I finally stopped using pre-cut shims and started making my own

Last year I was doing a door install in a 1920s house in Portland and those thin little plastic shims kept snapping on me. A older guy on site told me to just rip some cedar scraps on the tablesaw at like a 2 degree taper. Now I make a batch of 20 shims from a single 2x4 chunk and they hold way better. Has anyone else ditched the store-bought stuff for their own?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela_park18d ago

Cedar scraps are honestly the way to go. I had the same problem with the plastic ones just crumbling under pressure, especially on an old frame that wasn't perfectly square. I found a piece of redwood in my scrap pile and ran it through the saw at a slight angle, maybe 3 degrees. They hold way better and they don't split apart when you tap them in with a hammer. My only tip is to watch your fingers on the tablesaw, those skinny pieces can kick back if you're not careful. I also keep a little stack in my tool bag now, it's one of those small changes that just makes the whole job go smoother.

parker_foster5318d ago

Oh man, the kickback tip is the realest thing I've heard all week. I tried that once without a push stick and about lost a knuckle when the piece shot back at me like a little wooden rocket. Now I just use a scrap of plywood with a notch cut out to push them through, works fine. But honestly, if I'm being lazy I'll just buy the plastic ones and curse at them for ten minutes before giving up and making my own anyway. It's like a little ritual at this point. Maybe it's just me but I feel like shimming windows is one of those jobs that looks easy on YouTube and then you're in your garage at 9pm with sawdust in your hair wondering why you don't just pay someone.