flange with neoprene gasket design

utah024

New member
I feel like this might be obvious for most people, but I'm not sure...I built a reactor similar to DJ88's square design, and like most on that thread suggested, I am using 1/4" acrylic for the flange and 1/8" Neoprene for the gasket to seal the top off. My question is...do I cut it like a "square O-ring" and put the screws on the outside of the gasket, or do I cut the gasket to fit the whole flange then put holes through it so the screws actually go through both parts of the flange and the gasket in between. I feel like tightening the screws directly throught the gasket would mean they can't be tightened as much, but if they are on the outside, the allowed level of tightening would bend and possibly stress the acrylic. What works best? Thanks!
 
Either way will work but you will be safer making holes on the gasket in case the screws are overtighten.
 
alright thanks.....one other thing.....i have some nylon 4 40 screws and wingnuts lying around, I know they are small but does anyone see any reason they wouldn't work well enough to seal the flange? Most people I've heard used 1/4 screws but finding nylon screws and wingnuts around cincinnati has proved difficult, and i dont want to order online just for nylon screws unless the ones i have really wouldn't work
 
If you have enough of them (nylon screws) to distribute the pressure, should not be a problem.
 
Yes they might work although I thin 4-40 will be really a stretch as they are realy thin so you will need a lot more of them thus more holes and most of all it will the hazzle of unscrewing and screwing back them on.
For your confort I would recommend thumb head 1/4" screws and tapping the holes so you do not need to use nuts. Belive me after a while many small screws and nuts become a nuiscance for maintenance.
You can order the 1/4" nylon thumb head screws from any lenght from www.mcmaster.com
 
Try your local Lowes or Home Depot. They carry 1/4-20 nylon bolts and wing nuts and might possibly have the 1/4" nylon thumb head screws that Jdieck was talking about.
 
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