Minor sink plumbing problem

[dauerbach]

The stopper control on our sink stopped working. It turns out that the part that is welded to the drain pipe came off. I know I can buy a new pipe, but I was wondering, since I am lazy, as to whether there is some kind of magic plumbers glue that I could use to repair it. And if there is not, is there any trick or something to watch for when I replace the short segment of pipe itself.

[Dereknocue67]

There is a type of plumbers tape (not the white teflon tape to seal threaded fittings) made to seal leaking pipes. Amazon has it under the name of 'Rescue Tape' but many hardware stores also carry varieties of this sealing tape. The instructions for type I used advise to stretch the tape as you're winding it around the pipe to ensure a tight seal.

Although the manufacturers claim a high psi strength, I would not use it for a water supply line under pressure but it's ideal for your drain/waste line for a semi-permanent repair.

[Quercus]

There's also a kind of epoxy putty that makes a good temporary repair for small holes in water pipes. But I'm not sure exactly what kind of problem you're having, so I'm not sure it would work in your case.

[campp]

Much easier and less headaches to just replace the segment. I rebuilt the whole drain field under the vanity last weekend for under $20, with popup and a brass drain.

[gotpasswords]

Normally, no drain pipes or fittings under a vanity are welded or soldered - just compassion fittings with no dope, caulk or glue.

When you say the pop-up stopped working - is it not opening or not closing? Either way, the problem is most likely in the linkage between the drain and the knob above.

[dauerbach]

I will tape it this weekend as we have house guests that need to use the sink.

It is not the pipe that is welded to anything. A hole in the pipe for the pop-up mechanism to enter had a small fixture on the outside. This is what fell off. I am not even sure it was originally welded. It may have been glued to begin with.

[thelabdude]

There is JB Weld too. It is good for all sorts of stuff. With it or the tape, cleaning surfaces down to bare metal grossly increases the chance of it working.

You might look at a hardware or home center for a lavoratory tail stock. The bottom is likely secured to the trap with a compression nut. There is a nut on the bottom of the sink. Unscrew it and the tailstock lifts out.