Shimming TS extension table

[jussi]

As I'm doing my TS maintenance I've found my extension tables aren't perfectly planar with the main table. They're fine where they meet the main table but when you put a straight edge you can clearly see a gap at the edge of the table. Has anyone ever had to shim their extension tables before. What would be good to use. I wouldn't think it would me more than a 1/32 maybe 1/16 at most. I was initially thinking paper but would that just disintegrate over time?

[JR]

It sounds like playing cards might do the trick.

JR

[poolhound]

I use a variety of things for shims.

1. I always keep those dummy credit cards that come in the mail (without embossed numbers) and also hotel rooms keys and expired store cards e.g. starbucks.

2. Business cards are are always readily available

3. Take some tin snips to old soda cans and you can cut and fold what is now suprizingly thin metal into various shapes and thicknesses.

[LCHIEN]

i haven't shimmed a TS extension but paper or plastic or cardboard would compress over time and the considerable cantilevered weight of the extension.
Jon suggested some cut up aluminum soft drink cans which is a good idea.
I might suggest going to the hardware store and getting some shimstock, like brass which will come in sizes around .005" and .010" or so.

If your table is just a small gap like 1/32 or .03" low at the outside edge, and 24-inches wide, and the table 1" thick then you will need about 1/24 of the error to shim the top or bottom of the place they meet. That will be about .0012 not a whole lot.

I just measured a coke can at .006" and dollar bills as .004"

[poolhound]

I just measured a coke can at .006" and dollar bills as .004"

Loring, I always thought that dollar bills were .005" yours must be out of spec. Please send all yours to me and I will do some extensive checking.

Your empty coke cans are fine so you can keep those, I will even trade you some of my empty coke cans for your faulty dollar bills.

[Uncle Hook]

Lee Valley tools has a shim stock sampler.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=1,43456,43407

[SARGE..g-47]

Lee Valley tools has a shim stock sampler.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=1,43456,43407

Thank you sir.. as I am dangerously low on my stash of Alfa Romeo piston shims obtained in the late 60's. That brass with slick tape strips should keep me going for another 30 + years.

[jussi]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I didn't have any cans at the time but did have some disposable aluminum pans. Not sure how thick it was because my HF caliper only measures to 100ths but it's less than .01. Anyway 2 small strips of those and I've got a pretty flat extensions tables.