Metal shim advice

[Darren Vass]

I'm finally putting my Ridgid table saw together after getting rid of rust post flooding in June.

The rust was extensive and there is still a fairly uniformed rough pattern on the cast iron, but it feels smooth to my touch. I'll keep working on it, but need to use the saw now to make some simple rip cuts for a couple of window frames in my basement.

Unfortunately, I lost the metal shim/washers (really thin) that were used to shim out the back rail. Can anyone please give me ideas of what I may use to shim out the rail? I looked at washers (5/16" in this case) and they were too thick.

Thanks,

Darren

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Go to a local machine shop. I've gotten 8"x11" sheets of brass shim stock from them for nearly nothing. They may have shims of other materials too.

[Lee Schierer]

Aluminum pop cans make excellent shims. They can be trimmed with scissors.

[Bill Huber]

I would go with the brass, if you have an Ace Hardware store around they have some very thin brass sheets.

[Darren Vass]

Thanks guys, for either the brass or aluminium, do you then drill 5/16" holes through and then slip these over the bolts between the table side and the rail?

[Bill Huber]

Thanks guys, for either the brass or aluminium, do you then drill 5/16" holes through and then slip these over the bolts between the table side and the rail?

I haven't, I just put it on each side of a bolt that needs shimming.
You can't really drill shim stock, you have to punch it. You can make a punch out of a small steel tube, just sharpen the edges and it work fine.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you need a somewhat thicker shim than Lee's pop cans, old business cards work well, and if you need a shim thicker than that, old credit cards work well.

[Chris Padilla]

Take a pair of calipers to a standard credit card and I think you'll find that they are dead on at 1/32". I use old ones as spacers all the time.

[Tom Hargrove]

If you use aluminum cans for shims, you can punch the holes with a paper punch.

[Lee Schierer]

If you use aluminum cans for shims, you can punch the holes with a paper punch.

You can also convert the holes to slots and slip them in around the bolts.

Just make sure your shim doesn't end up above the cutting surface or it will scratch your wood. DAMHIKT.

[Bill White]

Take a pair of calipers to a standard credit card and I think you'll find that they are dead on at 1/32". I use old ones as spacers all the time.

I think I'll use my NEW credit cards as shim stock. That way they'll REALLY serve a good purpose.
:D
Bill

[Chip Lindley]

To quote Einstein, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
Stay away from paper, use metal ! Dont obsess over this, just "Get Er Dun!"

[Jim Heffner]

Everyone has given some good advice for shim stock. If you want brass
shims go to hobby store, they usually have all sizes and types of brass
sheets, tubing, and other shapes for building models. I bought some at
a Hobby Lobby near my house months back and it is reasonably priced.
You may have other hobby stores in your area that carry it as well.

[Mark Carlson]

Lee Valley also sells shim stock. Brass sampler link is below. Its nice to have on hand. I would use metal shims in this case.

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

Note: I use an old deck of playing cards all the time to sneak up on cuts as spacers against a stop block. I think all cards are .010 thousands thick by some federal regulation. Makes it easy when you know your off by 30 thousands, ie. 3 playing cards. Post its work well too.

~mark

[Dylan Smith]

Lee Valley also sells shim stock. Brass sampler link is below. Its nice to have on hand. I would use metal shims in this case.

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

Note: I use an old deck of playing cards all the time to sneak up on cuts as spacers against a stop block. I think all cards are .010 thousands thick by some federal regulation. Makes it easy when you know your off by 30 thousands, ie. 3 playing cards. Post its work well too.

~mark

FWIW, this review of playing cards (http://www.homepokertourney.com/cards_review.htm) shows a wide variance in thickness.