Bob, I believe I said something about a Vac back in post #2! I was the first responder.

Stick your hand in there and fish around for it! You're there alone and it's not going to automagically turnits self on.

I go fishing in the disposal all the time for stuff that others leave in there.

So, bikemore, did you ever retrieve the ball bearing, or did it cause irreversible damage to the garbage disposal?

East Hill

A pair of needle nose might work. Like mentioned before a rubber gaurd flap thing is easy to pull out and give a better view if not already done. I had a small nut get into the diposal and it was run with no ill effects.
A friend somehow let his false teeth get into a diposal, yes it was running. His story about flying teeth was hilarious.

Um, well there is a snow storm on here and and I get to work at my job
for free and... I am thinking of the telescoping magnet. And I am depending
on my friend's cooking .

Sounds as if it's stillllll there.

East Hill

Welp, I got the telescoping magnet. Odd that I kept pulling out little chunks of the garbage
disposal... Anyway, I put the allen wrench in the bottom without finding the bearing. I was
a little surprised by the burst of water coming out on to the kitchen floor. Hum, it seems the
disposal is a bit old. Ripped a hole about 2 inches long and a quarter inch high. Don't quite
know what caused that, but there may have been something else.

Oh no!... Gremlins!

If you had only lubed and polished that disposal, it wouldn't have rusted. Time to get out the wood bleach and bronze wool and bring that baby back to vintage form.

So I'm taking a wild guess and thinking that you'll be replacing that unit?

East Hill

Ya, the question area is do I do it myself or pay a plumber $250 and take time off from work
(I am already working 60 hours a week) and get it done right. Don't know where I will
get the time to do it myself. I don't have time to work all the bikes I have in the basement.

A third choice would be to go green and compost your kitchen waste instead of grinding it up and flushing it down the sewer.

True, but eventually the house will be sold, and the buyers will be expecting a functional garbage disposal unit. Too, I get the feeling that it's not just the garbage disposal that needs to be replaced.

I'd go with the plumber.

East Hill

Since you already have a disposal, it is pretty easy to swap in a new one, especially if it is the same brand as the old one and the flanges match. I did one for my mom last year in about 30 minutes. If you have to put a new mounting flange on your sink, it may take 45 minutes, an hour tops.

Is that a Clarkman? You've got to dismantle the latch hasp from the auxiliary drainage line......

Hope it is an Insinkerator. I've changed several without touching the sink flange. Just undo the right parts and bolt the new one right back in place. Change the cord over while it is on the counter not under the sink though.

+1

And next time put the strainer in the sink before bringing small parts anywhere near!

It is an Insinkerator and it does look easy.

Going green is nice, but I live dense city block. I did composting when I owned a house years ago.
And the food does decompose pretty quickly.

Then the only hard part will be driving in the snow to Home Depot or who ever carries that brand in your area.

I just changed out a non-disposal sink to a 3/4 hp Kenmore Sears has on sale for $99. It was a pretty easy job once I found a hot circuit.

+1 on the strainer, I'd be in the exact same situation if it weren't for that wonderful thing.

Pastor bob has the answer. Get married - I got rid of my balls no problem that way.

I don't think Pastor Bob meant in quite that fashion .

East Hil

It takes the smaller hands to get down into the disposal and fish it out. That's what I meant.

Wife's are handy for things like that.