The Saga of the Four Inch Double Tee

My beloved 1920s cast iron sink. Someday it might go in the kitchen, right now it is our utility sink. Perfect for wash large pots and roaster, boots, planters and wool sweaters(we have a tub that fits perfectly under the faucet). It was a craig's list find. My Great Aunt had one, and oh how we always envied her! I know my basement walls are gross, try not to look at them. One of this summers projects, wash and paint the walls!

So what does my sink have to do with a Double Tee? See all that plumbing to the right of the sink? This is the story.

It all started way back in May......

During plumbing week we ended up at Lowes 7 times and the local hardware store 5 times. We also made a trip to Home Depot, which is where the Double Tee comes in. When it comes to plumbing, you try and be prepared, but it doesn't usually happen. Especially with an old house, no matter how you try and plan it out and prepare for all eventualities, it just doesn't work. 

Plumber Phil had a certain fitting in mind for the plumbing next to the sink. Unfortunately, Lowes didn't have it. As we were going to Home Depot anyway (to return the bathtub), Mandy and I thought we would take a quick stroll down the plumbing aisle and see if we could find it. After looking and looking, Mandy finally spied what we thought Phil was looking for! We were so excited! We drove home gloating in triumph thinking how proud Phil was going to be of us. 

This is what a Double Tee looks like. It is huge. About 14" wide.

Upon rushing to the scene of the plumbing dilemma we saw the drain pipes completely installed and the only comment we got from the plumber "They really make a fitting like that! I didn't think you were going to find it. I figured out another way."

Needless to say we were a little deflated.

Now what to do with this THING! In all the hustle and bustle of May I threw it in the trunk of the car to deal with later. Quite a few weeks later I was rounding up odds and ends that we weren't going to use to return to Lowes and not thinking threw the Tee into a bag and took it along. After all the craziness of May I didn't even remember where I got it until the cashier asked if I was sure I had bought it here as it wasn't coming up in the system!?! Have you ever done that? Very embarrassing......

I forgot to mention, the label on the tee was roughed up. It took about 15 minutes for the cashier to finally figure this all out, after she spent 5 minutes trying to look it up in the database and 10 minutes waiting for the plumbing department to not find it.

After another few weeks/months of shuffling it around in my trunk and being asked numerous times "what is this doing in here?" I finally made it back to Home Depot. It was now a familiar routine of trying to scan, squinting at the tag, trying to look it up, waiting for the someone to look it up. While we were waiting for the verdict to come back, a man waiting behind us exclaimed "Wow! That is a crazy looking pipe, what is it for?".

I am so glad it is out of my hands now......... My sister Becky loved the story and thought I share it. She even suggested going back to the store and taking a picture of me holding the tee!!

Do you remember this ad from Good Housekeeping?