Unfortunately the plug is not the bucket type with a crossbar at the top. There is a small hole (less than 3/16 in dia) at the top of the plug which has to be used to snare the plug. I tried for half an hour today with coat hanger wire while watching the plug with an endoscope. I lifted the plug up three times but the plug fell off the wire before I could get it all the way to the overflow hole each time.

I am going back to the customer's house in a couple of days and am open to suggestions. I am going to try my shopvac with a 1/2 in vinyl hose attached and see if it can hold on to the flat top surface of the plug. I am not really expecting the shopvac to work. I am going to try different diameter wires and different hook shapes on the end.

The drain assembly is by Wallaceburg, a now defunct Canadian company. There is no easy access to the drain, a wall will have to be opened up to access it.

One question - assuming I can get the plug out, will copper wire work to reattach it to the linkage? I don't have any brass wire handy and I will use the largest dia copper wire that will fit. Will use 10 ga if it fits.



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If you're able to get a wire on it, can you put some quick-set epoxy on the wire?

I might try the epoxy as a last resort. I also just checked the mechanical retrieval tool with the four expanding/ retracting claws that I have and it seems to be too weak to be able to grab on to the plug tightly enough.

Take an access panel with you and install it for best long term results.

Got the stopper out after taking the drain apart. Assembled it back using 12 ga stainless steel wire which you can see in the photo.