PING Egghead Permatex Ultra High Temp Gasket question(s)

[DATsBBQ]

I reviewed your entired post on n'whiz's site and decided to it a give a try. I've scraped all old gunk off the top and the bottom lips , cleaned with acetone and they are good to go.

I measured the gap of the clam shell rings that secure the top and bottom together at the hinge - 5mm. (tad more than 3/16") so I'm figuring that should be the depth of the gasket material.

Here's the problem, the width of the bottom lip is mostly 20mm but in two areas increases by 3mm to 23mm (tad less than an 1/8") If the jig is against the inside of the cooker bottom, any overage will hang off the exterior. If it does "sag" while curing, it would be above the bottom ring so no big deal. But if the Permatex does sag, can it be cut/trimmed with a knife? You mentioned it sets up like a bowling ball.

Other problem is that the ridge on bottom exterior below the ring runs 20mm to the top cooker but again in one spot the lip drops off causing that measurement increase to 23-24mm. If I ride the lip all the way around it will create a low spot of 3 to 4 mm. So I haven't come up with a solution for that yet. Any ideas?

I've set the top and bottom together sans lift mechanism and there isn't any gaps to speak off so my belief is that the plane is ok on both the top and bottom. Just the exterior ridge is off. Maybe they're designed that way or its just how they come out of the mold.

[egghead]

Dave,

If you are pretty handy with a router and trammel, it may be better to cut a slot in some plywood the same internal and external diameter of the rim, then put the permatex in the groove, let it set up, remove and apply with a thin layer of permatex. If I do it again, that is the way I'm going to try. A guy on the egghead forum did it this way after I replaced mine.

Alternatively I would make the opening 23-24 mm and simply cock the jig on the portions that are 20 mm so you stay in contact with the ID and OD of the base. For the small area where the lip drops off, you can come back and add some permatex to that small area. You may want to let the initial application set up, then start a small fire with a bunch of smoke - any where that a gap exists will show up dark from the smoke and you can add a bit of permatex to fix those spots.

My statement that it sets up like a bowling ball was a little over the top (never let the facts get in the way of a good story) - you can certainly trim the permatex with a knife.

Good luck with it

BTW - I did a cleaning burn on all three eggs this past weekend. Not sure what the temp was on the XL (likely around 1200) cause the needle went well past 900 on the TelTru thermo. I had some damage to the ID portion of the permatex at the back of the XL but once it cooled down it still had a good seal. Kind of scary when you lift the dome on an XL at 1200.

[FR8 Train]

NERDS!!

[egghead]

[DATsBBQ]

I own a router but alas my skills with it leave much to be desired. Of all my tools, its the only one that scares me. I'd be better off with some exacto knifes, some wood chisels and a rubber mallet. Nerdy old school.