AAaarrrrggg!

After dragging my Star 8" jointer around on its rolling platform for the last 4+ years, the tables had drifter out of being co-planar. It was time to change blades as well, so I set about my task(s). The outfeed table had needed to be shimmed the last time, but if failing memory serves it wasn't quite the ordeal. The outfeed table at the fence side was low, and the end of the table was way low relative to the infeed table. Naturally I put the blades in first THEN checked table alignment (Duh). So I began the process of leveling. Starting with bringing the cutter head side of OF table level with IF table. Problem was every time I snugged the gibs things CHANGED! To make a long tale shorter, ultimately the OF table was removed, ways files lightly, gib flattened and all cleaned and all re-installed. It took forever and a day, but all are aligned and the blades proud by a thousandth or so. The question I have is: Is there a preferred order to doing such things (not including setting balde height LAST!). I know that tightening lugs or headbolts have a "pattern"... is there a "pattern" for shim placement? Thanks, Tom