Class teaches women how to tackle do-it-yourself challenges Derrick Tice takes Do-It-HERself workshop participants step-by-step on how to install a bathroom sink (photo by Tina Gohr). By Tina M. Gohr News-Chronicle The ability to tell the difference between a Phillips and a flat-head screwdriver is the extent of my knowledge of being a fix-it person. I'm not a fix-it person. Neither were the ladies attending a free "You Can Update Your Bathroom Fixtures'' workshop recently at The Home Depot located 810 S. Taylor St. By the way, my proud knowledge in screwdrivers didn't help in the class. But by the class's conclusion, we knew the difference between crescent and pipe wrenches. The dozen or so women were also shown how to replace and install a sink (wall-hanging and vanity), replace pipes, traps and shut off valves, fix a leak, and install a towel rack and shower head. A companion program of "You Can Install Crown Molding'' by Jerard Nighorn and Jon Long followed. It was part of a Do-It-HERself workshop at the store. Intriguingly, most of the women attending the class were married. "My husband has less time than me," explained Cheryl Kubacki of Ashwaubenon. "We're hoping to replace a bathroom sink at the cottage." Traci Whalen of Pulaski was attending with a friend. They were goal-minded viewers. "We're remodeling a house and if we can get any tips or ideas and save money, that's what we're here for." Kitchen, Bath and Plumbing manager Derrick Tice paced the women through class - stopping to field any questions - and expediently took us through step by step. "Do this just once," assured Tice as he held up a trap (crooked thing under the sink), "and you'll be able to do the whole neighborhood." Hmmm. Replacing the sink wasn't on my fix-it list, but recovering an earring dropped down the drain drew a heads up. But before we could proceed with newfound bathroom knowledge, we all had to know where the main water shutoff valve was located in the home - just in case. Recovering an earring was easier than I thought: Place a rag or bucket under the pipes to catch drips after turning off convenient water shutoffs under the sink. Grab your wrench (crescent or pipe) and twist off the connections or clean-out plug. And viola! Precious $3.99 earring. To replace or refurbish the faucet hardware was a little more harrowing than the earring extraction, but comprehensible. To begin, turn off water everywhere. Then pop off the little "H and C'' caps on top of the handles. Depending on the model, unscrew the handles and remove the inner cartridge, protecting stem by covering wrench "teeth'' with masking tape or a rag. Simply disconnect and reconnect lines. There are rubber gaskets or separation rings that may have deteriorated and can be replaced. You can clean hard-water deposits and the screen inside the spout. Or regrease with silicone grease or Vaseline the rubber gaskets on the spring-type cartridges. Knobs can be taken apart and cleaned. After cleaning, run water thoroughly (without spout screen) so sediment can drain. Silicone caulk should be used to reinforce the faucet to the basin (don't use plumbers putty on cultured marble). When in doubt, faucets sold at The Home Depot have a handy "800'' number on the box to call. Or if the fixtures are too pretty to replace, bring the whole unit to the store and associates will tell you what needs to be replaced. In the future, it helps to jot down model numbers. And if the spout resembles a Chinese water torture's drip-drip-drip, the culprit is more than likely a worn washer.