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Wood gasket possible for M/C?

kyrral | Posted in Construction Techniques on September 22, 2009 01:44am

I need to make from scratch a quarter inch thick gasket from 2†x 3†material to go between my 1977 Bultaco Alpina carb and the intake manifold. The material needs to be hear resistant and a little flexible so it will seal properly. I think the original was a hard rubber material, but I’m open for suggestions about material I can find locally and not too expensive. Would plywood work? Or I could layer a bunch of auto gasket material but that wouldn’t look good.

Also I posted this before in a different form and had 3 people reply only to find their messages deleted and my message gone. Did I do something wrong? My title was: Motorcycle gasket needed for carburetor”

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  1. User avater
    Sphere | Sep 22, 2009 02:03am | #1

    It got moved to the "Off topic" area called the Tavern, down the bottom of the Threads page.

    You may need access to see the answers, and you may need to request that access if you are not auto inserted.

     

    Maybe log out and back in again, and look down there.

    The answers were go to autozone and get gasket material , cork, neoprene or what ever sheets they have. About  8x11 " usually.

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

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  2. bd | Sep 22, 2009 02:05am | #2

    Can't offer any suggestions why your other thread got deleted.

    Wouldn't think wood would give you an adequate seal without some added gasket material on each side. Any reason you can't build it up out of stock gasket material from auto parts store?

    I've got a cousin that restores old cars, tractors, motorcycles, etc. I'll see what he suggests.

    Ed

  3. DanH | Sep 22, 2009 02:07am | #3

    It's there, with 5 replies, in the Woodshed. Maybe it got moved there for some reason.

    Anyway, you can buy gasket material at any auto parts place, and they may have extra-thick stuff. Otherwise it's easy to glue layers together with gasket cement. One poster suggested laminating gasket material on either side of a piece of aluminum sheet, to create a gasket with the required thickness and more "body".

    You could try to use plywood, but it should probably be "Russian plywood" (available at many craft stores), since that has thinner (and more) laminations. And after forming the gasket with plywood you should finish the inside edge somehow (varnish, etc) to keep any loose wood fibers from flaking off.

    As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz



    Edited 9/21/2009 7:09 pm by DanH

    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | Sep 22, 2009 02:08am | #4

      Your message was outside of FHB and thus moved to the Tavern.The Tavern is the last folder in the list and it does not show unless it has been enabled for you. Often when the move a message to Tavern they automatic enable it for the poster.If not post a message to SYSOP in the Suggestions folder.Basically the responses said that there are a number of different gasket material available at auto parts stores.Duplicate sent via e-mail..
      William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe

  4. john7g | Sep 22, 2009 02:09am | #5

    I'd find a piece of 0.150 or so AL and add gasket material to either side of the AL. 

  5. mike585 | Sep 22, 2009 02:16am | #6

    Layered gaskets generally don't seal well. Needs to be one piece.

  6. WayneL5 | Sep 22, 2009 05:18am | #7

    These folks have virtually any type of material you could want.

    http://www.mcmaster.com

     

  7. knudln | Sep 22, 2009 09:02pm | #8

    Just call Hugh's Bultaco (NY) or Lynn Mobley and have them send you the correct part. No need to reinvent the wheel.

  8. rnsykes | Sep 23, 2009 05:03am | #9

    piece of phenolic maybe?

  9. ponytl | Sep 23, 2009 05:36am | #10

    go to the dollar store... look for a chopping block... the right thickness... it'll be some kind of plastic that will withstand dishwasher temps... cut it out of that... i'd still make a gasket for each side...

    p

  10. lettusbee | Sep 23, 2009 06:27am | #11

    http://www.advrider.com

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