I hear you on the thread gauge, but honestly, as someone who just tackled their first-ever kitchen sink install, I found those gauges kinda confusing at first. Maybe it's just me, but I ended up relying more on photos and bringing the actual fittings into the store. Even then, the hardware store guy and I stood there scratching our heads for a good five minutes. Plumbing definitely has its own sense of humor...but hey, sink's finally in and (fingers crossed) no leaks yet.
Did you find the thread gauge itself confusing, or was it more about matching the fittings? I've always thought those gauges were pretty straightforward, but then again, plumbing fittings seem intentionally designed to confuse us. Last time I did a bathroom faucet, I swear the threads matched perfectly in-store...got home and nope, not even close. Maybe it's just plumbing karma or something. Glad your sink's holding up so far though—any silicone or plumber's putty involved?
I feel your pain on the fittings matching in-store but not at home. Last year, I redid our guest bath faucet—spent a good half-hour meticulously checking threads and sizes at the hardware store. Got home, and it was like I'd grabbed fittings from a completely different aisle. Ended up using plumber's tape and silicone to make it work, which felt like cheating somehow. Did you end up using silicone or putty around your sink edges? Curious if anyone else prefers one over the other for kitchen installs...
I've always leaned toward silicone for kitchen sinks—especially undermounts. Putty's fine for bathroom drains or fixtures, but silicone just holds up better against moisture and temperature swings in kitchens. Had a rental property once where the putty dried out and cracked after a couple years, ended up with water damage under the countertop edge...not fun. Curious though, anyone tried those newer hybrid sealants? I've heard they're easier to clean up than silicone but haven't tested myself yet.
I've actually had decent luck with plumber's putty even in kitchens—maybe you just got unlucky with a bad batch or something? Silicone's great, but cleanup is always a pain. Those hybrid sealants sound interesting though...might have to give them a shot next time around.
