Making smaller (less than 8 1/2 x 11) one-off gaskets

[carbking]

I get quite a few calls from folks wanting me to sell a single carburetor gasket. It isn't going to happen; some folks understand, others appear angry.

 

Most are familiar with the old "hammer" method of cutting gaskets, but there is another way that gives better results.

 

So, at the risk of reducing my carburetor kit business   for those of you wishing a single carburetor bowl to body gasket, or similar:

 

(1) Clean the casting for the gasket

(2) Place the casting on your scanner

(3) Scan the casting using Adobe Acrobat, or some other software of your choosing that will do exact dimensions copy

(4) Put a sheet of gasket material in your printer

(5) Print the scan

(6) Borrow a pair of fingernail scissors from your significant other (better yet, buy your own)

(7) Cut out the gasket.

 

Jon.

[Rusty_OToole]

8  Get a stationary store paper punch to cut the screw holes.

[Mark Wetherbee]

I use a leather punch for the holes, it has several different diameter punches for the smaller screws and I have a few single type for larger holes. It works great 

[Bhigdog]

What printer accepts a sheet of .015 garlock gasket material much less actually prints on it? Just askin. Seriously.......bob

[Ken_P]

Most printers have a fold out tray for individual feed that will accept much thicker paper. Designed for card stock, not a gasket, but great tip!

 

Thanks @carbking

[carbking]

HP P2050 will take 0.015.

 

Have not tried others, perhaps a bad generalization.

 

Jon

[Terry Harper]

Jon, thank you for the great tip and all you do to help us all out!

 

I use this when I get lazy. (LOL) 😁

 

 

[carbking]

Terry - I would LOVE to have one of the laser cutters, but too busy (or maybe too old  ) to learn to use the software to clean up the scans.

 

For the younger folks out there, small "home" lasers are reasonable in price. The problem for me being, that even the salesman states, cleaning the scan will take at least an hour once one has learned how to use the software.

 

A typical gasket that I cut by hand is cut maybe once in 5 years, and takes 10~15 minutes. Just not time-feasible to do the laser at my age.

 

Jon.

[Terry Harper]

That's totally understandable Jon!

 

I usually scan then import into AutoCAD and trace then export to the laser cutter which saves clean-up. Since they are usually for my own use time is irrelevant (LOL)

Previously I had "tapped" out all the gaskets for the intake and water manifolds for my T-head Wisconsin project. When I got the laser cutter I just had to do them over again simply 

because it is so cool to watch!