Roger Shoaf wrote:
I don't understand the reluctance to use plumbers putty. It is there to
make a tight seal between fixtures and sinks. It stays soft for ever and it
does not leak.

Myself I like the American Standard products with the ceramic disk valves.

What I do in kitchen sinks is to remove the whole sink from the counter top
when I install them. This means a lot less time under the sink upside down.




Since plumbers putty remains soft, it will not provide any dimensional stability
to the fixture. When you turn the water on or off, the fixture rocks, albeit
ever so slightly. If there were a threaded sleeve around the lines going into
the spout such that a third nut could be installed, the fixture would be more
stable. The plate is oblong instead of rectangular. The problem would not be
nearly as bad if the plate were rectangular.

These observations are all things that a DIYer would not necessary know to look
for when purchasing and replacing a Delta faucet with a Delta faucet. If Lowes
will exchange the faucet, that's what I'm going to do. I'll get one with three
threads instead of two. Plus the base plate will be rectangular. If they will
not exchange it since it has already been installed and has silicone on the
base, I'll offer it for sale here. There is nothing wrong with the faucet except
that the design is not right for my stainless sink. Apparently the former faucet
with its metal threaded studs somewhat warped the lip of the sink where the
faucet assembly is installed.