Stuffing Box

[joeb423]

Hi everyone,

I'm attempting to repack the stuffing box with Gore GFO packing. The shaft is 1" and I measured the old packing which was 1/4".

I came upon this site http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box&page=2 which is a great illustration of repacking.

I can get two rings into the stuffing box and get the female nut screwed all the way to the locking nut. Getting that third ring on is proving very difficult. None of the rings slid in as easily as it looks on the website. I had to use 1" pvc cut to small slices as spacers then screw on the female nut in order to get the rings packed.

I made sure to get all the old stuff out. I'm wondering if the first ring just did not go far enough back and is holding up the second.

This weekend I'm starting from scratch, but any helpful hints would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[woodster]

you may want to look at Maine Sails documents on this ...

regards

woody

 

[Calypso]

This year I swore I got it all out and could not get the last packing in. I tried again and found one last winding of packing. It should hold three and be no problem. Maybe put two in, tighten, then put the third in.

 

[garylinger]

When I did my 're-power' last month I also repacked. I had been told that with the 1 inch shaft I would need 1/4 inch packing. I was only able to get 1 ring in and upon looking at the old packing, it appears to be 3/16 and there was only 1 ring of it! I even took the packing nut completely off of the shaft and looked at it thinking I might have missed something.

 

[joeb423]

I'll give it one more shot. Check for old packing and make sure to seat every ring as far back as possible. If it's still doesn't work then I'm thinking that I'll try the 3/16".

It should not be this difficult so I know I did something wrong.

Thanks for your help.

 

[RussB]

I repacked last season. The packing was 3/16th and I got four rings in. It was a bit tight but once I got the nut started I was able to get several turns and shoved the rings into the gland. after a season I do need to tighten it up by a flat or two. I think I want a drip every 20-30 seconds while running at full speed.

 

[joeb423]

I removed the two rings which I stuffed into the box and made sure there was no old stuff left. Check, nothing left.

I made sure to stuff the first ring as far back as possible by using pvc spacers. Check, the first ring went as far back as possible.

I stuffed the second ring as far back as it would go.

Okay, ready for the third ring? No. After I stuffed the third ring in the female box would not catch the threads. It came darn close though.

I tried 3/16 inch packing and no way. 1/4" is definitely the correct size. The 3/16 was too thin.

I took another run at the 1/4" except this time I cut the 2nd ring in half. I did this very carefully making sure not to fray the packing. I must say the ring looked pretty good and packed without coming apart.

3rd ring in and bingo, the threads caught.

Will this work? Well, the old packing was a complete mess and the Gore packing is in infinitely better shape even cut in half.

I will let you know.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Joe