how to cut a prefect circle washer out of a thong for a yabbie pump

[leonardgid]

hello raiders , looked on line for a set of washers  for my two alvey pumps and i have to say that they  charge a lot for what we get in return , so i bought  a a pair of thongs from a store for a $1.50  there should  be enough  foam/rubber on them  for a life times of washers , thing is i dont know the best way to cut a perfect circle with a hole  in the middle  , has anyone made their own washers and how did you go about it please   , also are they as good  as the ready made washers? thank you all 

 

[Little_Flatty]

17 minutes ago, leonardgid said:

hello raiders , looked on line for a set of washers  for my two alvey pumps and i have to say that they  charge a lot for what we get in return , so i bought  a a pair of thongs from a store for a $1.50  there should  be enough  foam/rubber on them  for a life times of washers , thing is i dont know the best way to cut a perfect circle with a hole  in the middle  , has anyone made their own washers and how did you go about it please   , also are they as good  as the ready made washers? thank you all 

 

I've done it before, don't remember exactly how but I do recall pressing the pump hard on the thong. I think I might actually have managed to cut the washer that way, but failing that, the imprint would serve as a good outline to cut with another tool.

[noelm]

Yep, just use the pump to cut the washer, I think the Alvey washer "kit" contains the metal bits and a few washers, but I might be wrong, haven't bought one for years now.

[Green Hornet]

15 minutes ago, noelm said:

Yep, just use the pump to cut the washer, I think the Alvey washer "kit" contains the metal bits and a few washers, but I might be wrong, haven't bought one for years now.

I do the same, partly because my pump is generations old and 45mm diameter. The only washers commercially available are 50mm to suit newer pumps.

Being old and well used, my pump’s edges are quite sharp and cut cleanly through a thong. 

I have heard some fishos heat the end of the pump to help cut a new set.

Edited July 17 by Green Hornet

[slothparade]

You can get a circle drill attachment 

[Green Hornet]

Another way is to drill it with a hole saw. It’s unlikely you’ll get the perfect size, so go a size larger, place a bolt and nut through the centre hole of the washer, then place the bolt back into the drill, spin it and sand down to the correct diameter with some coarse sandpaper and a block.

Takes a bit longer than what’s described above, but this way the centre hole is positioned perfectly.

The Alvey washers outlast the Wilson ones, but the thong washers will outlast both others by far.

Edited July 17 by Green Hornet

[slothparade]

3 hours ago, slothparade said:

You can get a circle drill attachment 

Where abouts are you and what size hole do you need? I have heapes of those drills 

[leonardgid]

5 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

I've done it before, don't remember exactly how but I do recall pressing the pump hard on the thong. I think I might actually have managed to cut the washer that way, but failing that, the imprint would serve as a good outline to cut with another tool.

thank you for your reply , 

[leonardgid]

1 hour ago, slothparade said:

Where abouts are you and what size hole do you need? I have heapes of those drills 

 

4 hours ago, slothparade said:

You can get a circle drill attachment 

ive got  those circle drill  attachments , did not think that i would get  a good enough,    clean finish using one of those  and this is  why i always ask here for other peoples advice ,... before i go ahead and  do things ,  thank you for your advice  very helpful .

 

[leonardgid]

4 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Another way is to drill it with a hole saw. It’s unlikely you’ll get the perfect size, so go a size larger, place a bolt and nut through the centre hole of the washer, then place the bolt back into the drill, spin it and sand down to the correct diameter with some coarse sandpaper and a block.

Takes a bit longer than what’s described above, but this way the centre hole is positioned perfectly.

The Alvey washers outlast the Wilson ones, but the thong washers will outlast both others by far.

  I've got all that , i will  go ahead and do it the way you described ,  im really surprised that  foam./ rubber or what ever it is that  they use making  thongs can  outlast those Alvey rubber washers , good to know  and thank you very much once again for all of your help . stay well ,

[leonardgid]

5 hours ago, noelm said:

Yep, just use the pump to cut the washer, I think the Alvey washer "kit" contains the metal bits and a few washers, but I might be wrong, haven't bought one for years now.

they vary ,   the full kit  metal discs /plates washers  and a new butterfly nut are close to $20 , the washers cost about $6 but they  charge an  extra $6 to deliver  that i find a rip off  and this is why i will not pay the money and  make my own  specially now that i know what everyone else  has done instead , love fishraider  great bunch of blokes  with  a lot of good advice , thank you all . 

[noelm]

$20 for the full kit is cheap (in my opinion) but a thong is free, have you got the brass wingnut off yet? they can be hard to remove sometimes.

[leonardgid]

20 minutes ago, noelm said:

$20 for the full kit is cheap (in my opinion) but a thong is free, have you got the brass wingnut off yet? they can be hard to remove sometimes.

yes , both of mine were  a bit stiff to begin with  but  they did come loose ,  one of the wingnuts  is a bit too loose after cleaning  for my liking so i think i will use a stainless spring /lock washer so that it does not work loose once i put everything back together again.

[slothparade]

Heres another idea, why dont you get one of thise metal cookie cutters, then heat it up over the stove for a bit then press it into the thong? It should melt it and give you a clean cut.