I am just wondering if there are any tricks that anyone (or everyone but me) has figured for keeping dado shims out of the arbor threads? I have copper shims, and sometimes they will be down in a thread groove, just shy of 100% snug. When I tighten the nut, the stack will sometimes have a little bit of a wobble, and the center of the shim comes out with a nasty sharp flare on it where it was forced over the threads.
Thanks,
Jeremy
Carlsbad, CA
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Replies
I've nicked a finger more than once trying to get those things off too. What a pain...hopefully someone can show us the light.
Ask and ye shall receive, my son. - lol
I had the same problem with my stacked dado set (mine had stainless steel shims) and I got these. They're basically refrigerator magnets in three thicknesses (0.010", 0.012", and 0.015"). The printed side sticks to the blade or chipper and the shim doesn't drop into the arbor threads.
I made zero clearance inserts for the most common dados and wrote the shim setups on the inserts. My setup time is now just a couple of minutes since I'm not fighting with slipping shims - or trying to remember the shim requirements. I haven't looked for other thicknesses since I've been able to do everything I need with these.
I got these at Western Tool & Supply in San Jose, CA.
I know this discussion is well over, but I tried licking my shims (after making sure no one was looking) and it worked remarkably well. It didn't even taste too bad. Just need to look out for those burrs created by my pre-licking days.
Thanks to all.
Jeremy
Toja so, toja so! Neener neener neener!
Magnetic shims are sold by a few suppliers, they won't drop down into the threads.
John W.
Ditto the magnetic shims, but I also use card stock, paper and thin plastic. All of which are readily available. And none of the above are sharp.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Like Bruce , I use paper and thin cardboard and such , just a circle cut with a scissors accuracy is not critical .
good luck dusty
Jeremy, with any shim or the dado cutters, you have to be sure that everything fits flat before tightening the nut. The shims are a little easier to handle if you knock off the crisp edges. You can enlarge the center a touch too. As you put in a shim, push it up flat to the blade so you know it's not caught. Don't just place all the parts and let the nut pull them. Before placing the nut, make sure the cutters are evenly balanced and no tips are touching each other. Push everything tight to the arbor flange. You should not have any rocking or springiness as the plates come together. Hold it tight while you spin the nut up. It doesn't take much of a turn with the wrench if you have hand tightened correctly. Less than 1/8 of a turn. If the nut needs more than that, it's a sign something's not right. Make sure the plug is pulled when you change blades, don't trust a switch.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
I have taken to placing all the shims immediately beside the first outside blade installed - the shims then ride on an unthreaded portion of the arbor.
This does get tedious - removing all the chippers before installing or removing shims when fine tuning.
Alternatively, when I'm short of patience, I will lick (yummy!) the shim and stick it to the ouside chipper with saliva. It works.... keeps the shim out of the arbor threads. Being that my shims are steel, I am then careful to wipe them and the affected chipper down upon removal.
I think "shimlicker" may well become a new member of my insult arsenal.
It just rolls off the tongue with a venomous sound.
Aye, that it does....
Fortunately, one can be semi - anonymous in an internet forum, and admit to filthy habits with little fear of true public humiliation. Just don't ask me what I do with my shop vac when noone's around....... ;-)
Whatever substance you decide to use as an adhesive, try sticking the shim to the blade - it does work.
Have fun - RDNZL Shimlicker
Hey Germey,
Get a wobble dado head. You can dial in the exact thickness without using shims. :) LOL Just kidding
Paul
Thanks all,
If nothing else, I feel better that there wasn't an obvious solution that every other non-braindead woodworker knew about. I remember now someone at Palomar College mentioning that they use Playing cards as they are tightly controlled to be 0.01" thick. Besides, I know from playing "A**hole" that they will stick to a forehead with one lick ...and don't taste bad.
I use a dab of grease. Chris
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