The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Engine gaskets...

Individual gaskets for the 235 are disappearing now and those being sold are in some cases stuff wholesalers are liquidating. You folks all probably get the Rock Auto "closeout" emails so you know what I mean. In fact a brief look on the internet this morning found a handful of typical 235 gaskets (when you click on them and try to purchase) are shown as "no longer available" or "back ordered," "not in stock," "discontinued," etc.

I am not listing this in the Swap Meet section because I have nothing particular to offer right now and actually this is more a question than anything else. I've made CNC instructions for a few of the individual gaskets (example: water pump gasket, fuel pump gasket, thermostat housing, etc). The list of small to medium sized gaskets that could be made is not a short list. Not the head gasket, valve cover, side cover nor oil pan. I can't make those. However, I had to use one of the gaskets I had made the other day and it made me curious (and later shocked) to know what that single gasket would have cost if I had to buy it. Hence the post.

My question basically is would offering individual gaskets here make sense? I realize there would not be a brisk trade but that's not what this is about...it is simply an idea that might be a benefit to folks. Benefits are good, aren't they? No matter where you live (especially if you're in another country) I know the cost of delivery could be improved vastly. Shipping & postage has evidently become a profit center for some of the vendors out there. Most of these could be mailed in a #10 envelope, after all.

So, I'd be interested to hear what you think.

That's an excellent idea, at least for folks who don't know how to make gaskets with a hollow punch set and a ball peen hammer. I always keep a stock of various thicknesses of gasket paper on hand, and I've had a gasket punch set and an engraver's chasing hammer with about a 1/2" diameter ball end for many years. There's no telling how many hundreds of gaskets that little tool has made!

Thanks Jerry. I used that same method until I got the laser machine. Here's an example. A common water pump gasket for 1955 onward (the dark one is the actual Fel-Pro gasket I took out of the remnants of a complete engine gasket kit). The lighter one is the gasket I created and used...after cleaning it up a bit (design-wise). Fel-Pro's gasket looked slightly wonky to me and I think you'll see why. It looks to me like their steel die rule cutter was made a bit out of true. This gasket is still being sold by some vendors for around $4 or $5 plus an equal amount of postage charges so you'll pay $10 or so. I think I could send that gasket for $4 or $5 total (including postage) in the USA or add a buck fifty to that for delivery to another country. I'd have to fold it to fit it in a #10 envelope but it would deliver fast and there would be no import fees, etc.

As I said, just a thought and a bit of curiosity. My guess is most people don't keep gasket material and might not want to fiddle with making a gasket like this. If they don't keep gasket material handy a roll of it will cost between $10 and $20...as you know.

You may have received another email from Rock Auto showing 3 or 4 more 235 closeout gaskets this morning. I received a second email for the 1963 and newer trucks. Same thing but with a few different type gaskets shown. The point is the signs are very clear: soon these individual gaskets won't be available. They'll be like wheel cylinder and master cylinder rebuilding kits and several other things...gone to the land of the dodo bird.

Tell us more about the laser machine

Best place for continued talk on the laser machine should be in the The Tool Chest forum. Maybe Jon G can start a thread in there?

Sure...please go to The Tool Chest and I'll tell you about the laser machine....