Shimming the SS Jointer

reluctant43 · Post by **reluctant43** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:51 am

Hello the Forum: Does anyone have a systematic way of shimming the jointer to make the bed coplanar if they are out slightly over .004? Also I am green enough at shimming that I am not sure exactly where the shims should go and how they should be attached? I presume on the top of the dovetail ways? Maybe with some silicone glue?. A picture would be great!

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:53 am

Jointers can be had cheap enough on e-bay and Craigslist. IIWM I'd look for a replacement that is already coplanar.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:46 pm

.004 over what distance? If the 'width'(assume 4" for simplicity), that is less than 0.06 degree 'error'.

Put the dial indicator away!:D

reluctant43 · Post by **reluctant43** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:52 pm

Hmmm - Thanks for coming back.. Well it is over the length from about 2" up the outfeed table to the end of the longest reliable straightedge I have (a 24" starrett rule). Still not worth fussing with? I'm happy if you say yes, but most articles I have read would say to try to fix that on a regular jointer?

reluctant43 · Post by **reluctant43** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:53 pm

PS - my estimates are with feeler gauges....

billmayo · Post by **billmayo** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:34 pm

Check with machine shop that mills auto heads. I had several mismatched joiner tables, parts from different joiners, machined with the cost ranging from $35 to $40. These tables surfaces was uneven and was slighty warped/twisted so machining was the only solution to save them. I have actually used shim stock and JB Weld to hold the shim stock on the sides to match tables from different joiners many year ago. It was a trial and error situation. I found several 60s joiners that had a white teflon like shim fitted around and under all 4 sliding joints. Each one looked factory made with 3 short pieces joined at one end and was about .025" thick. I did not use these items when I reassembled the joiners but have no idea where I stored them. I called the Shopsmith factory at that time but noone knew about these parts since the joiners were made by the prior Shopsmith company.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:02 pm

reluctant43 wrote:Hmmm - Thanks for coming back.. Well it is over the length from about 2" up the outfeed table to the end of the longest reliable straightedge I have (a 24" starrett rule). Still not worth fussing with? I'm happy if you say yes, but most articles I have read would say to try to fix that on a regular jointer?

Not sure how to improve on that 0.004! over the length of the outfeed table - 2". The slides are much shorter and would require much thinner shims.

Tis a question of scale(magnitude).

What have you checked(to verify its accuracy) the starrett straight edge against lately?:D

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Wed Jul 03, 2013 6:58 am

When I check I use a 4' level that does not get abused. I used my wife's 4" sewing rule once and found out that rules made for other activities are generally NOT straight. Levels should (must) be.
Bill V