Tap headgear grub screw - snapped allen key

[Millwright]

Today I tried to remove a bath lever tap, but the allen key snapped in the grub screw. The tap is a Sottini lever type. No real access to it. Apart from taking the tap off and chucking it away, any advice as to where to go now?

Thanks.

 

[kidgreen61]

Chuck it away, stuff doesn't last 5 mins nowadays

 

[jeff the gasman]

Don’t buy Allen keys from the market stall tool jumble.

 

[oldbuffer]

1. If the Allen key suddenly snapped, its probably hardened steel and will be next to impossible to remove.
2. If the key bent and then broke it may well be soft steel, in which case it might be possible to drill it out (subject to access) and use an "easy out" or file tang to undo the screw.
3. You will probably have to remove the tap from the bath to work on it, in which case it might be just as easy to replace it.

 

[Millwright]

Don’t buy Allen keys from the market stall tool jumble.

No, never would. Even quality tools can break. They were ball ended, so there's the weak point. The short length after the angle wasn't long enough to fit in.

 

[Millwright]

1. If the Allen key suddenly snapped, its probably hardened steel and will be next to impossible to remove.
2. If the key bent and then broke it may well be soft steel, in which case it might be possible to drill it out (subject to access) and use an "easy out" or file tang to undo the screw.
3. You will probably have to remove the tap from the bath to work on it, in which case it might be just as easy to replace it.

I'm going to try and drill it out. Replacement is the last I want to do as it's one of those taps on the side of the bath against the wall......even if I have to run a new thread tap in the new hole and use a larger grub screw after.

There's no access for anything other than a drill, so it's either that or cutting the lever off and replacing the lever. A lot of remedial work will be needed to get the bath out to change that bloody tap!

 

[jeff the gasman]

I would try to buy an identical tap and butcher the old head off.
Swap the tops.

 

[Millwright]

Ok, so yesterday managed to drill out the lever without damage to the actual tap. Not sure at this point if I need a new lever or not. It's a Sottini tap, I believe the range is Tesino.

 

[Madrab]

How old is the tap?

 

[Millwright]

3 or 4 years maybe.

 

[Madrab]

Would still have been be under warranty then (5 years), bit late now though.

https://www.bathroomspareparts.co.uk/sottini-tap-cartridges-1547-c.asp

 

[Millwright]

Would still have been be under warranty then (5 years), bit late now though.

https://www.bathroomspareparts.co.uk/sottini-tap-cartridges-1547-c.asp

We'd have to prove we bought it though, as it's a new build house, the developer would be their customer.

Yes, I know, new builds are ****, but it's going to serve us a purpose.