I’m an over-tightener. I have over-tightened and stripped or broken countless screws, bolts, nuts – you name it. So many that I am now paranoid almost any time I tighten anything.
Here’s my latest. I just plumbed in a new sink and disposal in my kitchen. I used plumber’s putty under the strainers, and thought I really needed to get them tight and squish out all the excess to get a good seal. Now I’m paranoid that I overtightened the disposal strainer and that it might be harmful to the sink somehow. Is this possible? It’s an In-Sinkerator, with a three-screw plate underneath that you tighten and it pulls the strainer piece down to meet it. I’m thinking that it’s supported on both sides so I couldn’t really do any harm.
Please help me out of my overtightening obsession! 🙂
Replies
i cant imagine being able to overtighten those three screws and damage anything, but overtightening anything is just a wasted effort.
those screws just need to be tight enough for an even oozing of putty and to pull the strainer into the recess properly
caulking is not a piece of trim
Thanks Steve. I think I need a twelve step program - except I'd probably just try to take it to 13 steps just in case. :)
Anyway, that's what I was hoping to hear. It just didn't feel like it was tight enough and it took quite a bit of pressure to squeeze out the putty. If you're familiar with those threaded rods, I'm basically at the end of them. It's probably fine.
Tighten it up til it breaks, then back it off half a turn.
Works almost every time.
Joe H
RAOFLOL!
Admitting your problem is the first step....that's not a mistake, it's rustic