Disgusted with the obscene prices demanded for vessel sinks (up to $300) for a guest bathroom, I've resolved to find a substitute.
One possibility with which I intend to experiment is a 12" bowl made of (look alike) mahogany ($8.00 at Walmart).
Suggestions for enhancing the bowl's waterproofing ability are welcome.
Have you used a vessel sink?
If not, you may want to try performing your usual ablutions in one, for more than one day in a row, before falling for a fickle fad foisted upon folks by the designer industry looking to make the next buck before moving on to the next bit of idiocy.
Please ignore if it doesn't apply ...
Smear it with bacon grease and it will also enhance the aroma.
I'd look at polyester resin, like building a boat.
What Swing said. Plus, you'll be looking at a more expensive tap as well. I have installed dozens upon dozens of these things and the feedback is pretty consistent: nice look, pain to keep clean underneath the bowl. That space tends to collect stuff. I still think it is the answer to a question nobody asked.
I especially dislike the connection between the top and the vessel. I had one installed in a cab I made in a recent large job that was made of glass and all I could think of somebody bumping that with something slightly bulky and snapping it off. That and the faucet stood way up there. Looks like an accident waiting to happen to me.
RP
Friends installed a couple of expensive glass vessels at about $600 each. She hates them. Water ends up under the rim of the beautiful bowls and is difficult to get out. Calcifies. Probably great for those with cleaning help. Not for her.
ronb
Vessel sinks lack an overflow, which violates building codes. Not sure how these things ever managed to be sold. If you do go with the mahogany bowl, I'd suggest building an overflow into the pedestal. Dealing with the inspectors will be your problem.
Methinks several coats of epoxy thinned 50% with denatured alcohol will make a good penetrating sealer. Seems to work fine on glassed canoes.
Flemish Freemasons in Fargo for filthy Francs.
Basilisk
:)
On Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:07:26 -0500, the infamous Swingman scrawled the following:
How many people take care of their other wooden items, such as table legs, fences, etc? How many will properly care for a wooden sink, including yourself? Too often, complacency sets in and visible damage happens before it's taken care of.
I wonder how many of those are broken each day from simple things like wristwatches, ceramic tumblers, belt buckles, etc. They're a nasty accident just waiting for a simple action to occur.
...or attempt to talk the little woman out of it if you can.
-- ...in order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work. -- John Ruskin
Usually polyester or epoxy resin, either with or without light weight, woven fiberglass. If without, thin the resin; if with, the glass will wet out and disappear. In this case, the glass wouldn't be for strength so much as to hold more resin. I use styrene to thin polyester, lacquer thinner for epoxy.
However, that is generally done on plywood; the potential problem with solid wood - with or without glass - is that wood expands and contracts. OTOH, it is also done on stuff like table and bar tops.
Don't use poly - it degrades with continued exposure to soap.
Thanks for the heads-up on polyurethane. I'll go with the resin.
To the others who've offered heart-felt and experienced thoughts:
Cook it on the BBQ instead, and try stuffing it with walnuts & tangerines. Gets rid of that gamey taste.
Beaver's not kosher.
Besides, it's something for my current squeeze to fixate on instead of me (women need something to hate). She'll either grow to accept it, in which case I can pass it on to someone else, or she'll deliver an ultimatum. In the latter case, I'll get rid of her.
Or at least have her mounted, er, stuffed.
How about a copper bowl? Like this:
you can get glass vessal sinks including faucet and drainpipe for under $100 on ebay.
c
I wish. The cheapest ones I've seen are in the $70-$100 range and do not include the faucet.
As an aside, I finished the project by coating the $4.00 bowl with several layers of spar varnish.
Works swell.
these are mostly clear glass
Right. Notice the banner: "Prices start at $89.99"
Again, the "bowl" I bought at Walmart for $8.00 works swell.
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