For years I have used the dirty finger method of making gaskets.
Place gasket material over component and find the edges with dirty finger, rub finger around edge to give you a line to cut to. Cut out with scissors Bobs your uncle.
Have just made a cylinder base gasket using my scanner.
Scan cylinder, then print on to card of correct thickness.
If you have a real new gasket, before you use it scan it and save the image.
I can see no reason why there should not be a database of scanned gaskets for all engines.
I have always used a very small ball pein hammer. The smaller the better especially for weak casting edges. I trim with scissors sometimes of course if the cut is not clean. When the motor is all together I use a scalpel to gently run around and clean up any "Fluffy Edges" between mating parts.
Hmm, wasnt there a post relating to the saga of a said "Fluffy Bunny and His Seagull" floating about prior to SOS Crash of 09?
I too really don't fancy risking cut hammering gaskets on what might turn out to be a fragile component. I've photocopied or scanned all the gaskets I've replaced so far and I'll post in time but some some require card that is so thick it makes my ancient HP Laserjet LJ5 gag. The thick composite used on Century and Forty Plus water pump housings are a total none starter for printing or hammer cutting in my opinion. Those brought up on making gaskets out of cornflake packets and green Fairy soap to keep their beloved Beezer Bantam/A10 running may recognise this technique for heavy card gaskets........
Coat the surface with engineers blue and print onto the card potato print style... Cut out with scissors, blunt carving knife etc. OK I admit the packet is Weetabix and not Kloggies..... Poster paint or anything else suitable that comes to hand can be pressed into service but lose points if you use her pillar box red nail varnish and forget to filch the polish remover at the same time..........
The blue is wiped off the housing/casting afterwards using a rag soaked in methylated spirits ( methanol and pyridine mixture for younger readers)
Peter
ps For the benefit of those of us on slower broadband speeds (in some cases dial up?) it is preferable (read "considered good netiquette" ) to post links to thumbnails of pictures rather than embed the full size picture link in the post. The difference in download time on a really long thread with numerous pictures is tremendous....rant /plea over and yes I'm looking forward to an illustrated Seagull Bunny Serial.............
