Cracked sink cover replacement? - Page 2

wagonmaster2 · 09-26-2008, 07:01 PM

Thanks Homer, I just thought an e-mail would be more productive as it would have time to be routed to the right person and then have time to assemble an answer. Guess I'd better give them a call, just seems I always have trouble getting past the front uninformed person answering the phone. The town I live in has a company whose only job it has is to be the initial answering service for many companies, and the person answering the phone has a little notebook for each company that's supposed to have all the answers in it. When they can't come up with a good answer, its almost impossible to get past them since this would be a bad reflection on their job.
Wagonmaster2

wagonmaster2 · 11-27-2008, 06:27 AM

Help! I had the Winnebago parts page for the countertop parts numbers and colors minimized at the bottom of my screen, but last week was having trouble with Firefox and when I turned off the computer trying to correct the problem, everything I had minimized in Firefox disappeared when I re-booted. Including all my work listing my medications on Medicare.gov in preparation for new Part D application. Usually Firefox would ask if you wanted to Restore Previous Work and everything would be restored. But not this time and I don't know how or where I got to that parts page on the countertops. Any help greatly appreciated.

Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

wagonmaster2 · 11-27-2008, 07:05 AM

To add to above post, I'm having trouble determining what color the countertop is so I'll know what to ask for IF Vendura will supply the pieces for the sink covers. I know I could call Winny and give them my S/N and they'll know, but figured they would just try to sell me the pieces which will be very high priced.
Wagonmaster2

Catpowered · 11-27-2008, 07:40 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by amanda_h:
I've never understood the use of sink covers because, like Jeanne, I never use them.

Those of you who do use them, what do you use them for and when do you use them? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My wife used the large one for pounding chicken breasts (tenderizing). Obviously that didn't work very well because one piece became two. I used epoxy to glue the pieces together and that has worked very well.

wagonmaster2 · 11-29-2008, 05:45 PM

The only time we use of the sink covers is when we need more countertop space, and then the small one is all we need. Which I guess is why it's cracked.
Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

smlranger · 11-30-2008, 03:02 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wagonmaster2:
To add to above post, I'm having trouble determining what color the countertop is so I'll know what to ask for IF Vendura will supply the pieces for the sink covers. I know I could call Winny and give them my S/N and they'll know, but figured they would just try to sell me the pieces which will be very high priced.[QUOTE]

You can use this link, plug in your coach serial #, and it will list all parts used on your particular coach. I found my Vendura 'color' name that way.

Parts locator

The folks at Vendura were very helpful and the price was not unreasonable, IMO.

Capt Joe · 11-30-2008, 04:48 AM

Great Parts Locator link, smlranger. I book marked it as well as saving the search on my Brave in my laptop so I will have all my parts, numbers, notes, etc with me all the time.

I'm replacing my patio awning next week before heading off to North Carolina and could have used the info on that list to order the exact replacement. I'm also going to replace the slide toppers early next year and they have the exact sizes listed as well as noting, as with the patio awning, that they don't stock them and give Dometic's phone number if you wish to order from them. ( I had measured the toppers and that required either a trip to the roof of getting out a ladder. The parts list gives 81.8" and 144" without the need to climb up for a measurement.)
Thanks again,

PS To relate to the original post of this thread, I had good luck in having my sink covers repaired at a local counter top manufacturer/installer shop. Both of mine were cracked and they reglued them as well as added a thin backer to the cracked area. My cost was 5 Chik-Filet sandwiches and a gallon of sweet tea....Pretty sweet deal for me when I had a price of over $300 for replacement covers.

codgerbill · 11-30-2008, 09:10 AM

I have a crack in the counter top as well as an edge comming apart. From reading posts on the subject I am led to believe tha the countertop is not Corian but rather it is Vendura. How does on go about getting the cracks fixed? Is it relativly easy process for a "do it yourselfer", or does it require some special skill sets to properly repair? Would a local a countertop builder have the necessary knowledge to make proper repairs?

wagonmaster2 · 11-30-2008, 06:04 PM

Thanks Smlranger - that's the site I was looking for. Don't know why I was having so much trouble, but made sure I bookmarked it this time. Hope it will help me with Vendura. The Parts list shows the countertop to be Rocky Mountain High, but the two sink covers are called Quarry. Don't know if this is the actual color names or mean something else. Hopefully Vendura is going to be able to make heads or tails of it. Thanks again.

Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

smlranger · 12-01-2008, 04:57 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by codgerbill:
I have a crack in the counter top as well as an edge comming apart. From reading posts on the subject I am led to believe tha the countertop is not Corian but rather it is Vendura. How does on go about getting the cracks fixed? Is it relativly easy process for a "do it yourselfer", or does it require some special skill sets to properly repair? Would a local a countertop builder have the necessary knowledge to make proper repairs? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Suggest you give the folks at Vendura a call:

800-394-4524.

I seem to remember that some folks have ordered repair kits from them. I do think a local cabinet shop who installs solid surface counter tops could make a repair. In a conversation I had with Vendura, they mentioned many cracks, scratches could be mended and polished using a wet-sanding technigue.

codgerbill · 01-11-2009, 04:16 AM

Update:
I called the Winnebago service people and he directed me to the page in the catalog for my coach that told me what the color of the counter top is. I called Vendura and they sent me the repair kit ($27.50 + $9.50 UPS). I contacted a couple local counter top makers and they said to bring the coach and the kit in and then they would evaluate and have me make an appointment to fix. They have indicated that the repair would take 1-2 hours @ aprox $75/hr. I am sorta thinking I might want to do it myself but I have no experience with counter tops. Has anyone done thier own repairs before? I am an amature woodworker and have a shop full of tools both portable and stationary. I am wondering what is involved in doing the repairs myself?

tderonne · 01-11-2009, 11:37 AM

My sister has had a bunch of Corian countertops repaired locally. Very affordable, and barely noticeble. In her case whole sink bowls had cracked away from a countertop. Broke during shipping. Supplier let her keep it for free it was so busted up.

I'll call her and get some contact info...

tderonne · 01-11-2009, 11:49 AM

Shucks, her place only does Corian, and took her countertop to their shop. They don't even normally do repairs. Oh well.

wagonmaster2 · 01-11-2009, 03:08 PM

smlranger -- Did you have to wait very long for Vendura to get back in contact with you any time? I e-mailed them over 3 months ago with no response, then called them last Thursday. Was told they'd call back with the price and availability of the replacement but all Thursday afternoon went by, then all day Friday and still no call-back.

Wagonmaster2

J. Dean Bailey · 01-11-2009, 03:42 PM

codgerbill:

I recently purchased a piece from Vendura for my small sink and was pleased with thier customer service. Color was 99% accurate, but then my coach is 9 years old, so I was okay:

To cut, I used a band saw, but a jig saw or a sabre saw would work. I'd either tape the base plate of the sabre saw or tape the surface of the Vendura before cutting to prevent scartches from the tool while cutting.

To rout, I used a 1/8" round over bit, but you'll need to cut a pattern piece from some 1/2 or 3/4" stock to the exact shape of the sink cover in order for the router bit to follow since you are working with only 1/4" Vendura material. If this is a problem, you could simply hand sand the edge radius to your liking. The material is easy to work with.

Best of luck.

smlranger · 01-11-2009, 04:26 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wagonmaster2:
smlranger -- Did you have to wait very long for Vendura to get back in contact with you any time? I e-mailed them over 3 months ago with no response, then called them last Thursday. Was told they'd call back with the price and availability of the replacement but all Thursday afternoon went by, then all day Friday and still no call-back.

Wagonmaster2 </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It has been some time since I spoke to them but my calls were always answered promptly.

codgerbill · 01-13-2009, 04:01 AM

J. Dean Bailey thanks for the response, however my problem was not the sink cover but rather cracks in the counter top and the edge seperating from the top close to the sink. Your suggestion of using the router seems to me to be the answer. My understanding is that one should notch or make a "V" groove in the cracks and then fill in the cracks with the goop that they (Vendura) sent me. I think I heard wet sanding with several grades of sandpaper to finisf it off. Does this sound like the right path to persue?