut the pipes, leaving a beveled edge which shouldn't leave a sharp outer edge on the tube.

 

[Dorsetfella]

thanks,i've already bought a 'le mini' ratchet cutter so guess that is ideal?
what i'm concerned about is how the tap is screwed down tight using what looks like a threaded rod and nut,i guess since i'm cutting the pipes underneath everything should just lift up off? (i've already cut away the silicone using a putty knife)

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Something like this: http://www.screwfix.com/p/pipe-cutter-3-28mm/49428 may be better, you dont have much room under there to get a bigger cutter to turn 360deg.

Once pipes have been cut, undo the nut. (It wont matter if the threaded rod comes out the old tap.) There'll be a 'C' shaped metal and rubber washer under the sink to help secure the tap, remove this and the whole lot should come away from the sink.

May need a bit of persuasion to get both the old tails through the hole in the sink at the same time, if it gets stuck, pull it through as far as it'll go and cut one tail off where it narrows. New connectors feed through one, then the other, once the wider ends are through, the pipes should slip through ok.

 

[Dorsetfella]

I think i will have to give up doing this one myself.
Basically the problem is that,after cutting the pipes at the point which leaves enough distance left to push into the ends of the flexi's,i'm left with too short a distance between that point and the point they screw into the bottom of the taps.
basically the flexi's would end up being extremely kinked which obviously won't work.So unless you can get very short flexi's,i'm going to ring round some plumbers who can do a proper job.
The new sink and all it's parts are all here so how much should i expect to pay for a job like this?
I've rung one and they weren't able to quote me as they would need to see the job etc which is fair enough and he said it was a £40 call out and the £60 an hour.

Any advice?

 

[Charnwood]

basically the flexi's would end up being extremely kinked

Just a thought, but how about using longer flexis and loosely looping them?

 

[Dorsetfella]

yes that's a good idea and might work.
but the problem is that (and my picture is not that clear) there alot of joints just above the hot and cold valves that mean it's difficult to cut the pipes and still end up with straight bits to go into the flexi's,it's because they then start to stretch upwards towards the taps.
it's just pure lack of space,so i reckon plumber is best bet.