flax size

[joeh]

hello all
any idea the flax diameter of the conventional stuffing box in my stern gear ? rough guess perhaps ? 1 inch shaft, volvo MD6A engine, boat arpege .
ta

 

[Bodach na mara]

The stuff I have bought came as a length of square section stuff about 1/4" or 6mm thick. That was for a 1" shaft as well, but I suppose it may depend as well on the type of stuffing box.

What you do is wind three turns tightly round the shaft and cut off at tha point exactly. You then make two further cuts at the ends of each turn. As you use a Stanley type knife forthis and do not want to mark the shaft, I managed to get a bit of wooden dowel turned to the exact size of the shaft and used that as a model for the cutting.

The three bits are put on the shaft as rings, with the cuts staggered round the shaft by 120 degrees, then the nut is brought up and tightened to compress he packing. This comperssion should leave the shaft turning withought ubdue resistance but must be checked once alfoat. Hopefully someone who has done this more ercently than me will fill in the missing bits and correct any mistakes in this procedure.

 

[joeh]

ken thanks