the reason being, he can't tell you what pipes and shit your hardware store carries, nor where they are located...just use your imagination, stick wtih what you know...you say you usually use a bic pen and a socket, so use that....take a bic pen to the hardware store and find a tube that is just slightly larger than the pen (it should be easily moved, but not so easily it will slide down on it's own) find a grommet(sp?) (the rubber peice on the bowl/stem asembly to assure airtightness) as extra insurance if you want, but if you find the right peices it won't be nessicary