1980 Standard Moravian Parlor stove window gasket needs replacement

[Ali]

The original gasket from around the glass is rope, not the self stick tape wrap-around that is used today. I tried the recommended self-adhesive 3/4" (1/8 thick) glass tape and it left the whole glass piece too big to even fit back in. Not techy enough to post a picture. The window and gasket is between a screwed on cast iron frame holding the gasket, then glass, then gasket against the door frame. All pressed together. I think there was adhesive used. I don't know what size gasket to use. The original looks pressed and semi-flat maybe 5/16". Any ideas as to gasket size and details/tips on how to reinstall the glass and gaskets. I was warned about the dangers of glass touching the hot metal. The doors they fit into are cast iron, if that makes a difference.

 

[begreen]

My guess is that they may have used standard rope gasket. If so, it may have been put in with stove gasket cement? @coaly may know.
I grabbed this picture off of the internet for reference.

 

[coaly]

I think flat gasket wraps around the edge of glass with or without adhesive to hold in place until the frame pinches glass against door?

 

[Ali]

I don't know about non-adhesive vs adhesive but the main issue there is that if a flat gasket is wrapped AROUND the glass it leaves no room to reinsert the glass panel into the stove door frame. I wouldn't think the adhesive would add to the mass of the tape that much. The adhesive wrapped glass can't even be forcibly pushed into the frame. It's that much too much. Thus, back to the original rope on each side and what size. I have looked online and do not see any other window gasket demos like mine. In this picture (thankyou, begreen) it shows the doors open. The inside, facing the camera, is a cast iron framework screwed into the door holding the glass inside. You can see a white gasket peeking out from the edge of the glass. That gasket is not wrapped around the glass but on one side of the glass. Another strip of gasket, not seen, is on the back side of the glass. When I removed it from my stove it was flat, (or flattened from the pressure of the inner frame screwed into the door?) There are no channels for it, just flat surfaces. The width of the glass insert area is 1/2" (plus room to back off by loosening the screws in the frame?). The glass is 3/16" thick. That leaves 5/16" (maybe plus) for the gaskets on either side. See my query?

 

[begreen]

It's quite possible that the window gasket that is there has been flattened after decades of pressure from the glass. 5/16" is a standard stove gasket diameter. On the clamp side could they have used a strip of flat gasket?

 

[coaly]

I am referring to stretching the gasket lengthwise on the edge of the glass. The edges of the flat gasket wrap around the side of the glass, so one side of the gasket is against the door, and the other side of the gasket is against the retainer. This allows the glass to expand and contract and doesn’t need to be exceptionally tight.

 

[Ali]

Problem solved. I took the old removed rope gasket, pictures, the cast iron inner frame (unscrewed), and the window to a wood stove store. He matched the old gasket with a 3/8" white low density rope he had in stock. The low density rope is a loose weave that can press into place without the bulk. It does take adhesive, too, just not on the glass but on the cast iron. Who knew there's different densities of rope! Never saw that anywhere online. Thanks for your responses.

 

[begreen]

Good deal. There definitely are different densities of stove rope and in many cases it makes a notable difference.