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McMaster Door Seal edge forming

Lynnb

Lynnb

Well Known Member
So I've searched and read a lot on fitting the mcmaster door seals. Several people reference using a piece of seal to form the correct edge profile, but I can't find any exact detail. So my question(s) are:

1. Do you slide the door seal on and then inject it with epoxy/cabosil mix and then slide it out of the way to form the proper door frame thickness?

2. Do you put a release agent/tape on the inside of the mcmaster seal channel, inject it with epoxy/cabosil mix, let it set-up and then remove it?

3. Some other magic?

Thanks in advance,
Lynn
 
1. Sand down edge as required for seal to fit correctly all around the opening
2. Cut 2-3x 12-24" segments of seal
3. Mask frame where you don't want epoxy
4. Fill seal segments with flox+epoxy and then smoosh into place around door frame --- ensure the segments are fully seated (no release required)
5. Pull masking tape off
6. Wait for epoxy to cure and then peel off seal segments
7. Repeat until done

David
 
and...

Remove any excess smooshed out epoxy.

Make SURE the seal is fully seated when you install it, especially in the corners. I ended up starting in the corner, setting the seal, working out from the corner. If you start on a straight section, when you get to the corner and seat the seal it can stretch. When you walk away, the seal will try and contract, pulling it from the corner. (Don't ask how I know this). If you start in the corner, there will be no stretching into the corner...FWIY...

You will probably destroy the seal pieces used for molds when you remove them...
 
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Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for. Also good to know I was going the wrong direction with cabosil instead I'll mix in flox.

Lynn
 
I used this technique

My original order of 25 feet of seal left me with about 2.5 feet leftover, which I used as a mold. Eventually the removal process ripped the innards out of the C-channel. For the second door, I used the piece I cut for final installation as the mold. Removal once did not seem to harm it at all. I wouldn't try it a 4th or 5th time, though, and expect to re-use it for a final installation.

Just a data point.
 
Thanks, I just checked and I have 50 foot, so I should have plenty to burn.

Lynn
 
Curious. Why are you building up / forming the edge. What is wrong with just sanding down the frame edge and slipping on the door seal?
 
Well

That would have been really nice...unfortunately, the flange varies in thickness from less than 1/8 to more than 5/16. The seal is made for 1/4...
 
Besides, by the time you grind away enough of the doorway edge for a 1/4" gap for the bulb seal to fit in, that edge is knife-edge cross-section in many places.
 
There are a few options based on the edge size you form and which side you want the bite piece to be on (bulb side or inside)

That said I used 1120a311. Other options are 1120a211, 1120a313 or 1120a213

E
 
Seal Size?

Looks like McMaster might have changed their part numbers. Looking on the website, none of the numbers listed in the last few posts from last year are available.
1120A412 has a 3/8" bulb, 1120A422 has a 7/16" bulb.
Other posts have mentioned 211 or 311, etc.
All I see is 112, 212, 312, 412, etc.

I'm getting out the cutter tomorrow and going to grind off the lip down to about a 1/2 of meat remaining.
There seems to be a scribe line but it would only leave me about a 1/4 " to put the seal on.
Thoughts?
Thanks.
Lloyd
RV-10.
Feel like I'm suddenly building a fiberglass airplane:(
 
No epoxy and flox for me

Right or wrong I bought the McMaster door seal, sanded the door frame edge as best as I could and then installed the door seal.

No knife edges. No places where it went on badly. I have 600 hours on the plane, the seals haven?t moved and the doors seal well.
 
awmuhs said:
Right or wrong I bought the McMaster door seal, sanded the door frame edge as best as I could and then installed the door seal.

No knife edges. No places where it went on badly. I have 600 hours on the plane, the seals haven?t moved and the doors seal well.
Click to expand...

same here. Had no issues maintaining a 1/4 edge, though I did need to build a few areas up. Haven't flown yet, but the seal seems to stongly hold on. The seal channel has a metal innard, so it can be sized smaller by squeezing it.

Larry
 
Got it, will give -411 a try.
I see this seal has the bulb on the side, I was was looking at the seals with bulb at the top. Thanks for the help.
Lloyd
 
fastfloyd3 said:
Got it, will give -411 a try.
I see this seal has the bulb on the side, I was was looking at the seals with bulb at the top. Thanks for the help.
Lloyd
Click to expand...
I used the McMaster 411 seal to build up my door frames as others have. Now several months later I can’t seem to get the seal barb to catch on the molded edge. Did anyone else have this issue? Wondering if it’s a temperature issue since it’s in the 50s now but was 80-90 when I did the original install. Maybe the seal material shrinks a bit with temperature?

Thanks,
Todd
 
The 311 is still available. I ordered it today, in stock, same day delivery. A matter of choice, both are fine it seems. The 411 is for thicker edges, meaning you have to build up the edge to 1/4 instead of 3/8.
 
The 311 fits a 3/16" edge.

I used the 1120A411 seal which fits a 1/4" edge. I'm not sure I would have wanted to go thinner as a thicker flange allows more of the original cabin top flange to be preserved. I'll have to build up in some areas but overall it meant that I had to remove less.

I have a lot of pictures on my build log if that is helpful for anyone trying to decide.

Door Seals and Latches – Glen Family RV-10

airplane.allanglen.com airplane.allanglen.com
 
awmuhs said:
No epoxy and flox for me

Right or wrong I bought the McMaster door seal, sanded the door frame edge as best as I could and then installed the door seal.

No knife edges. No places where it went on badly. I have 600 hours on the plane, the seals haven?t moved and the doors seal well.
Click to expand...
Similar experience. No fill. Also 600 hrs with tight fit. Quiet and rain stays out.
 
I have the 311 and the 411 seal material. Neither will seat properly over the molded edge.
 
RV10Pilot said:
Curious. Why are you building up / forming the edge. What is wrong with just sanding down the frame edge and slipping on the door seal?
Click to expand...
Sanded down the edge is all I did. Saves a ton of time. Yea, sone places are thin, but the McMaster seals just fine all the way around. The seal just sits on the edge and not glued into place anywhere.
 
Jesse23 said:
Sanded down the edge is all I did. Saves a ton of time. Yea, sone places are thin, but the McMaster seals just fine all the way around. The seal just sits on the edge and not glued into place anywhere.
Click to expand...
It’s a common practice to fill a sacrificial length of the seal with epoxy/flox to create a perfectly sized bead for the McMaster seal to grab onto. It works but in my case, the barb will not engage in the slot created in the molding process. This causes the back side of the seal to ride high on the canopy edge.
 
tnelson said:
It’s a common practice to fill a sacrificial length of the seal with epoxy/flox to create a perfectly sized bead for the McMaster seal to grab onto. It works but in my case, the barb will not engage in the slot created in the molding process. This causes the back side of the seal to ride high on the canopy edge.
Click to expand...

My plan is to use a razor blade to remove the tip of the barb instead of trying to work the full barb into the channel. That leaves a ridge that is easy to work into the slot without deforming the seal. This approach worked well and held securely when I tested it.

Another approach might be to sand back the pointed edge of the slot so that the barb can drop into place.

There might be other creative ways to pull the barb back. It would be ideal if the barb was triangular in shape and didn't extend backwards.
 
allanglen said:
My plan is to use a razor blade to remove the tip of the barb instead of trying to work the full barb into the channel. That leaves a ridge that is easy to work into the slot without deforming the seal. This approach worked well and held securely when I tested it.

Another approach might be to sand back the pointed edge of the slot so that the barb can drop into place.

There might be other creative ways to pull the barb back. It would be ideal if the barb was triangular in shape and didn't extend backwards.
Click to expand...
I couldn’t get the barb back into the molded barb channel either so I removed the barb as you described with a razor blade. It was a little time consuming and tedious but it did work. The seal has remained in place fine.
 
Richard Connell said:
I couldn’t get the barb back into the molded barb channel either so I removed the barb as you described with a razor blade. It was a little time consuming and tedious but it did work. The seal has remained in place fine.
Click to expand...
Planning to remove the barb on a short length of seal and see how that works. If that ends up as the solution I’ll only have lost a few hours trying not to booger up the barb slot while sanding 😁
Richard Connell said:
is my next
Click to expand...
 
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