Graphite Yarn?

[Pipescs]

quick newbie question on Graphite-Yarn.

I have come to the conclusion my cross head pumps can not be tightened down any farther to stop the leaks around the gland nuts.

Can I make Graphite yarn using regular string and graphite or is there a supplier of said product?

[Marty_Knox]

Try Graphite Tape. McMaster-Carr has it, part no. 9481K11 for .015" x 1/4" in a 50 ft. roll, $11.71 plus shipping.

[elm53]

Any good plumbing supply should have it. Get the braided kind ,cut a length,and use the strands individually. A roll will last for a couple of lifetimes!

[NP317]

I use Teflon equivalent, available in rolls of round shaped form, about 1/8" diameter.
It conforms better than graphite yarn, eliminating internal gaps, and produces little friction in use.
I've not needed to adjust the main rod packing on my Ten Wheeler in 500+ real miles of operation!
~RN

[LVRR2095]

As ELM says....any plumbing supply house will have it as it is used to pack the stop valves on steam radiators.
And yes...a roll will last several lifetimes.

Keith

[steamin10]

I have in my collection of stuff, assorted steam packings that are braided teflon rope with graphite added. These are pressed in a square form for an insert, but unwind readily into individual strands, that form nicely when put in the stuffing box under the gland. Handy stuff for water valves and small valves.

[jschoenly]

Remember packing should be rings, one circle of the rod each with the seam staggered around the rod. Don't just wrapped a length around a few times and slide it in the gland. It may work sometimes but it's not going to work well.

[Bill Shields]

Jared is generally correct about woven packing & rings.

However with true 'yarn' it is a different story.

Yarn in the simplest context is something that is just 'twisted' as opposed to packing that is easier thought of as 'braided'.

With yarn, it is almost always necessary to 'wrap it around' many times since a short piece of yarn is almost impossible to work with and get it to 'stay put'.

The same is true with graphite tape:

You wind it around until it fills the space then pack it in.

This is 'yarn' and can be 'wound':

http://www.maidstone-engineering.com/gr ... n-asbestos

This is braided packing, even though it is called 'yarn' and should be cut into rings as Jared said:

http://www.equalseal.com/category-s/2025.htm