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Hi all

I'm making a pot still from many of the great plans presented on this site.
I need to make 2 gaskets from cork:
1 - for the tri-clover clamp connection
2 - I have a 2" column and could only get a 2 1/8" end cap, so will add a cork gasket to keep it on nice and tight.

I've looked at the auto stores but their cork gasket sheets are part rubber.

I've read here that I need music grade cork - I couldn't find anything about it on google but I assume it's basically cork with no rubber or glue.

Is there anyone in NZ here who can please point me to the right place to get some suitable cork sheeting?

I'm thinking about getting a cork floor tile from the local Mitre 10/Bunnings store and running it through a wood thicknesser until it's really thin, but am worried that the thicknesser might just rip it to bits and/or the floor grade cork tiles contain glue.

Also as for glueing it to the end of the 2" pipe so the end cap can sit on it - What glue can I use? There is possibly a small chance that it could leech in to the ethanol - but I might just be getting paranoid.
I'm a big fan of epoxies like araldite - but I think they will melt at still temps. I also have some high temp silicone.

Look in a musical instrument store, they use cork for fitting the mouthpiece on clarinets & saxaphones

olddog wrote:Look in a musical instrument store, they use cork for fitting the mouthpiece on clarinets & saxaphones

+1 - I got some cork for repairing my sax once at Beggs - not sure if they are nationwide tho.

A good alternative to cork is balsa wood which may be easier to find...

rad14701 wrote:A good alternative to cork is balsa wood which may be easier to find...

+1

I just started using 1/8 inch Balsa. Works very well. Think I will try slightly thicker Balsa next time so that maybe I can reuse them. It is easy to carve the shape with a razor blade.

Also, flour and water work very well for some applications.

Could try spotlight

Do you have "craft" stores in NZ ?

Just make sure you get a natural cork sheet not a man-made one which is put together with glues.