A rubber grommet is a very tiny, but hugely useful, item that every household has come into contact through its various uses. A rubber grommet is very handy for a multitude of applications across dozens if not hundreds of industries. It’s a must-have item for preventing the wearing, tearing, and abrasion of different materials and parts, specifically wires, cables, and metal parts. Rubber grommets are made from different types of rubbers and the specific reasons for that are because rubber is extremely tear-resistant, wear-resistant, weather-resistant, high-temperature resistant, chemical-resistant, etc.
They are mostly used to cover holes, seal gaps, and provide a safe passage for cables and wires. They are also vibration-resistant making them excellent for complementing engine parts.
Rubber grommets come in different shapes and sizes and each one has a different diameter and width from the other. Below, we will mention a few tips on how to successfully install them.
Measurements
In order to determine which grommet fits best with your object, you need to take proper measurements of the object itself. But more specifically, it’s the size of the hole that you’re drilling that needs measuring. If you already have grommet available to you, then make sure to first measure their size and then drill a hole based on those measurements. It’s important that the diameter of the hole is similar, if not slightly less, than the diameter of the grommet in order to properly fit in.
Cleaning
According to https://rubber-grommet.com, it’s a great idea to clean the inside of the hole once you’ve created it. For this, you can use anything from a simple piece of cloth to an air compressor to blow away the debris, dirt, and grease that are sticking out from the hole. This will make sure that the grommet fits inside well and more securely.
Installation
Once you’ve done everything we’ve so far mentioned, its time to install the grommet itself. First off, try to fit one side of the grommet before manipulating it around the edges so that the other one can fit. This is why we said that the hole should be smaller than the grommet, but not by a lot. To help you push the grommet even further into the hole, you can use a simple knife. You can always use silicone to smoothen the fitting, but make sure to use small amounts of it. Once the grommet is fitted nice and tight, you can use silicone sealing to further cement it into position. A properly installed grommet will stay in place even if you try to move it around. If the grommet moves in its opening, then that means you’ve eighter installed it improperly or the hole is too big for the grommet.
Difficult To Insert Objects
Often times during your work you will encounter some objects that are difficult to insert into the grommet. This is usually the case then something has to go through the grommet, like wire or cables. If this happens, then you can use a razor blade to slit one side of the grommet open. Then, insert the object in question and use silicone to press and seal the object to the grommet. Wait a few minutes and the grommet will be securely stuck to the object in question.
