Making gaskets

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by DubCat, Nov 7, 2017.

  1. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    Has anyone tried cutting their own gaskets using a plotter?

    I have a Summa D75 plotter that I use for work (cutting vinyl type material) and I reckon it might work. Getting the exact shape is the tricky bit I would think. I wanted to make some for my IDF Webers specifically. I'm thinking scanning the old gasket and converting the image to a vector would do it. Just got to find some gasket material.

    Any thoughts?
     
  2. Should be possible i'd think, although thicker gasket material is pretty tough stuff.

    Scanning - depends how accurate it is. You could always do it the old-fashioned way with scissors and gasket punches ;)
     
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  3. Why reinvent the wheel ..you can buy all genuine Weber gaskets
     
  4. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    Don't fancy hand cutting a carb gasket though! Any idea what thickness paper it needs to be? They sell all sorts on fleabay.
     
  5. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    Just fancied having a go and it'll cost pennies.
     
  6. Get a pack of assorted thicknesses - they're cheap enough on fleaBay. Then you're covered.

    Hand cutting gaskets is very soothing...

    a gasket 6s.jpg

    a gasket 2 6s.jpg
     
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  7. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    Impressive! Gonna try the scan and cut method I think. Hoping it will be almost as satisfying ;)
     
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  8. Be interesting to see how you get on
     
  9. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    I liked @davidoft 's technique using a small ball peen hammer.
    Hold gasket paper firmly against mating face of thingy.
    Tap round against the sharp edges of the holes in the mating face, pinching the paper and cutting it.
    In his hands a carburettor gasket appeared in seconds.

    In my hands, many minutes, several goes when the paper slipped....
     
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  10. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    So far, scanned the gasket in. It's quite a detailed one - would take me a year by hand! I've converted the image to a vector graphic image and am just tidying a few bits in the image. Will order the paper - measured the thickness as about 0.7mm so will order 0.8mm gasket paper. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out - enjoying doing it :)
     
  11. davidoft

    davidoft Sponsor

    That’s experience for ya ;)
     
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  12. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    That bit would take me a year if I even knew what a vector graphic image was.:)
     
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  13. I think it's that stuff Barry watches on the internet :eek:

    PS @Mark Darby : what software are you using to do the conversion?
     
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  14. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    It's a program I bought over the Internet called Vector Magic that I use every day for work. Cost me $300 - it's far superior to Live Trace within Adobe Illustrator. It converts any bitmap image to a vector.
     
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  15. 77 Westy

    77 Westy Supporter

    No, you’ve lost me, but $300 buys a lot of gaskets and I can’t help thinking that a dirty thumb, a pair of scissors and a ball pein hammer is easier - and gasket material comes with my cornflakes.:)
     
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  16. i don't think Mark bought it just to make gaskets ;)

    Looks pretty impressive - be interesting to see what the dimensional accuracy is.
     
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  17. :eek:
     
  18. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    As Snotty said. I bought the software years ago for work. It happens to be a useful tool for this project. I promise you it's already paid for itself a hundred times over in saved labour. I'm really just doing this for fun and very happy to share the images with anyone that needs them. Have to see if it works first! ;)
     
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  19. Good luck with it @Mark Darby I used to make seals and gaskets for a living, it's not hard if you've the right drawings / tooling.
     
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  20. DubCat

    DubCat Sponsor

    Thanks Iain. I'll take my time making the drawings accurate and hopefully the plotter is up to the job of cutting - it should be. Any tips are welcome. If it works I'll start to build a library of drawings. The bus has a 2ltr type 4 and my buggy has a 1600 tp, so all relevant. Finding out the correct thicknesses will be a task.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2017
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