Cut Chrome Tap Handle

shakedown

I have a polished chrome kitchen boiling water tap handle, but the lever is too long, and it hits the backsplash before it can fully turn on.

Who can I contact (what type of trade), to try and cut the lever to make it shorter? I can’t find a suitable replacement handle anywhere.

It looks similar to this:
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07R2C8MSG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_KZ93SFAWPBWFNA16SB7P?psc=1

greasepalm

My thoughts might be tap might need to be rotated on sink base to fully allow operation of unit?

shakedown

The hole in the worktop was cut too close to the back splash. The lever detaches, so I just need to find someone that can cut and refinish it.

the_pen_turner

your main issue is that the handle has to backwards and forwards. you cant rotate the tap and have them coming forwards.

how close is it to working

cutting it wouldnt be a problem. cut it with an anglegrinder and clean it up with a flat disk.
your problem will be the chrome.

greasepalm

Was the other one cut also as it looks all one colour and not just top coat.

colm_mcm

Is the lever threaded into the top of the tap?

If so then cut it at the threaded end then rethread it.

...Ghost...

Replace the head, not the whole tap. Should be able to find one with a short lever. Access the grub screw by removing the plastic cap on the front.

cheif kaiser

Can you not just remove the tap head and rotate it 45 degrees and put it back on so the levers are facing you?

Lots of taps are designed like that so it wouldn't look odd.

shakedown

Thanks for all the replies.

the_pen_turner wrote: »

your main issue is that the handle has to backwards and forwards. you cant rotate the tap and have them coming forwards.

how close is it to working

cutting it wouldnt be a problem. cut it with an anglegrinder and clean it up with a flat disk.
your problem will be the chrome.

Yeah how to clean it up after cutting it is the problem. It turns about 80-85% of the way before hitting the back splash. So still probably works ok, but will be one of those annoying little things that play on the mind.

greasepalm wrote: »

Was the other one cut also as it looks all one colour and not just top coat.

The other lever was not cut - it's the boiling water control and came like that. If I could find one like it for the otherside i'd be happy.

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is the lever threaded into the top of the tap?

If so then cut it at the threaded end then rethread it.

The lever is not threaded into the base unfortunately.

...Ghost... wrote: »

Replace the head, not the whole tap. Should be able to find one with a short lever. Access the grub screw by removing the plastic cap on the front.

I would if I could find one! Contacted 6-7 different places and no-one has anything suitable.

cheif kaiser wrote: »

Can you not just remove the tap head and rotate it 45 degrees and put it back on so the levers are facing you?

Lots of taps are designed like that so it wouldn't look odd.

Yes, this is an alternative and probably what we'll end up doing in the short term. The problem (apart from looks), is that you also pull the lever in/out to turn the water on/off, and rotating 45 degrees prevents you from doing this via the lever. But it is still possible to turn on/off from the round base as opposed to the lever.

...Ghost...

You might want to change the type of tap altogether and opt for one than only needs to turn a few degrees to fully open.

shakedown

It's one of those fancy boiling water taps - they all seem to have the same type of lever, so I can't just change the tap (unless we get rid of the boiling water functionality).

GreeBo

How big is the hole, is there scope to make another hole further from the wall and move the tap enough to clear the wall but still cover the hole?

another option would be to install the tap on a small plinth, the plinth will cover the existing hole and the new one you make in the correct position. bonus points if you can get whoever supplied the worktop to supply a matching 10x20cm piece with chamfered edges!

The Continental Op

Why not cut it down even roughly then put a small plastic cap in whats left.

Only problem is the caps I was thinking of come in 50's or 100's example. Obviously get the right diameter and cut one down to fit for length.

colm_mcm

I’d still be asking how the rod is attached to the rest of it.

Chop it off, drill and tap it and thread the cut down bar.

Gen.Zhukov

colm_mcm wrote: »

I’d still be asking how the rod is attached to the rest of it.

Chop it off, drill and tap it and thread the cut down bar.

afaik, these tap fittings are Cr plated brass. I'd say the lever is soldered or brazed onto the fitting.
Assuming the levers are solid brass, cutting at the same angle as the little one is the way to go. I'd then sand off the Cr on the tip of small one and polish both brass tips to mirror finish.

Then again, I have the kit to do that but op may not.

shakedown

Gen.Zhukov wrote: »

afaik, these tap fittings are Cr plated brass. I'd say the lever is soldered or brazed onto the fitting.
Assuming the levers are solid brass, cutting at the same angle as the little one is the way to go. I'd then sand off the Cr on the tip of small one and polish both brass tips to mirror finish.

Then again, I have the kit to do that but op may not.

I don’t have the kit. But I could drop it off to you

Gen.Zhukov

shakedown wrote: »

I don’t have the kit. But I could drop it off to you

I'd have a go at it for you if you want but with no guarantees. These little jobs have a habit of throwing up surprises.

...Ghost...

It's a tricky little problem alright. If unable to find a replacement with a shorter lever, you need to make your own.

This will be a bit of a DIY challenge, but I managed to repair a clothes horse using a similar method. The diameter of the lever is probably 8mm. If you cut the lever and leave about 10mm sticking out, you could sleeve it with a chromed rod of about 12mm with an 8mm hole drilled into it. Choose a rod length greater than 12mm, but as long as you can allow. The diameter of 12 will leave you with a wall thickness of 2mm all round when drilling to final diameter hole of 8mm.

Assuming you don't have access to a metal work shop and drill press, these are the tools and materials you will need:

Bench Vice
Hacksaw
center punch
File
Drill and steel bits
Tapping set
Thread glue
Allen keys

Grub screw
12mm chrome rod

Method
Place chrome rod into vice.
Cut to preferred length and carefully file burrs.
Mark the center of the rod with the punch.
Drill straight through to a depth of 10mm starting with a small bit, maybe 2mm, then 4, 6 and 8. It is crucial that you drill straight and take your time doing it, being careful not to go off angle. Much easier with a drill press of course.

(OPTION - You could tap the hole and thread the lever remaining on the tap, but you need to choose the correct hole size to match the lever)

File flat a small section of the rod approximately 5mm in from the hole end.
Drill an appropriate size hole through the flat section until it breaks through to the 8mm hole.
Tap the small hole for grub screw.

When the part is complete, you can butcher the tap head.

Place the head of the tap into the vice (protected with a rag) and cut the lever to 10mm long. File the burrs off.
Insert new piece over the shortened shaft and tighten grub screw.
If satisfied, undo grub screw, apply thread glue and tighten again.
Put tap head back onto tap.....enjoy.

Gen.Zhukov

That method by ...Ghost... would ultimately work and fair dues to him for the step by step post.

Not to be too pedantic here, I see the following problems.
I'm not sure you can buy a Chromium rod easily and it's an extremely hard material to work anyway. Most Cr work would be done on a lathe.
S/S would be less difficult to work but still hard.

I'd say the diam of the lever is more 10mm.

Finding the centre of a rod for drilling is tricky too.

The main problem I see is at the end of all that, he'll be left with the little 10mm lever on the left and a 12mm lever on the right. And it might look a bit gammy.

And all this is assuming the op feels happy about using all these tools and methods.



Going back to my suggestion, did a little test on some 8mm brass rod for the craic.

[IMG][/img]

...Ghost...

Gen.Zhukov wrote: »

I'm not sure you can buy a Chromium rod easily and it's an extremely hard material to work anyway.
S/S would be less difficult to work but still hard.

I'd say the diam of the lever is more 10mm.

I should have been a little clearer. I didn't mean to say a chrome rod, but a chromed rod, as in plated. I used about a 15mm length of S/S and drilled an 8mm hole right through for my DIY repair, but it was a PITA. Worked great in the end, do worth it.

I don't know the diameter of the OP lever, but most of those taps (the one he linked) are 7 or 8mm in diameter for the lever.