Servicing Lionel Smoke Units... Gasket material for beneath the shell??

I bought some foam rubber with a glue backing at Michaels some time back, I cut them out of that.  I believe it's between 1/16" and 1/8" thick.  I consider those single use, even what Lionel uses is usually toast after it's been in there a couple of years.

I’ve used the black tar that auto mechanics used on the gas/oil covers if a gasket cannot be found. Comes in a small tub. Can be messy if it gets on your fingers but really acts as a sealant.
I have the tube in the garage and can get the actual name tomorrow and post it here.

Butyl Tape

Here's what I ended up with. 9" x 12" sheet from Hobby Lobby. With the backing it's about .077 thick. Should be enough to last me quite a while! 99 cents!!

Looks like the stuff I use Jeff, works fine for me.

@Ted Bertiger posted:

I’ve used the black tar that auto mechanics used on the gas/oil covers if a gasket cannot be found. Comes in a small tub. Can be messy if it gets on your fingers but really acts as a sealant.
I have the tube in the garage and can get the actual name tomorrow and post it here.

Red/Orange high temp Permatex silicone gasket material works and allows easy disassembly. Not nearly as messy as the old Permatex used on head gaskets.

Pete

@Ted Bertiger posted:

I’ve used the black tar that auto mechanics used on the gas/oil covers if a gasket cannot be found. Comes in a small tub. Can be messy if it gets on your fingers but really acts as a sealant.
I have the tube in the garage and can get the actual name tomorrow and post it here.

You are talking about Permatex #2.  That comes in a tube unless you're talking about aviation Permatex.

Yep, white tube of permatex form a gasket sealant. Black tar-like substance.
I like the sheet from Hobby Lobby. Going to use that.

@Jeff T posted:

I just picked up a DRGW F3 AA set from 2014. #38702... Yes the proverbial 3 blinks of death on the smoke units. I have fan motors, I can solder, so no worries there.

My question is about the gasket Lionel has applied to the underside of the shell to seal against the funnel from the smoke unit. I had used some roadway tape that I bought at my LHS. Ten years in a bag, nope can't use that anymore!

What are you guys using to make gaskets?? Thanks!!

This reminded me of one of my trips to Madison Hardware as a kid. I went to see Lou and Carl about a smoke unit for my dads now mine Turbine. Lou went right to a draw and pulled one out, it was missing the small felt gasket. Right away this caused a total melt down, I had to be home home before it was dark and it was getting late. Carl would not sell it to me without the gasket. This went on for over an hour, in the mean time I said to him give me two just in case, oh boy this was not what I should have said. Next thing I heard was are you going into part sales? On and on this was the fun of Madison you never knew what would happen. My parents knew when I went to the "store" I would be gone most of the day.

I know this is off topic but it brought me back.

@Jeff T posted:

Here's what I ended up with. 9" x 12" sheet from Hobby Lobby. With the backing it's about .077 thick. Should be enough to last me quite a while! 99 cents!!

Jeff,

I was at Hobby Lobby in Marlboro, NJ today and bought exactly what was pictured. I can see how well it serves as a smoke unit gasket.
Even better, it was a 40% off sale, saving me a whopping 40 cents. Can’t even get a traction tire with my huge savings!

It works well Ted, I've been using it for years.  Easy to whack a gasket out of and stick it in.

John,

I need to re-do my Lionel Reading T1 puffing smoke unit. Has a round curve-like unit so will have to trace out a gasket and cut it with a Xacto knife or scissor.
I can see this material will work well.