Hello All:
I scored some really great square 5 gallon "waterproof" steel military
type boxes with lids that have an 3/8" indent in the metal lid in
which a rubber type gasket material marries up to the box to form a
seal. The lid is held tight by compression clasps. The gasket material
is old and hard and very difficult to remove. My question is how to
remove this material easily, and then, what material do I replace it
with? Thanks for the help.
Mike

mlcorson wrote:
Hello All:
I scored some really great square 5 gallon "waterproof" steel military
type boxes with lids that have an 3/8" indent in the metal lid in
which a rubber type gasket material marries up to the box to form a
seal. The lid is held tight by compression clasps. The gasket material
is old and hard and very difficult to remove. My question is how to
remove this material easily, and then, what material do I replace it
with? Thanks for the help.
Mike

For removal, you might try making a cutter by filing a flat face on a
piece of 1/4" brass rod, like a 'D' shaped cutter. Chuck it in a dremel
or similar, it ought to grind out the hard rubber without cutting into
the steel box lid.

Replacement might be a rubber tube, RTV'd into place, or look at
weatherstrip products.

Stuart

On Tue, 19 May 2009 15:28:04 -0700 (PDT), mlcorson
wrote:

Hello All:
I scored some really great square 5 gallon "waterproof" steel military
type boxes with lids that have an 3/8" indent in the metal lid in
which a rubber type gasket material marries up to the box to form a
seal. The lid is held tight by compression clasps. The gasket material
is old and hard and very difficult to remove. My question is how to
remove this material easily, and then, what material do I replace it
with? Thanks for the help.
Mike

20mm ammo cans. How waterproof do yu want them? If you want them back
to factory original..buy some neopreme and replace the gaskets, cutting
and pasting in new pieces and holding them in place with Goop.

Gunner

"Lenin called them "useful idiots," those people living in
liberal democracies who by giving moral and material support
to a totalitarian ideology in effect were braiding the rope that
would hang them. Why people who enjoyed freedom and prosperity worked
passionately to destroy both is a fascinating question, one still with us
today. Now the useful idiots can be found in the chorus of appeasement,
reflexive anti-Americanism, and sentimental idealism trying to inhibit
the necessary responses to another freedom-hating ideology, radical Islam"

Bruce C. Thornton, a professor of Classics at American University of Cal State Fresno

Sounds like a job for the HF multi tool. I have the Fein, and I'd
guess one of the very best uses is removing old caulk, etc.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"mlcorson" wrote in message
...
Hello All:
I scored some really great square 5 gallon "waterproof" steel
military
type boxes with lids that have an 3/8" indent in the metal lid
in
which a rubber type gasket material marries up to the box to
form a
seal. The lid is held tight by compression clasps. The gasket
material
is old and hard and very difficult to remove. My question is how
to
remove this material easily, and then, what material do I
replace it
with? Thanks for the help.
Mike

On May 19, 3:28*pm, mlcorson wrote:


I scored some really great square 5 gallon "waterproof" steel military
type boxes with lids that have an 3/8" indent in the metal lid in
which a rubber type gasket material ... My question is how to
remove this material easily,

It wasn't intended for removal. If it seems stiff, it could be
covered with
paint; I'd try some paint stripper first, it might not need replacing
at all. I have some Vietnam-era surplus boxes, THEY haven't
lost gasket elasticity.