I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are 5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side. The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges under the worktop as is tightended to look in place.
The sink has a bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be pulled down tight onto the worktop.
Now, whoever designed these clips seems to have neglected to realise that since the bowls more or less fill the space under most of the worktop, it is practically impossible to tighten them up along most of the back and one side !
I might *just* be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out the shelf and lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly couldn't get a hand in there to hold the clips steady.

So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?

I could invent some other type of clip, probably using builder's metal band, and fix to somewhere on the cabinet rather than onto the worktop I suppose.

Simon.

sm_jamieson wrote:
I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are
5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side.
The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges
under the worktop as is tightended to look in place.
The sink has a bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be
pulled down tight onto the worktop.
Now, whoever designed these clips seems to have neglected to realise
that since the bowls more or less fill the space under most of the
worktop, it is practically impossible to tighten them up along most
of the back and one side !
I might *just* be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out
the shelf and lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly
couldn't get a hand in there to hold the clips steady.


That's how everyone else has to do it


So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?


Very important as they help seal between cut worktop and sink and therfore,
water ingress

I could invent some other type of clip, probably using builder's
metal band, and fix to somewhere on the cabinet rather than onto the
worktop I suppose.

After you've cut your hole out for the sink, seal the cut edge of worktop
with liberal amounts of silicone sealant, preferably letting it cure before
trying to fix the sink in otherwise you'll be covered in it

On Thursday, July 26, 2012 8:27:35 PM UTC+1, Phil L wrote:
sm_jamieson wrote:
> I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are
> 5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side.
> The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges
> under the worktop as is tightended to look in place.
> The sink has a bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be
> pulled down tight onto the worktop.
> Now, whoever designed these clips seems to have neglected to realise
> that since the bowls more or less fill the space under most of the
> worktop, it is practically impossible to tighten them up along most
> of the back and one side !
> I might *just* be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out
> the shelf and lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly
> couldn't get a hand in there to hold the clips steady.
>

That's how everyone else has to do it


The clips at the side do not have enough clearance to hinge into position, so those ones would have to be somehow held in place under the worktop before the sink is put into the cutout, and deftly clipped into the tags as the sink is lowered.
Simon.

On 26/07/2012 20:50, sm_jamieson wrote:
On Thursday, July 26, 2012 8:27:35 PM UTC+1, Phil L wrote:
sm_jamieson wrote:
> I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are
> 5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side.
> The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges
> under the worktop as is tightended to look in place.
> The sink has a bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be
> pulled down tight onto the worktop.
> Now, whoever designed these clips seems to have neglected to realise
> that since the bowls more or less fill the space under most of the
> worktop, it is practically impossible to tighten them up along most
> of the back and one side !
> I might *just* be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out
> the shelf and lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly
> couldn't get a hand in there to hold the clips steady.
>

That's how everyone else has to do it


The clips at the side do not have enough clearance to hinge into position, so those ones would have to be somehow held in place under the worktop before the sink is put into the cutout, and deftly clipped into the tags as the sink is lowered.
Simon.


Once you have mastered that, nailing jelly to the ceiling should be easy :-)

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 26/07/2012 20:19, sm_jamieson wrote:
I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are
5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side.
The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges
under the worktop as is tightended to look in place. The sink has a
bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be pulled down
tight onto the worktop. Now, whoever designed these clips seems to
have neglected to realise that since the bowls more or less fill the
space under most of the worktop, it is practically impossible to
tighten them up along most of the back and one side !

Those clips were designed by a severely retarded gerbil. 'Kin useless
objects.


I might *just*
be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out the shelf and
lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly couldn't get a hand
in there to hold the clips steady.

That's what the severely retarded gerbil didn't think about.

So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?

If you can get a few done up it will hold the sink in place. Last on I
did the clips weren't long enough to go under a standard 38mm worktop.

I could invent some other type of clip, probably using builder's
metal band, and fix to somewhere on the cabinet rather than onto the
worktop I suppose.

As mentioned above, last one I did, one of these composite jobbies, I
glued it down with 'sticks like sh*t', then siliconed around the edge
afterwards.



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:19:10 -0700 (PDT), sm_jamieson
wrote:

So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?

They're important, if you can get them in place.
As said, GripsLike**** is one option, but sometimes the way is to fix
the sink to the worktop before the w'top is turned the right way up
and finally fixed down. That way you get full access to the ****ty
clips and just be careful you leave enough clearance for the crappy
things when the w'top's turned over.
Rubbish design all round, really.

On Thursday, July 26, 2012 9:16:20 PM UTC+1, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:19:10 -0700 (PDT), sm_jamieson
> wrote:

>So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?

They're important, if you can get them in place.
As said, GripsLike**** is one option, but sometimes the way is to fix
the sink to the worktop before the w'top is turned the right way up
and finally fixed down. That way you get full access to the ****ty
clips and just be careful you leave enough clearance for the crappy
things when the w'top's turned over.
Rubbish design all round, really.

I could have fitted the sink before the worktop was glued up, but then the plumbing would have been a nightmare.

I wonder if there is available some "long" clips that would hook into the hole in the tab and fix down onto the side of the unit, with a screw tightening mechanism lower down.
I could use those for the side, and probably get a long screwdriver up the back.

Simon.

On Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:03:27 -0700 (PDT), sm_jamieson
wrote:

I could have fitted the sink before the worktop was glued up, but then the plumbing would have been a nightmare.

Not if you fit tails on the tap/s beforehand.

sm_jamieson wrote:
I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are 5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side. The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges under the worktop as is tightended to look in place.
The sink has a bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be pulled down tight onto the worktop.
Now, whoever designed these clips seems to have neglected to realise that since the bowls more or less fill the space under most of the worktop, it is practically impossible to tighten them up along most of the back and one side !
I might *just* be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out the shelf and lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly couldn't get a hand in there to hold the clips steady.

So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?

I could invent some other type of clip, probably using builder's metal band, and fix to somewhere on the cabinet rather than onto the worktop I suppose.

Simon.

If you mount the sink before fixing the bench top it is easier. (unless
top is already fixed)

On Friday, July 27, 2012 1:15:27 AM UTC+1, F Murtz wrote:
sm_jamieson wrote:
> I have a stainless steel sink to fit in a laminate worktop. There are 5 fixing clips along the front and back, and 2 clips on each side. The clips hook onto a tag on the sink and a bit at the bottom hinges under the worktop as is tightended to look in place.
> The sink has a bit of "spring" in it, and looks like it needs to be pulled down tight onto the worktop.
> Now, whoever designed these clips seems to have neglected to realise that since the bowls more or less fill the space under most of the worktop, it is practically impossible to tighten them up along most of the back and one side !
> I might *just* be possible with a very long screwdriver if I take out the shelf and lie upside down under the sink, but you certainly couldn't get a hand in there to hold the clips steady.
>
> So, how important are these clips and how does this usually work ?
>
> I could invent some other type of clip, probably using builder's metal band, and fix to somewhere on the cabinet rather than onto the worktop I suppose.
>
> Simon.

If you mount the sink before fixing the bench top it is easier. (unless
top is already fixed)

Too late for that now !
Plus, there are risks of breaking the worktop in the narrow bits around the cutout if you make the cutout away from the units.
I will improvise !

Simon.