Gasket Cement Recommendations?

[bilvihur]

Replacing gaskets on my VC Resolute Acclaim. The Imperial cement I tried has the appearance and sticking ability of Karo syrup! It won't hold on vertical surfaces. What's the best cement for these applications?
Also, my damper rod hangs up on the ramp on the back of the damper occasionally, even though I've steel wooled both surfaces smooth. Any recommendations on a high-temp lubricant for this?

 

[begreen]

You can use RTV silicone or I've had good luck with Meeco Thermoseal.

Graphite is a good high temp lubricant.

 

[Ashful]

I just use Rutland Gasket Cement, available in any stove shop and most hardware stores, around here. Not great on wet adhesion, but damn near bullet-proof once fired. Hold the gasket in place with bits of masking tape for first firing.

 

[PapaDave]

I've had the best experience putting in a new gasket by first taking the door off and laying it on a flat surface.
Let the glue set up for a bit before putting the door back on the stove. I've used Rutland and it works well. I've also used Imperial, but prefer the Rutland.

 

[Ashful]

The key to using any gasket cement is to keep it minimal. If you fill the groove with cement, then there's no space for the gasket to compress, and you'll end up with a leak at the corner of your door farthest from the latch. Minimal smearing of Rutland cement, press gasket into it in a relaxed state (not stretched), tape in place, and fire.

FWIW, I'm not a fan of the grapho gaskets, unless you can find the special cement they require. If glued on with regular gasket cement, I find the grapho gaskets almost always fall off. For me, they're not worth the trouble, regular fiberglass gaskets have worked well enough for generations.

 

[begreen]

Our graphite gasket is now 4 yrs old. I'll probably replace it this summer. According to Tom Oyen, RTV works fine on them, and he's done a lot more of them than I ever will.

Here's Craig's article on the topic:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/stove_gasket

 

[Ashful]

Good to know! All I know is that furnace gasket cement does NOT work with the grapho glass gaskets!

 

[PapaDave]

I've never taped a gasket.
Never had a problem with the graphite gaskets either, and I've used both the Rutland and Imperial cement.
I always take the door off to remove gasket, clean groove, reglue, and place gasket in groove in a (as Joful said) relaxed state. Works every time.
The Rutland gaskets can be had with the cement in the package. If you're getting your gasket by the foot, I can see where a problem may arise.
Joful, which furnace gasket cement are you referring to? I'm curious, and would like to avoid it if it's not going to work.

 

[xman23]

I didn't know standard Rutland didn't work well with graphite gaskets. But I can confirm I had issues with it falling out. There was a lot of talk some time ago about the high temp RTV. I picked some up in a auto store. I think it has a temp rating of 650 F. The next time I'm going to give it a try.

 

[Ashful]

PapaDave, I also often don't tape my gaskets, but was including it in the instructions for a beginner. It does make some jobs easier. I don't find it necessary on door gaskets, but it is sometimes necessary on things like interior burn plates.

The cement I use is the standard Rutland Stove and Gasket Cement:



It works very well with the standard fiberglass gasket rope. I buy standard braided gasket rope from McMaster-Carr, rather than the little packages sold by Rutland. I rebuilt two two top-loading stoves with double front doors, ash doors, bypass dampers, and gasketed rear burn plates last year, and feel like I bought nearly a mile of the stuff! One stove looked like it still had original gaskets from 1993, other than the top load door gasket, which I had replaced myself with a grapho gasket in 2011. It began to come loose the first time I caught it with the rough edge of a split. The other stove came with all new grapho gaskets, installed by the seller, which fell off after just a few weeks use.

That grapho top load door gasket that fell off inside of the first year was put on with the cement that it was packaged with:

 

[begreen]

I prefer an adhesive for a gasket to a cement. They have different purposes. In the Rutland line, this is their adhesive. It has similar properties of the Meeco product, but I haven't tried it.

(broken link removed to http://www.rutland.com/productinfo/stove-gasket-adhesive.html)

 

[Ashful]

Thanks for posting that, begreen. I'll have to check it out, although I've definitely come very close to that 800F limit on my top load door!

 

[PapaDave]

Thanks Joful.
I've used that, but only to seal pipe joints.
It doesn't really seem to like heat (weird, for a high temp product), and cracks/flakes by the end of a single season.

 

[Ashful]

Which product, Dave? Three were posted! :lol:

 

[charly]

I've always used RTV when ever I can... Makes it soooooo nice to clean up when ever you have to change a gasket back out..

 

[PapaDave]

DOH!
I meant the

 

[PapaDave]

This one

I've used on the door w/o issue.
Brain fart.

 

[madison]

If you decide on Rutland, beware there are two rutland cements/adhesives - make sure it is "black"

 

[Trilifter7]

I like the Meeco brand from menards. It's a little more pastie than the imperial brand and seems to bond better. Never tried RTV silicone but I might next time.