Setting a bubble plate into a bubble T

[badmotivator]

Hi, folks. I just received my first 4" bubble T and bubble cap plate etc. from Vision Stills. I have pot still experience but none with plates. I bought PTFE o-rings.

Could somebody please describe in detail how they set the plate into the trip-clamp with a PTFE o-ring? Do you carve out the inner part of the o-ring so that the plate sets within it? (I tried this but the plate leaks around the edges. Not out of the column, but into the next section down.) Or do you set the plate below or above an unmodified o-ring and just clamp the fat sandwich? Or is a silicone o-ring really the way to go?

Thanks for your help.

[law-of-ohms]

You need these:-

http://visionstills.com/product/special-silicone-gasket/

4in, $0.40 ea.

The plate sits directly onto the stainless steel edge, the gasket goes around it.

[badmotivator]

Thanks for the reply. And with these Special gaskets there is no leaking down around the edge of the plates? It seems like they would have no more ability to seal the stainless-copper-stainless sandwich than a PTFE one does. Or does it just allow more squish so the the metals all meet better?

[law-of-ohms]

more squish, my plates are water/fluid tight.

[badmotivator]

Fabulous. Thanks again.