[Overheard in The Forum] Kitchen Faucet Tales

Greetings,

Strange happenings at the faucet.  

Sink has a faucet with a Steam Punk look and a spout able to rotate.

When the hot tap is turned on fully the water runs warm only

and then runs cold and back to warm again. It never runs fully hot.

The sink is a  couple of feet away from piping hot water.

The supplier says to switch the cartridges between the Hot and Cold

levers. This does not sound right. Its a fancy Steam Punk brand.

Some insight would be appreciated.

Oh the joys of learning on the fly!  I've had a fun couple of weeks [yes WEEKS] figuring out my Steam Punk Kitchen Faucets.  The lessons learned are too many to list, so I'll provide you with the short cut!  How is that!?

Nah!  That would be no fun.  So I'll show you how I made a set of Steam Punk Kitchen Faucets with only a COUPLE of side trips.  Rest assured, this was only scratching the surface when it comes to detours on this project!

The funny thing is, once you "know what you are doing" (maybe a stretch!), this little project is actually fairly simple to accomplish.  I'll attempt to impart the great wisdom I have gained as I wandered far and near.  This should make it very simple for 'the next guy'!

Presenting the materials required for this project.  So Simple.  Beads and wire, Beads and Wire.  Simple. SOOOO Simple.  Yes.  So Simple.

I should share that this idea was not my own.  I stumbled across a tutorial at Nasu's Dollhouse, which I adapted to make this faucet set.  Hers is much more professional looking...  I'd tell you it is my photography that caused mine to appear less polished, but I would be lying!

OK, back to the faucet tales.  I used various beads, some very small springs, and 20 gauge [modify that to 16 - Lessons Learned!].  I had to do it over again, because the wire wouldn't hold up the final product!  So use 16 gauge wire if you are foolish enough to try this at home!

Droopy faucets :'(( 

Once re-assembled using 16 gauge wire, the outcome was much better. But I get ahead of myself.

Using the assortment of Steam Punk themed beads and wire, I strung the beads onto the wire, and bent the ends to create a return on both ends.  Each bead was glued [Lessons Learned dictates Super Glue for those quick on the draw!] to the wire, so that it remains stationery.

This is one of those beads that is threaded to use as a clasp on a necklace (no I don't know what they are called!)  I glued the connector bead on top of the squared bead in the center to create a pipe traveling upward.  By using this threaded piece as a pipe routed upward, I have a "working" faucet.  [OK, no.  It just swings from side to side. Nice, huh?  :0))  ]

For the faucet itself, I used 12 gauge wire, and bent it into shape.  I super glued a bead finding at the base where the faucet would meet the wall.

I super-glued two additional beads to the faucet end to create the spout. [For the observant ones, this was NOT superglue on this photo.  Another lesson learned!]

Added two additional square beads to the top of the connector bead . . .

and then added some additional beads to create a decorative element.  I painted several of the beads to a copper color, to create the elegant metallic effect I wanted.

Painted the faucet assembly. . .

And assembled the entire thing using a combination of Arlene's Tack Glue and Superglue.

This is the point at which I discovered my droopy faucet problem.  I could not get the wire to hold up the assembly, as the weight of the beads and wire was too much for the 20 gauge wire I had used.

As you can see in the above picture, the entire assembly looks just slightly different.  I used the same exact processes, but used 16 gauge wire instead.  You can just see the difference in sturdiness.  Much better.  

I also shortened the returns on the wire, and left off a couple of the springs on the rebuilt faucet assembly, again in an effort to solve my droopy faucet syndrome.  

It worked like a charm!  I super-glued the entire assembly to the sink using very small holes drilled into the back-splash of the sink.  Superglue is a wonderful thing.

I added the small Victorian faucets which I bought at the Seattle Show, and declared the sink done!

Oh.  Of course I must share the tiniest little detail, yes?  I also did another little project to add final details to the Steam Punk Kitchen Doors.  I added some door handles.  Worth sharing, right?  :0) 

That's all there is folks!  Not so much for four weeks is it?  Some battles are hard won, but those are the better for it! 

I am excited now to move on to the Box Windows on the Exterior.  I have some wonderful ideas for those, we'll see if I can pull them off!  

Until next time!

Doug S

P.S.  I really did find the opening piece on this post in a forum.  I thought it was funny, and tweaked it a bit to fit my post.  No, my house will not have running water [THIS time!]