Shims, what to use and where to get them

[Ray Bersch]

Spent many hours setting up my 6" jointer over the past few days. The tables were not exactly parallel so I started the shimming process - a frustrating chore. I used all sorts of stuff but found I could never get it just right. So, I got two sets of feeler gages out of my tool box and was able to get it pretty close using different combinations of thicknesses. I'd rather not break up the feeler gage sets so what do I use for shims, and where can I get some - is brass sufficient? Do I have to buy a sheet or is there a strip material available?

Also, what is a decent tolerance to accept. With both feeler gages stuck in the machine, I can only estimate the remaining gap - I can see some light under my straight edge, but I can't fit a thin sheet of paper (actually a register receipt from HD which I measures at about .002" thick) under the straight edge. Close enough??

[Chris Barton]

You should be able to find them at a good hardware store, even a Borg might have them. Some folks use paper shims.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ray.....I needed some brass shimstock recently. I got it at a machine shop. I bought a 8x10 sheet of of 0.003 brass ...cheap. Just used some good scissors to cut what I needed.

[Jerry Olexa]

For the leveling process, ordinary cedar shims are available @ both the Borg and Menards. Come in a bundle for under $5..

[Chris McKimson]

I've cut pieces of an alumminum pop (soda) can before to shim. worked great for my table saw wings.

Chris

[tod evans]

I've cut pieces of an alumminum pop (soda) can before to shim. worked great for my table saw wings.

Chris

this works well.....02 tod

[Brian Hale]

Aluminum foil works well also.

Brian

[Mark Carlson]

Lee Valley sells brass shim stock in various thicknesses. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=1,43456,43407

[Gary Swart]

I would use brass to shim machine work like the jointer. You should be able to find it locally at an automotive supply store or a machine shop. You could order some on line, but it would cost $5-$6 just for shipping! Shims for other projects can be other media such as described in early answers. What you use just depends on what you are working on.

[Byron Trantham]

I've cut pieces of an alumminum pop (soda) can before to shim. worked great for my table saw wings.

Chris

Cool idea! Thanks.

[Steve Cox]

Another source for brass or aluminum would be a hobby or craft store. Most of them have display of various shapes and thicknesses by K & S

[William Bachtel]

Beer cans work. If I remember right its 005

[Steven J Corpstein]

I bought a cheap set of feeler gauges from Sears. They were just the 3" straight ones and I was able to get several pieces from each size just in case I needed one for different places. I think they only cost me $2.00 or $3.00.

[Mark Singer]

this works well.....02 tod

Me TOO! That

[Frank Chaffee]

this works well.....02 tod

Actually, my recollection puts pop and beer can sides at .002”, rather than…..02.
I don’t drink either these days so I can’t check that that out right now, but I would not be surprised to learn that they are now .0015” thick. This aluminum shim stock will work well unless used under a punch press for more than a few thousand or hundred thousand cycles.
Ace Hardware may also have shim stock in brass and stainless steel.
Frank