by woodduck » Sat Jan 05, 2019 8:00 am
Are your clamps bottoming out/ running out of thread? If so your flanges may be too thin? If they are you may have to make another rig to put behind the easy flange or cut a flat ring out and solder to the bottom of the flange to give the flange more thickness. If the clamps still have thread left and could be tightened more you need to flatten and face your flanges by putting them back on your anvil and gently tapping them all round then like bluc said find a flat paver, section of concrete or steel bench with sand paper on it and hold the flanges flat while doing figure 8's. After a lap or two you will be able to see where the flanges are being worn off, these are your high spots. Keep going until you have wear marks on the whole face of the flange, that means you have a nice flat surface :handgestures-thumbupleft:
With those black epdm seals I find I will only get 4 or 5 refits before the seal won't seal properly so make sure you have new seals. When cutting the lips off make sure you don't cut into the flat face of the seal. Use a brand new stanley knife blade and hold the seal on a flat surface. The rib should separate quite easily when done right. The first side is the worst because the rib won't allow the seal to lay flat but take your time and you'll be fine :handgestures-thumbupleft: