Question about rope gaskets

[gumbymager]

I need to get some 6mm and 5mm replacement rope gaskets for my wood burning stove, but can't figure out exactly what that converts to in US measurements. When I look up 6 or 5mm, all I find are gaskets, but they are being sold in the UK, etc.

does anyone know what 5mm and 6mm converts to?

thanks,

Cathy

 

[jotulguy]

What kind of stove do you have?

 

[gumbymager]

it is a Scandia 900

 

[Hearth Mistress]

5mm about .20".
6mm about .23"

Closest I've seen listed on US sites would be 1/4" but I'd check with the manufacturer recommendations. We bought our stove used from a friend and they had the wrong gasket in it. because it was too big the door wasn't closing right.

Good Luck!

 

[gumbymager]

thank you! it's going to be hard to find those sizes, I see....

 

[Shmudda]

1" = 25.4mm
Or
1mm = .03937"

Easy!

Craig

 

[Hearth Mistress]

thank you! it's going to be hard to find those sizes, I see....

I am far from an expert but it's fractions of mm difference. Gasket kits are cheap, including the gaskets and cement, so if you want, you can try 1/4" kit instead of trying to order it from overseas where they use the metric system, it may just be ok for you. I'm sure the shipping would be more than the kit (about $12 at Ace Hardware here) anyway.

 

[Ashful]

C'mon guys... 6mm is usually substituted with 1/4", and 5mm is usually substituted with 3/16".

6mm = 0.24"
1/4" = 0.25"

5mm = 0.20"
3/16" = 0.19"

These gaskets ain't exactly made to 0.01" tolerances, and depending how you squeeze or stretch 'em, they vary up and down by maybe 30% of their diameter. Be sure to install them in their relaxed state, not stretched, using minimal cement. That groove should be filled with gasket rope, not cement.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

Thanks, for clarifying, that was my sediment as above. I didn't know there was a smaller size than 1/4" as that's the smallest I've seen. Now I know

 

[Ashful]

Oh, yeah! I've bought as small as 1/8", but the place I buy from sells as small as 1/16".

http://www.mcmaster.com/#furnace-gaskets/=l6maoi

Jotul specifies the "tightly braided" variety, not knitted. Not sure what stove the OP has, but I suspect it's something Euro.

 

[gumbymager]

thanks guys, my husband crunched some numbers and did figure out that the closest equivalents were 1/4" and 3/16".

 

[Ashful]

Good. Be sure you scrape all the old cement out of the grooves, and use minimal cement when installing the new gaskets. I avoid the new "grapho gaskets", as I've seen too many of them fall off, and never saw any reason why one would want to switch away from traditional fiberglass gasket rope. If you do use the grapho gaskets, I think there's a special cement to use with them.

In any case, chisel out that old crap with an awl or some other sharp implement, hit the groove with some good 60 or 80 grit carbide or aluminum oxide paper, and install your new gaskets. As I said before, minimal cement... the groove should be filled with compliant gasket rope, not hard cement. If your cement is in a hand-squeeze tube, be sure you kneed it a bit before you cut the tip off the tube, as the stuff does separate a bit sitting on the shelf. Work quick, as the stuff dries fast, and install the rope in a relaxed state, not stretched. Clean up any excess (although there shouldn't be any, unless you used too much cement), and close and latch your doors for an hour or three. After that, have a gentle / moderate fire to cure the cement.

 

[gumbymager]

thank you Joful! Will do....