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Ultra Copper Gasket (long)

Frank from Houma
Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Real pleased with the Small and Mini gaskets
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Link to original post for Small and Mini
http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1020644&catid=1

Time to do the XL

Cut the jig for shaping the gasket
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Applying gasket material
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Lay down plenty - should be a bit more than you need
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Continue
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Notice rough spot between 4 and 6 o'clock Don't try to reshape after approximately 10 minutes after applying - It will roll on you
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Here is the rough spot - notice smoke
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Here is a low spot - easily identified from smoke
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Had two low spots and the rough spot. Easily fixed by cleaning the gasket with just water and adding to the gasket using the jig. Used 5 tubes on the XL.

All good
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Comments

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Mr. Frank,IF I were to EVER use a gasket,I would roll with the SIMPLE,EASY way you have introduced.Thanks MUCH!!! :)
  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    I have a new BGE gasket for Lily Large but in four years I haven't bothered to put it on. Now I'm thinking I may use the Ultra Copper Gasket like you did.

    I take it the copper gasket dries hard. Is there any sanding involved to take care of 'un-smooth' places?

    I said years ago that BGE should use some sort of 'trueing' process to match the dome rim to the base rim. I had to sand down a high spot on Lily but then found a low spot. It took me a few hours but I managed to get both halves flat. They passed the dollar bill test all the way around before I even applied the gasket. But that gasket is pretty much gone now.

    I'll think on it some.

    Spring "Somebody's Gotta Be Up At This Hour" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    It's Rhum time someplace.
  • Ross in Ventura
    Ross in Ventura Posts: 7,234
    Thanks for all the great information Frank

    Ross
  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    Thanks the step by step tutorial. I learn better seeing rather than reading.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • Leroy,

    It dries hard but not to the hardness of say a bowling ball - has a little spring in its step.

    Neaux sanding. If you had a high spot, you can simply cut it down with a sharp knife and then build it back up to level with the rest of the gasket. That is what I did with the rough spot.

    BTW - I wouldn't have messed with it if I could have held 250 dome. Couldn't hold 250 even with the guru.
  • DrZaius
    DrZaius Posts: 1,481
    Hey Frank that is a great idea. Maybe we could mail the Ultra Copper Jig around like the pizza toss kit! :P :woohoo: :woohoo: :P
    This is the greatest signature EVAR!
  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
    Holding a low temperature is not a problem with my Lily, with or without the Guru.

    Her gasket is pretty much completely gone, and has been for two or three years. But I've noticed lately that my remaining lump tends to burn up. So there's some air coming in somewhere.

    Spring "Air In The Dome" Chicken
  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    http://www.permatex.com/products/Automotive/automotive_gasketing/gasket_makers/auto_Permatex_Ultra_Black_Maximum_Oil_Resistance_RTV_Silicone_Gasket_Maker.htm

    Frank,
    Great ideas you have! I saw your previous posting and went out bought the ultra copper. Since then I also bought Ultra Black because it's black in color. I'm just not comfortable with the copper color. I have used Ultra black to adhere firebrick to wood on two of my BBQ Islands with good results. I do want to give it a go...I think the mini will be the guinea pig. :ermm:
  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    Not good.... from the MSDS.

    When heated to temperatures above 300 degrees F. in the presence of air, this product can form formaldehyde vapors. Formaldehyde is a potential cancer hazard and a known skin and respiratory sensitizer. Safe handling conditions may be maintained by keeping vapor concentrations below the OSHA permissible limit for formaldehyde.

    Conditions to Avoid: Exposure to moisture.
    Hazardous Products of Combustion: Oxides of carbon, Oxides of nitrogen, Methyl ethyl ketone, possibly methyl
    ethyl ketoxime, Silica fume, Formaldehyde
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Thanks for taking the time to document and post Frank. The error spot notes should be useful to the folks.

    I think it was Ranger Ray who, many years ago, used regular silicone for gasket material. Wondering how his silicone is holding up as to use and with high heat cooks.

    Kent
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    Less than a year since i got my large, and so much of the gasket was gone that i had too much of a problem maintaining "low and slow" cooks. My cooks would drift up to 30 to 40 degrees above my setpoint and remain there too long!! So i removed what littl;e was left of the factory gasket(who knows how much of it we ate?) and replaced with the help of Ron Prat . Now, what suprised me was how much lump i was using up, during the shutdown period. Little by little it got worse, and without me noticing just how bad it was. The new gasket install was very easy.. Thanks again Ron.
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    A lot of information missing to make any assessment as to risk. The only part of the gasket that would be exposed to those kinds of temps would be the inside edge. Any formaldehyde would no doubt be vented out the top of the egg. I think people are exposed to far more formaldehyde from other sources than they would be standing around an Egg with this gasket. We'd have to know what levels could form, if it could be deposited on the food (and what levels), etc. etc.
    The Naked Whiz
  • BananaChipz
    BananaChipz Posts: 207
    Right Whiz, but the logic that "information is missing, so let's just go ahead and use it" is just ridiculous.

    Yes Yes, before anyone gives the "you can walk across the street and get hit by a car" Grade 2 logic answer, or the "We are exposed to chemicals everyday" argument:

    You know what you know... Sure we may be exposed to stuff, but in life nothing is black and white... It's shades of gray... be as safe as you can within within your control . Without wearing tinfoil hats of course :)

    You should be using something like this: http://www.rmoreau.com/item/su5005-food-grade-rtv-silicone-adhesive-sealant/120
    Certified food-grade high temp. Now, they claim the red goes up to 600F - which isn't as high as the copper cancer goo - however with a little research I'm sure we could find one that goes higher.
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    formaldehyde is produced by the very charcoal you are burning.

    it's not logical to ignore risks of something merely because you are familiar with it.

    is the formaldehyde in the charcoal smoke (along with the much more dangerous carbon monoxide) any less dangerous?
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • eenie meenie
    eenie meenie Posts: 4,394
    Frank, you make everything look easy. ;)
  • BananaChipz
    BananaChipz Posts: 207
    It's even LESS logical to blindly accept documented risks when you know about them.

    The fact is, people have been cooking with Charcoal for a long long time. Charcoal is also used specfiically for cooking, not automotive engines. Is it perfect? probably not... but again, it's not a black and white issue. There are acceptible levels of risk, and then there are just plain stupid ones

    There are food-grade silicone's available. Why would you subject your family to one that blatently says is dangerous?
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    he wasn't saying that just because info was missing it;s ok to use it. saying that he did is what is ridiculous.

    he's saying, get more info andmake up your mind.

    i just find it completely hilarious that people will throw out one thing as an example of a horrible risk because they aren't familiar with it, while ignoring all the other risks inherent in something because they are TOO familiar with it.

    silicone is used in bake ware, fwiw, and puts off the same fumes if it burns. trick is to not let it burn in the first place, and not to inhale the fumes if it DOES burn.

    always prudent not to inhale the carbon monoxide spewing from our eggs either
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    food grade silicon is also no longer 'food grade' when it burns. using food grade silicon and allowing it to burn is no safer.

    nothing is black and white. i don't wanna speak for the whiz, but if a person can't read and understand the info (rather than cherry picking frightening lines of an MSDS), then by all means, run away.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    I didn't say that, so hopefully you aren't saying that I said that.

    I did a bit more looking into formaldehyde. The carcinogenic risks are associated with inhaling formaldehyde, so I should think one could avoid any risk associated with the possibility of it being formed in this application by not inhaling the air exiting their cooker.

    Also, the risk is associated with long-term exposure, which of course, we aren't discussing here. The EPA estimates of the increased risk of cancer from inhaling formaldehyde involve a person breathing air containing a small amount of formaldehyde continuously over their entire lifetime. I don't see an occasional whiff of some air exiting your cooker that may or may not contain significant amounts of formaldehyde vapor a risk to be concerned with.

    So personally, I don't think there is a problem using this gasket. I would use it based on what I know. Everyone has to decide for themselves if they wish to drive a car, drink water from a bottle containing BPA, etc. Hopefully, their decision is base on something other than a tangentially-related quote from an MSDS.

    FWIW....
    The Naked Whiz
  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    Now that I think about it, BEG has been using silicone gasket adhesive for years on ALL it's eggs, even the mini. Seems like a good product to make a very good seal around the sometimes uneven lip edge between dome and base. And a soft landing is a definite plus. ;)
    I'll be thinking more on this product before I go ahead. This forum rocks, all I learned I learn'ed here. :lol:
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Of course, the silicone gasket around the lower vent could reasonably be thought not to get up to 300 degrees. :)
    The Naked Whiz
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Did you read the MSDS for the "Food Grade RTV Silicone Adhesive Sealant" you recommended?

    "When heated to temperatures above 150 °C in the presence of air, product can form formaldehyde vapors. Formaldehyde is a potential cancer hazard, a known skin and respiratory sensitizer, and an irritant to the eyes, nose, throat, skin and digestive system. Safe handling conditions may be maintained by keeping vapor concentrations within the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit for formaldehyde."

    Sounds kinda' familiar. ;)
    The Naked Whiz
  • The copper/green kind of goes with the "U" colors :)

    I tried to find purple and gold but couldn't locate any :(
  • BananaChipz
    BananaChipz Posts: 207
    Hmmm.. interesting... I just saw that too..

    I bet the felt crap gives off a toxic soup when it chars as well...
  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
    hello..... my red goop is still holding out quite well...about 8 years?....maybe more.... rr
  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
    when i did my gasket...... put down a bead of silicone...... then sprayed some plastic wrap with "PAM"...... put it over the bead of goop..... closed the lid and allowed it to dry over night .... it conformed to any irregularities...similar to make a dental impression...... the next day.... pulled off the pre greased wrap.... that's it!.... rr
  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
    when i did my gasket...... put down a bead of silicone...... then sprayed some plastic wrap with "PAM"...... put it over the bead of goop..... closed the lid and allowed it to dry over night .... it conformed to any irregularities...similar to make a dental impression...... the next day.... pulled off the pre greased wrap.... that's it!.... rr
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
     
    Ray, was that a high temperature silicone and do you do very much high temperature cooking?

    Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Kent
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    you are certainly welcome!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.