Metal seal

stainless steeltadpolefiberglass

Product Overview
The Fiberglass Cover Stainless Steel Core Tadpole Gasket is a flexible high temperature sealing profile designed for industrial oven doors, furnace access panels, thermal enclosures, processing equipment and OEM sealing systems. It combines a woven fiberglass outer cover with a stainless steel internal core to deliver thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and mechanical support for a bulb-and-tail sealing profile. The bulb compresses against the mating surface to accommodate irregularities while the flat tail provides a mounting section for clips, screws, rivets, clamping bars or equipment-specific retention systems.

Fiberglass Cover and Stainless Steel Core Construction
The performance of this tadpole gasket comes from the interaction between the textile cover, metallic core and bulb-and-tail geometry.
Component | Material | Main Function
Outer Cover | Woven Fiberglass Fabric | Thermal protection, flexibility and abrasion-resistant textile surface
Internal Core | Stainless Steel Core | Supports the bulb and improves resilience during repeated compression
Bulb | Fiberglass Wrapped Stainless Core | Creates the primary compression sealing area
Tail | Fiberglass Fabric | Provides the mounting and retention section

How the Tadpole Gasket Works
A tadpole gasket uses a compressible bulb to create the seal and a flat tail to secure the gasket to the equipment. When the door or panel closes, the mating surface compresses the bulb. The stainless steel core deforms within its designed compression range while helping the bulb retain structural integrity. The fiberglass cover follows the movement of the core and creates a flexible textile contact surface. On release, the stainless steel core assists the bulb in recovering toward its original shape, making the construction suitable for equipment opened and closed repeatedly.

Why Use a Stainless Steel Core
Compared with a soft fiber-only core, a stainless steel core provides greater mechanical reinforcement and profile stability. Typical benefits include:

• Improved bulb shape retention
• Good recovery after compression
• Mechanical reinforcement of the sealing profile
• Resistance to repeated opening and closing cycles
• Stable positioning in industrial door sealing systems
• Compatibility with different fiberglass cover configurations

Why Use a Fiberglass Cover
Woven fiberglass fabric combines flexibility, dimensional stability and resistance to elevated temperatures. The textile cover allows the gasket to bend around geometry and conform to minor irregularities while protecting the metallic core from direct contact. Fiberglass constructions can be treated or coated for specialized surface properties when required.

High Temperature Performance
Fiberglass cover and stainless steel core tadpole gaskets are commonly selected for moderate-to-high temperature sealing. Comparable industry constructions are published for service temperatures around 1000°F / 538°C, but allowable operating temperature depends on fiberglass grade, core construction, stitching material, compression condition and the surrounding environment. Continuous high-temperature service should be validated against exact material choices and exposure conditions.

Key Product Advantages

• Flexible bulb-and-tail sealing construction
• Woven fiberglass outer cover
• Stainless steel reinforced internal core
• Good resilience under repeated compression
• Suitable for irregular mating surfaces
• Mechanical support from metallic core
• Useful abrasion resistance
• Designed for industrial thermal sealing
• Custom bulb and tail dimensions available
• Available for OEM and replacement gasket projects

Typical Applications

• Industrial oven doors
• Furnace doors
• Heat treatment equipment
• Batch ovens
• Drying ovens
• Powder coating ovens
• Walk-in ovens
• Thermal chambers
• Access panels
• Industrial heaters
• Boiler access doors
• Thermal enclosures
• OEM heating equipment
• Industrial processing machinery

Stainless Steel Core vs Alternative Cores
Property | Stainless Steel Core | Fiberglass Rope Core
Mechanical Reinforcement | Higher | Lower
Bulb Firmness | More structured | Softer
Compression Recovery | Good for repeated cycling | Depends on rope density
Conformability | Controlled by core construction | Generally soft and flexible
Typical Application | Industrial doors and repeatedly cycled panels | General flexible thermal sealing

Custom Bulb and Tail Dimensions / Manufacturing Options
BSTFLEX can customize bulb diameter, bulb shape, tail width, overall profile width, gasket length, fiberglass fabric construction, stainless steel core construction, core density and resilience, mounting configuration, cut lengths and custom fabricated shapes.

Typical Product Specifications
Product Type | High Temperature Tadpole Gasket
Outer Cover | Woven Fiberglass Fabric
Core | Stainless Steel Core
Profile | Bulb with Flat Mounting Tail
Temperature Range | Depends on fiberglass grade, core design and application conditions
Bulb Diameter | Custom
Tail Width | Custom
Length | Custom
Application | Ovens, furnaces, thermal doors, panels and industrial equipment
OEM Manufacturing | Available according to drawing or sample

How to Specify This Gasket for an RFQ
Provide where available:

• Bulb outside diameter
• Tail width
• Required length
• Operating temperature
• Maximum temperature
• Estimated sealing gap
• Expected bulb compression
• Quantity
• Application or equipment type
• Drawing or photograph of the existing seal

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is this gasket? - A bulb-and-tail thermal gasket manufactured with a woven fiberglass outer cover surrounding a stainless steel internal core; the bulb provides the compression seal and the tail provides the mounting area.
• Why is stainless steel used inside the bulb? - To reinforce the gasket, support the bulb shape and provide resilience during repeated compression and release cycles.
• Where is this type of tadpole seal used? - Industrial oven doors, furnace access doors, thermal enclosures, heat treatment equipment, drying ovens, powder coating ovens and OEM heating systems.
• Can the bulb diameter be customized? - Yes, custom bulb diameters, tail widths and overall profiles can be manufactured.
• Can stainless steel core be replaced with Inconel? - Yes, Inconel mesh or other metallic cores may be selected for more severe thermal environments depending on temperature, atmosphere and mechanical cycling requirements.
• Can BSTFLEX reproduce an existing gasket from a sample? - Yes, replacement or OEM gasket profiles can be developed from samples, drawings or detailed dimensions.

Caractéristiques / Spécifications techniques

• Product Type: High Temperature Tadpole Gasket
• Outer Cover: Woven Fiberglass Fabric
• Core: Stainless Steel Core
• Profile: Bulb with Flat Mounting Tail
• Temperature Range: Depends on fiberglass grade, core design and application conditions (comparable constructions referenced to approx. 1000°F / 538°C)
• Bulb Diameter: Custom
• Tail Width: Custom
• Length: Custom
• Application: Ovens, furnaces, thermal doors, panels and industrial equipment
• OEM Manufacturing: Available according to drawing or sample
• Order (MOQ): 1
• Payment Terms: EXW, FOB, CIF, DDP, FCA, etc
• Shipping Port: Shanghai, Ningbo