When shopping for gaskets, you may stumble upon dovetail gaskets. They are used to seal two or more mating surfaces. Many machines rely on gaskets to prevent leaks from occurring. Dovetail gaskets are used to seal two or more mating surfaces as well, but they are manufactured differently than other types of gaskets.
The Basics of Dovetail Gaskets
Dovetail gaskets are characterized by an interlocking fabrication process. They aren’t made of a single and solid piece of material. Rather, dovetail gaskets are made of multiple pieces of material that interlock together.
You can find dovetail gaskets in different sizes and materials. Some of them are bigger than others, and some dovetail gaskets are made of different materials. Regardless, all dovetail gaskets are made of multiple pieces of material that interlock together to offer a sealed environment.
How Dovetail Gaskets Are Made
All dovetail gaskets are made with special joints. Known as dovetail joints, they allow the individual pieces to interlock together. Dovetail gaskets are essentially made with male and female sections. These sections are cut with specific patterns so that they interlock together.
In carpentry, dovetail joints are commonly used to join wooden workpieces. Dovetail joints, however, are also used in gaskets. As their name suggests, dovetail gaskets feature these special joints. They are made of multiple pieces of material that interlock together.
Dovetail gaskets are made in different ways. Punching is a common process used to make dovetail gaskets. The gasket material is punched to achieve an interlocking design. The punched pieces of material are then pressed together.
Benefits of Dovetail Gaskets
For small gaskets, dovetail joints may not be necessary. Small gaskets can be produced using a single and solid piece of material. They don’t require the use of dovetail joints.
Large gaskets, on the other hand, may require dovetail joints. Gaskets aren’t the same as O-rings. O-rings are used to seal mating surfaces as well, but they feature a simpler design consisting of an O-shaped piece of material. Gaskets are more complex. They may contain a series of different cutouts and passages for various hoses. And large gaskets are particularly complex, so they may require the use of dovetail joints.
In Conclusion
Gaskets that are made with multiple pieces of interlocking material are known as dovetail gaskets. They feature the same type of dovetail joints as many wooden workpieces. Dovetail gaskets, though, are used to seal mating surfaces.