How hot a stuffing box...

[NormMessinger]

I'm wondering how hot a stuffing box can be and still be acceptible. Prairie Islander's was to hot to hang on to but not hot enough that I cant turn loose of it before getting burned.

I used SeaFit P.T.F.E. Flax Packing and Syntef Shaft Packing Lubricant. The box has not dripped but the catalogue claims this packing method should be nearly drip free. I've only run the shaft 20 or 30 minutes mostly at slow speed but felt the packing nut after perhaps 10 minutes at 2000 RPM.

At 3000 the wake is significant and the boat wants to climb out of the hole it digs. No check on speed yet.

--Norm

[dasboat]

Norm,I am not familiar with the newer packing systems.I still use the old style stuff,and pack and tighten so I can feel the warmth but not have to let go because of pain.
That usually leaves me with about a single drop per second.I could close her down a little more,but have always choosen wet over unnecessary shaft wear.Those things are too expensive and difficult to deal with.
Das

[Dale Harvey]

Your just a wee bit too tight. You should be able to hang onto it, but not comfortably. Loosening the nut may not help much right away with that new packing, but back off at least an eighth of a turn then reset the locknut. As long as the metal has not dicolored you are not likely to have done damage. Let it drip a bit until all is broken in, then gradually work back toward drip free at rest. Put a quart size container under the box to catch drip when running. With the lubricant you may achieve no drip when running, but work up to it.

[RGM]

Norm, Dale and Das have hit the nail on the head, following their advice will provide the solution to your problem, you've got to get yourself some drippage going then fine tune your packing gland or nut. Great pictures of your boat on the previous post Norm, that's a mighty fine accomplishment.

[NormMessinger]

Thanks all. Will do and take off Monday for The First Big Adventure. If you don't ever see me again it's been just great.

--Norm

[dale o]

Norm, the above advice is right on target. With the newer packings, it's easy to overtighten at first. You should have a few drips. The biggest single cause of early failure of packed shafts (pumps, etc) is overtightening of the packing.
Beautiful boat. Thanks for all the great posts on the forum.

[NormMessinger]

Yes, undoubtedlly I over tightened. Humm, sez I, I wonder if I can get four rings of packing in there. (Some times I wonder how I've lived so long.) I couldn't. Anyway, the nut (the one on the stuffing box) was far from being discolored, a bit to hot to hang on to certainly but, not hot enough to burn unless one held it tightly for a few seconds. So, I'll get a drip going. (Both of us, if we are to leave on time tomorrow.)

Thanks again.

--Norm