Shims or masking tape?

[Jason White]

The extension wings on my new tablesaw tilt down a little.

What's better for shimming them flat? Metal shims or masking tape?

Jason

[David DeCristoforo]

Seriously? OK... metal shims would be better than masking tape...

[Chris Padilla]

I dunno...I shimmed mine with masking tape...still fine 8 years later.... :)

Cut up an aluminum can...playing card...old credit card...whatever works.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...I shimmed mine with masking tape..."

...no, no... masking tape... I meant masking tape....

[Jim McFarland]

I used one of the brass shim stock "sample" packs from LV -- more than enough to align my CI router extension to the TS.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=40946&cat=1,43456,43407

Actually, IME, this $8.50 sample pack would cost at least $100 or so as I could justify the LV shipping cost over several items!

[Paul Fitzgerald]

I used foil tape from the HVAC section of the borg.

Paul

[Jason White]

I only ask because the installation manual that comes with the saw recommends masking tape to shim up or down.

Jason


Seriously? OK... metal shims would be better than masking tape...

[Jason White]

Just ordered one (and a new 36" straightedge while I was at it).

Thanks!

Jason


I used one of the brass shim stock "sample" packs from LV -- more than enough to align my CI router extension to the TS.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=40946&cat=1,43456,43407

Actually, IME, this $8.50 sample pack would cost at least $100 or so as I could justify the LV shipping cost over several items!

[Scott Wigginton]

Just ordered one (and a new 36" straightedge while I was at it).

Thanks!

Jason

LV claims another victim! I've put off some of their DVD holders for my FIL because I know I won't be able to resist the pull.

Now I have to add those shims to my LV wishlist, gee, thanks a ton :mad:

[Bill Huber]

For $3 you can get a feeler gauge from HF and that works very well. Once you find how much shim you need then you can just take it apart and make up just about any thickness you need. Like if its .008 then you can take a 5 and a 3, a 6 and a 2, a 7 and a 1, then put them under each screw.

I just redid my wings and bought 2 gauges and they work great, A little blue tape to hold them in place before you get them all tight.

[Jason White]

Interesting idea. Thanks!



For $3 you can get a feeler gauge from HF and that works very well. Once you find how much shim you need then you can just take it apart and make up just about any thickness you need. Like if its .008 then you can take a 5 and a 3, a 6 and a 2, a 7 and a 1, then put them under each screw.

I just redid my wings and bought 2 gauges and they work great, A little blue tape to hold them in place before you get them all tight.

[Lee Schierer]

I used aluminum pop can for my shims. I could cut pieces with U-shped cutouts to fit around the bolts with scissors.

The adhesive on masking tape will compress over time, which may alter your setup.

Just make sure when you are don to run a file down the seam between teh table and the extension to remove any material that might be sticking up. I pput a nasty scracth in a very nice piece of wood before I noticed the shim sticking up on my table,

[george wilson]

I do not recommend masking tape for shimming anything. As Lee mentioned,it may not be permanent. there is plenty of free shim stock around,like aluminum foil,usually .002",or it used to be,soda cans,tin cans. I'd only use metal for anything you don't want moving. About using masking tape in a lathe chuck: It gets extremely slippery when under pressure from chuck jaws. Use dry paper if you want to protect some surface. I use paper for holding metal in the smooth jaws of my milling machine vise. It really prevents slipping. The best paper would be some that has no clay in it,or only a little. Brown paper bags have no clay. Glossy paper is full of clay.

So,why not use dry paper for shims? You could,but all common paper gradually gets old and brittle due to residual amounts of acid from digesting the pulp. Look at old newspaper,or cheap old paperback books. Metal still is best. There is archival acid free paper. It lasts more like 400 years in books. I'd still be wary of gradual compression.Of course,I am usually thinking of high precision tolerances.

[glenn bradley]

I used foil tape from the HVAC section of the borg.

Paul

I used that too but I use tape for lighter duty things.

[Bill Huber]

I used aluminum pop can for my shims. I could cut pieces with U-shped cutouts to fit around the bolts with scissors.

The adhesive on masking tape will compress over time, which may alter your setup.

Just make sure when you are don to run a file down the seam between teh table and the extension to remove any material that might be sticking up. I pput a nasty scracth in a very nice piece of wood before I noticed the shim sticking up on my table,

Lee, I don't use the tape on the shims, I use it to hold them in place.

Now for the U shaped shim, I would think you don't want a U shaped shim unless it was a tapped shim. If you have to put a shim to get the end of the wing up then really there is only 2 points that will be touching the saw and the shim.

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