Has anyone tried a Cricut machine for cutting gaskets?

Discussion in 'Fettling Forum' started by David L, Nov 16, 2018.

  1. David L

    David L Subscriber

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    [​IMG]

    David L
     
  2. presscall

    presscall United Kingdom SotM Winner SotY Winner Subscriber

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    I’ll confess I didn’t know they existed, but having watched the company’s video I understand the potential.



    The only cutter I could see might work for washers - getting around the tight curves required - is the knife blade type and not the wheel. Even then, I wonder what the practicalities of keeping the blade sharp (or blade replacement) when cutting Novus gasket material might involve.

    A decent concentric punch set, like my Maby one, cuts a sealing washer in Novus, viton or lead quickly and cleanly and the set costs less that the Cricut, which admittedly has evidently got a lot of versatility for other applications.

    A6FF0DC6-DF62-4A9C-ABB9-169D4DFB5586.jpeg
     
  3. David L

    David L Subscriber

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    I punch gaskets with individual punches not the Mayhew style dual strike punches.
    My concern in manually viton cutting gaskets is that the inner hole is frequently off center.
    Even when I have a marked center point to work with.
    Once the outside ring is punched there is not enough mass to keep the gasket from stretching off center during the punching process.

    When using fixture mounted cork borers and I start with the inner hole I have slightly better luck, but there is still some movement in the viton sheet.
    What am I missing about keeping material precisely centered?

    David L
     
  4. Duck

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    I’ve thought about but haven’t tried it with the wife’s
    Cricut.
     
  5. cmb56

    cmb56 Sweden Subscriber

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  6. presscall

    presscall United Kingdom SotM Winner SotY Winner Subscriber

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    I wouldn’t presume to say you’re missing anything, but before I got the concentric punch set I’d select a hole punch suitable for the inner hole ... then cut a square out of the gasket material with the hole in the middle and plenty of spare gasket material around it. I’d then cut around the centre hole to an approximately suitable dimension on a larger radius.

    Finally, I’d use a Dremel and abrasive wheel to smooth off the outer contour, sometimes with a more slender abrasive wheel to adjust the centre hole if it was a bit tight on the burner riser screw.

    Oh, and I’d make sure I’d got a dust mask, hat and goggles while I was doing it!

    Slightly lengthy procedure and a bit wasteful of gasket material but straighforward and produced perfectly good washers. I’d use the same procedure for viton ones.
     
  7. Christer Carlsson

    Christer Carlsson Sweden Moderator SotM Winner

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    I think that pdf is slightly obsolete.
    They don't sell the sets complete with the wooden box anymore, and the prices are different from the old pdf-file.
    Better to just go to the website of Måby.
    Hopefully they update it now and then, but it's a small business.
     
  8. Afterburner

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  9. DDenney Hungary

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    @David L Sorry for being off topic how much experience do you have with cricut and would you recommend it?
     
  10. David L

    David L Subscriber

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    I have not yet used a Cricut.
    I know a couple of owners and am trying to schedule a tutorial.

    David L