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Subject: TWL: Firsts - Making Replacement Gaskets
From: Garrett Lambert (e16@XXX.XXX)
Date: Sun Apr 01 2001 - 19:53:46 EDT
Hi Terry
This is dead simple and surprisingly satisfying.
If you don't already have one, buy a small ball peen hammer (about the size
of tack hammer). Buy a sheet of gasket paper from any auto parts supplier.
It comes in various thicknesses, so start with something medium. Or -
seriously - you can just use an old chart or brown wrapping paper.
Clean both faces of the parts to be gasketted, being very careful if it's a
soft metal such as aluminum. (A gouge means big trouble.) Cut a piece of
paper about an inch bigger all round than necessary. Lay it on whichever of
the parts is easier to get at, and gently/gently tap all around the edges of
the part at an angle using whichever head of the hammer suits. This cuts the
paper more cleanly and accurately than a knife. Do the inside as well, and
remove the cut-out. (Don't snicker, the mechanic who teaches the course said
he couldn't count the number of times he's repaired engines where the inside
hadn't been cut out.) Then use the ball peen to tap very lightly at each
bolt hole to cut the mating holes in the gasket. Remove those cut-outs and
you're done. The result is a perfectly matched gasket.
If you have a lot of these to do, he also suggested making up a small tool
to cut the bolt holes in one go: weld a couple of different size
ball-bearings to either end of a piece of rod. Put a bearing on the hole and
tap the other end.
Cheers, Garrett
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