Gasket on bottom only?

Boilermaker Ben

Egg maintenance day has to happen before winter...it must...I WILL find time. One of the things on the to-do list, is to finally install that Rutland gasket I got from RRP in June. I've read the tutorials, and we all know how often gasket replacement threads show up on the forum, so that's nothing new...

...but one question I haven't seen asked (probably missed it), is why, if you're only putting one gasket on, would you put it on the bottom half of the egg, rather than on the lid. Seems to me it won't get dripped on, if it's installed on the lid.

Gotta say, I'm a little nervous about removing the bands. I got my egg from a fest, so it was already assembled...no band work for me other than tightening the bolts. I suppose there's a first time for everything.

Other maintenance includes JBWeld repair of my platesetter, installing a piece of felt gasket inside my wobbly DFMT, inspection for cracks, and the like. I might have time this weekend...will have to do a high-temp burn first, as the past several cooks have been lower temps and it's a bit greasy in there.

stike

bottom is fine, it's thicker than the original gasket, roughly as thick as both layers of the felt.

bottom is easier to install, and frankly the more gunked it gets, the happier i am with it. i cannot comprehend those who clean their gasket... but some do.

for one thing, if loose fibers are something (IMO, remotely) to be worried about, then having them above the food (on the upper rim) isn't desirable. and any gunk that gets in there while it's on the bottom wil actually serve to protect it.

RRP

Ben, 3 reasons for base only...

1) because one layer is all that is needed when applied properly

2) by being on the bottom it remains stationary and is not waved over your food which scares some people

3) by being on the bottom you in effect are able to inspect it easily every time you have your dome open - thereby you will notice any deterioration in the unlikely case anything is going wrong.

Give me a few minutes and you'll have an email.

Ripnem

All mine are base only. I guess I was trying to avoid the gravity factor, as well as half the maintenance. :P

Don't sweet the band removal and replacement. It is nice if you have someone else handy to apply some downward pressure on the dome when you go to tighten it up again. At the same time trying to keep the bands closer to the little lip than the edge. if that makes sense.

Just make sure they are TIGHT. You won't break the ceramics under reasonable torque.

stike

don't even have to take the bands off...

fishlessman

if the adhesive doesnt take in a couple areas its easier to glue it back down on the bottom without removing the dome. what adhesive is everyone using now, ive had good luck on one egg with the rutland cement and not so good luck on another. the stickyback rutland gives out around 900 degrees, not sure what the silicone temp range would be. if your using the cement, it has a life span so its better to do it sooner than later

Boilermaker Ben

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'm not really concerned about having the Rutland waving over my food. The health risks from fiberglass and similar materials are primarily via inhalation, not ingestion...but we've talked that to death, I think.

I see your point about future maintenance being easier with it on the bottom. I guess I had hoped that future maintenance would be a long way off, with this kind of gasket. And you're right, Ron...anything going wrong would be a lot more obvious with the gasket on the bottom.

Stike (nice to see you posting with a recognizable handle, by the way), care to elaborate on your comment?

don't even have to take the bands off...

I do have to remove the old gasket (or what's left of it, anyway).

Ripnem

Probly not required, but I do it. Course I take my Lg all over the countryside, so removing a bolt isn't that bigga deal. Although, I have had to replace the lower bolt and now keep a spare on hand. :P

RRP

2 other options - especially if your egg is in a stable table. That is place a board on the dome and have your wife sit on it while you tighten the nuts! If she doesn't cotton to that idea for fear of neighbors seeing her then use a couple long clamps and a 2 x 4 like this

stike

the gasket maker is unstoppable. i don't care what the temp range is, i ain't hit it yet....

might start to fume at 1200 though :laugh:
i got some fumes the first couple times it hit 750+ or so, soon after applying it, but never again.

i can't see how that thick rim can get to higher than 600 itself, for any significant sustained period.

all i'll say is that after the rutland cement cleaved off the second time, i took the same gasket (with adhered rutland cement still on it, and squirted a bead of silicone gasket sealer along the middle of the uncleaned rim, pushing the dirty gasket back down.

FWIW, the adhesive shows no sign of weakness or change since that day, a few years later

stike

you don't need to remoive the domes to take the old gasket off or put the new one ion.

obsessive cleaning of the rim after taking off the old gasket is not necessary. mechanically scrape off the old (paint scraper, razor scraper, etc.) and maybe a quick hit with a scouring pad. and if you install on the bottom (a rutland with the gasket adhesive), you can get to it on all sides with the dome still attached

fishlessman

your just not cooking hot enough, ive replaced springs twice now :laugh: :laugh: they lose temper ive got some kind of ceramic glue to try next, if it doesnt stand up ill try the silicone, thats if i ever get to putting a gasket back on :laugh: