Shim washers

[mjmwallace]

I've done a Google search for packets of shim washers and found that I can buy, in quantity, various shim washers. What I'm looking for is a variety pack of small washers of varying thickness. Mostly to shim up my tools (bandsaw, jointer, etc.). I have shim stock, so at the worst, I can punch out (suggestions on a tool?) my own washers, but does anyone know where I can buy them.

Small variety pack - is somewhere around 20 - 30. Shopsmith sells them along with set screws, but I don't need the screws.

Tried Enco - nothing, Grainger's got them, but not right size. Need something from I.D. 1/8 to 3/8.

Ideas?

Thanks,

MJ

[Lew Hodgett]

Greenlee makes metal punches.

Sold to the electronics industries as "radio chassis punches", and the electrical industry as "conduit knock out punches".

Since these punches are designed to provide a given hole dia, the internal slug (washer) doesn't not come out flat, but can be straightened if the material is not too thick.

Lew

[Max]

Have you tried a bearing supplier. They might have shims for certain applications.

Max

[Ed Bailen]

Lee Valley

sells shim stock.

Regards, Ed

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[Pilgrim]

Google Bokers. That is their speciality.

CP

[mjmwallace]

Ed,

I have the stock, but I need washers. I think I found something that at least will punch out a round washer:

's a round punch and die set. I read a blog where a person was using a similar tool to do the very thing I wanted to do.

MJ

[Lowell Holmes]

A local Mom and Pop hardware store carries them in standard sizes that fit a lot of things. I bought shims that fit my Jet Bandsaw. They come in various thicknesses as well as id and od. They are not expensive. I bet an auto parts store might stock them as well.

[The Davenport's]

Here is one that almost the same, just higher quality...yes, I've tried the harbor fright one and this one is MUCH better...I use it in my real job as a machinist/machine builder.

advantage to this one is that after you punch your ID hole, you can use a pilot in the end of your OD size to align the two in the finished part.

Mike

[mjmwallace]

Mike:

Wow! At $269 is better be good! Don't have that kind of cash. I can buy the Shopsmith assortment for a lot less and have many set screws as well. If I were in your job, I'd get the best.

Perhaps, I should ask one our guys in the club who does a lot of tooling to punch me out some.

Thanks. I'm going to get the HF one and try punching out a couple, if it works, it works, if not, back it goes!

MJ

[The Davenport's]

Yeah, it's a bit on the spendy side, but like I said, I use it in my job, so cost isn't quite as much of a killer for me.

But that's just me.

Mike

[mjmwallace]

Mike,

The HF stuff is a piece of "crap" to say the least. I tried doing this today and the punches are not popping out the holes like I expect. The die is very rough, I suspect if I did a slight file on them with emory cloth, the punches might slide in better. Also the cutting edges are, I think, dull.

Right now, I got the classic - I've got one of the punches stuck in the die! If I can't get it out, I'm taking it back to HF just the way it is. (Any ideas??? - I've sprayed it with WD-40 and letting it sit for a bit to penetrate the punch.).

MJ

[The Davenport's]

If you have a dire need for it...the washer...now, try using a press or a vise.

If not, get thee to HF and do a swap/return/exchange.

WD-40 likely will not help with what you have going on right now. What you seem to have is a press fit and they usually don't come apart all that easily. Normally, I'd try some heat, but there is plastic involved and unless you know exactly what you're doing, you can draw the temper out of the punch and/or die.

If you lived around here...southern Wisconsin, I'd say you could drop by the shop and I could whip up what you need.

Mike

[mjmwallace]

Mike,

Thanks much. Calif. is a bit of a drive from Wisconsin, tho I would like the drive. I banged the punch almost back out. Will try something else later. The die is in two pieces - the plastic comes off (it's screwed on). So heat might do it. Drawing temper out a punch from HF? Not a concern for me.

MJ

[B A R R Y]

On a side note...

There's a very inexpensive product sold in better automotive stores called "PB Blaster". PB Blaster absolutely rocks WD-40's world when it comes to loosening stuck fasteners.

One spray, and you'll recognize a familiar smell from every auto repair shop you've ever been in.

It's cheap, too.

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[willshak]

The auto repair shops I frequent smell like Liquid Wrench.

[Lew Hodgett]

Have had excellant luck with Kroil from Kano Labs in Nashville.

They are on the web.

Lew

[B A R R Y]

They haven't tried PB Blaster?

I haven't tried Kroil, as I can easily get PB.

While LR is slightly better than WD-40, I'm not the only one who sees the advantage to PB:

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[whit3rd]

Start by putting old washers into a coffee can... and buy several thicknesses of shim stock (brass is easier than stainless, and I don't like plastic, but... I've got some of that, too).

Do the center hole with a Whitney punch (Roper Whitney number 5 punch), and cut the washer out with tinsnips. Flatten with a smooth-face hammer against a polished anvil.

I've also done photoetching of shim stock to make dozens of identical washers... just takes a UV lamp, paper negative from your computer printer, spray-on resist, and some ferric chloride and/or electric current. It sounds like a lot of work, but most electronics labs have the goods to do it (and I had such a lab handy at the time...).