Snap Together Culture

I get plastic. I get connectorization.

Some of these things make sense, like in electronics. Connectors make it so you can repair parts quickly. De-soldering and soldering is a pain in the ass. Also makes the install process faster. Time equals money, after all.

You see it now in plumbing. The water filter for my fridge sports push in connectors, where back in the day that would be brass compression fittings. They seem to work, but I’d feel better with compression fittings.

Why?

Because I’m a man, I own tools, and I know how to fix things.

Does no one own tools anymore?

I mean, really. All you need is a decent hammer, a Philips and straight screwdriver – I have a 4-in-1 from Klein that I really like, but you can get them cheap. A crescent wrench, a pair of channellocks, and a pair of vice grips and you can deal with most household tasks. We aren’t talking about a huge investment either. FFS you can get a decent 200 piece channellock tool set at Sams for like $100.

Why am I on about this?

I had a stuck bathroom sink drain. These are simple to fix. Unscrew the ring that keeps the stopper in the drain, pull the drainplug up, and clean off the hair and gunk. So I went to do this in the master bath here. Got my mits where I needed them, but the damn thing wouldn’t twist. So I got my small channel locks to bust it loose.

CRACK!

It came loose alright. Wasn’t a threaded ring. It was a connector.

Does no one install metal drain tubes anymore?

It was attached to this nonsense:

I get it. Harry the millennial homeowner has no tools and few skills. But a rental property? Your pros couldn’t put in a proper drain? It takes only one tool – one! a pair of Channellocks.

It’s easy. Hell, you don’t even need plumbers putty anymore. Just one nut and it bolts in. The instructions in the box had pictures! I get it though. The plastic ones were like $9. The metal around $45. Less than a plumber trip from the rental company, which I most certainly would have had to pay.

Besides. I’m a man. I have tools. When I fix it, I’m fixing it properly.

It’s going to gunk up again. I want to be able to clear it without plastic breaking. Because you know, sure as shit, when you go to remove that plastic connector it’s going to snap.

It’s simple to do it right so it stays fixed.

Get some tools.

Funny ChannelLock story:

Way back when, my old man had few tools. But he had the ones you’d need for most work around the house. The only reason he had ChannelLocks was that the dude that came out to fix the heater left a pair. We’d squabble about tools all the time, usually when I didn’t put them back – not where they belonged, but where they were when I found them.

In high school, I got a tool chest, a decent socket set, and a screwdriver set for Christmas. As I got into fixing cars, I added tools. Soon, I had all I needed and didn’t need my Dad’s stuff whatsoever.

One day, he comes into the kitchen where I was watching TV.

“Hey! Where are my ChannelLocks?”

I don’t know. Where’d you leave them?

“WHAT!”

I didn’t use them. I have three pairs of my own. I can lend you a pair if you need one.

He didn’t care for that answer and went away to track them down.

My first pair was made by Craftsman. I think I still have them somewhere, if I didn’t give them to one of my kids. I think that pair in the image above is at least 35 years old. Probably older.

If I’m lucky (If I did my job as a grandfather), after I go my grandkids will be squabbling over my tool collection.