Questions on making reed valve spring steel & copper gaskets?
 

On the rebuilding antique compressor: Machine reed valves and
metallic gaskets.

This type of reed valves is anything but simple. Circular pad then
goes complete 3/4 around to a two hole tab for fasteners.

I could make them by hand using jeweller's saw & metal sandwich but
what about jet cutting or laser cutting for small order? Six reed
valves and keep four for spares.

I can take photo and outline them and send the line art diagram to
cutting jobber. What type of format they preferred to use so they
don't have to create one? (set up)?

Overall size of each reed valves is about 1" x 1.5".

Same thing for making annealed copper gaskets for high pressure
section. (150PSI peak, working PSI at cutoff is 100-120PSI).

Original gaskets was lead and was used for high pressure gasket as
freon now converted as air compressor. I don't wish to use lead due
to toxicity issues. Annealed copper sheets as gasket is there soft
metal suitable for that?

I was told annealing copper consists of heating copper till dull red
then plunge into water. But by my experience, not neccessary to
quench copper into water? Easier for me to just lay the copper on the
electric stove element and heat it up and let cool slowly on it's own.
These gaskets is only 5" x 4" overall.

Should I anneal copper sheet before cutting (laser or jet) into
gaskets or after?

Thanks and Cheers,

Wizard

"Jason D." wrote in message
...
On the rebuilding antique compressor: Machine reed valves and
metallic gaskets.

This type of reed valves is anything but simple. Circular pad then
goes complete 3/4 around to a two hole tab for fasteners.

I could make them by hand using jeweller's saw & metal sandwich but
what about jet cutting or laser cutting for small order? Six reed
valves and keep four for spares.

I can take photo and outline them and send the line art diagram to
cutting jobber. What type of format they preferred to use so they
don't have to create one? (set up)?

Overall size of each reed valves is about 1" x 1.5".

Same thing for making annealed copper gaskets for high pressure
section. (150PSI peak, working PSI at cutoff is 100-120PSI).

Original gaskets was lead and was used for high pressure gasket as
freon now converted as air compressor. I don't wish to use lead due
to toxicity issues. Annealed copper sheets as gasket is there soft
metal suitable for that?

I was told annealing copper consists of heating copper till dull red
then plunge into water. But by my experience, not neccessary to
quench copper into water? Easier for me to just lay the copper on the
electric stove element and heat it up and let cool slowly on it's own.
These gaskets is only 5" x 4" overall.

Should I anneal copper sheet before cutting (laser or jet) into
gaskets or after?

Thanks and Cheers,

Wizard

You don't say what gauge you are using or the intricacy of the gasket, but I
would cut the gaskets before annealing. Fully annealed copper can be
troublesome to handle and cut especially in the thinner gauges. You might
ask whoever is going to do the laser/water jet cutting for you. You are
correct, there is no need to plunge it in water.



Lane

"Jason D." wrote in message
...
On the rebuilding antique compressor: Machine reed valves and
metallic gaskets.

This type of reed valves is anything but simple. Circular pad then
goes complete 3/4 around to a two hole tab for fasteners.

I could make them by hand using jeweller's saw & metal sandwich but
what about jet cutting or laser cutting for small order? Six reed
valves and keep four for spares.


Look here.
Might just do ya...
http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/valvelife.shtml

K. James wrote:
.... http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/valvelife.shtml

In particular, this section:
http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/makevalves1.pdf
is an *excellent* description of making your own valves by electro
etching. It is very well written and easy to understand.

Good work, Bruce.

Bob

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 09:16:39 -0500, Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

K. James wrote:
... http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/valvelife.shtml

In particular, this section:
http://www.aardvark.co.nz/pjet/makevalves1.pdf
is an *excellent* description of making your own valves by electro
etching. It is very well written and easy to understand.

Good work, Bruce.

Bob

Beauiful!!! Good thing I work on TV and have everything on hand to do
this electolysis etching.

Now I can go and etch reed valves... Now to find certain spring steel.

My question about info the jet or laser cutter need to cut copper to
desired design still stands.

Cheers,

Wizard