Replacing rubber seals on main (large) windows/ports [Master Thread]

[Prairie Schooner]

Did some further investigating this afternoon and discovered that my initial assumption was correct. There are two gaskets one internal and one external. A bit of tugging revealed that the gaskets are independent of each other and will easily come out. The frame of the window only has one seam located at the top. The two halves of the frame appear to separate front from back instead of top to bottom.
Has anyone else had these type frames and been able to source the gaskets ?

Digging back here I see that Steven's @peaman 1987 32-3 has portlights like what you're describing. Maybe there will be some clues in the thread below, post # 89, if you haven't seen it.

Replacing Fixed Windows Research [Master Thread]

+1 for 795 sealant. But one cautionary note, make sure you buy and use a fresh tube. I did a port light with a tube that was ~2 years old and discovered that it doesn't ever really dry. more like butyl, except less sticky.

ericsonyachts.org

I still can't figure out how they made those things.

 

[peaman]

Steven's @peaman 1987 32-3 has portlights like what you're describing.

Exactly. A single seam at the top of the outside frame while the inside frame has a gap at the bottom. The image below shows the gasket shrinkage in the lower corner of each port light, successfully sealed with caulk. The inside "gasket" does not provide any sealing function and can be eliminated. I think it is only to prevent dust accumulation in the 1/4"+/- gap, or for aesthetics.

 

[JSM]

Exactly. A single seam at the top of the outside frame while the inside frame has a gap at the bottom. The image below shows the gasket shrinkage in the lower corner of each port light, successfully sealed with caulk. The inside "gasket" does not provide any sealing function and can be eliminated. I think it is only to prevent dust accumulation in the 1/4"+/- gap, or for aesthetics.

Exactly my setup. Thinking about removing the entire outside gasket and sealing the pane in with Dow 795.

 

[peaman]

Exactly my setup. Thinking about removing the entire outside gasket and sealing the pane in with Dow 795.

Please post an update on your result!

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Exactly my setup. Thinking about removing the entire outside gasket and sealing the pane in with Dow 795.

That's what we used to reassemble the trapezoids and an architect told me that's what's used on skyscrapers, assuring me it was Really strong.

 

[Stefouellet]

View attachment 46992
With a piece of wood standing in for the glass. A little treatment with 303 and the gaskets seem to be in good shape. I'm still inclined to reuse them.

Could anybody tell me what is the actual purpose of the big gasket that goes in the larger groove as per the picture above? I have water collecting in that groove and I am having a hard time to understand how water collects there.

 

[bigd14]

Could anybody tell me what is the actual purpose of the big gasket that goes in the larger groove as per the picture above? I have water collecting in that groove and I am having a hard time to understand how water collects there.

That interior gasket is cosmetic only. The water is probably coming through the outside seal, or between the deck and frame. Time to remove and rebed them. For the exterior gasket I gave up on the rubber strip gasket and used Dow 795 after a long and tedious battle to remove a previous owners kitchen and bath silicone job from all the frames. A brass wire wheel on a grinder and various drill attachments seemed to work best. The 795 has held up perfectly for nearly 10 years. I used butyl tape to install the frames. The trick is to install on a hot day or use a heat gun to soften the butyl as you tension the screws. Others use traditional sealant like Sikaflex or 4200, etc.

 

[peaman]

Could anybody tell me what is the actual purpose of the big gasket that goes in the larger groove as per the picture above? I have water collecting in that groove and I am having a hard time to understand how water collects there.

I think that "gasket" is just for appearance and to keep out dust. I don't know why that extra groove is there to start with. As for water in that groove, it could get there from a leak in the bedding at the top of the frame, or it could get past the gasket which surrounds the glass. That gasket can shrink over time, allowing water to enter. In the image below, look closely at each lower corner of the frames to see where the gasket has receded. I filled the gap with black silicone to mitigate leakage.

 

[jim faugust]

All of the above discussions sure do involve a lot of work. If it is leaky windows that is the problem an old guy who maintained a beautiful
E 41, (I thought it was a Hinckley) gave me this advice: "get some Dolfinite bedding compound and with a putty knife 'lightly' push the stuff in around the aluminum frame as well as along the gasket edge but ever so lightly. It cleans up with turpentine and smells good too." About every 3 years or so I'll run a dental tool along the edges to scrape away the dried out bedding and then re do it. It's the same color as the gasket.

 

[peaman]

All of the above discussions sure do involve a lot of work. If it is leaky windows that is the problem an old guy who maintained a beautiful
E 41, (I thought it was a Hinckley) gave me this advice: "get some Dolfinite bedding compound and with a putty knife 'lightly' push the stuff in around the aluminum frame as well as along the gasket edge but ever so lightly. It cleans up with turpentine and smells good too." About every 3 years or so I'll run a dental tool along the edges to scrape away the dried out bedding and then re do it. It's the same color as the gasket.

I too am a fan of Dolfinite for bedding stuff. Other commonly used compounds cannot be stored long after opened, and removal of those products can be daunting compared to Dolfinite. A caulking tube filled with the stuff and sealed with blue tape can last many times longer than the more modern products and makes for easy application.