Sources For Shim Material....?

[Crow Horse]

I'm practicing turing grooves in aluminum with a rear mounted parting tool. As mounted, it's not perfectly on center and I need to shim the holder. What's a good economical source shim material. My first thought was to purchase an inexpensive feeler gauge and use the appropriate blade as a shim. Is there a better material to use?

 

[Ulma Doctor]

the feeler gauge set is what i used too.
i bought a set for that purpose, due to the precise nature

 

[markba633csi]

You can also use paper and thin cardboard- sounds hokey but it works, and prevents slippage
Can't beat the price
-M
I keep a pack of Bugler cigarette paper around it's 0.001" thick

 

[darkzero]

I've got this:

Precision Brand Carbon Steel 1008 Shim Stock Assortment, Full Hard Temper, AISI 1008/AISI 1010, ASTM A109 for Chemistry, 0.001", 0.0015", 0.002", 0.003", 0.004", 0.005", 0.006", 0.007", 0.008", 0.010", 0.012",/0.015" Thick, 6" Width, 12" Length (Pack of 12)

But I paid only $20 for the pack back in 2012. I still have plenty of it left & will probably last me many more years to come.

 

[matthewsx]

I buy my shim material in six-packs

 

[sdelivery]

I buy plastic shim stock. It comes in a package for about 30.00
Roughly 5 x18 inches it cuts cleanly and easily with scissors.

 

[projectnut]

McMaster sells individual feeler gauges 1/2"x 12" long in increments from .0005" to .060". The thinner ones up to .035" sell for less than $2.00 ea. They also have metric sizes from .04mm to 1 mm. If you visit surplus machine dealers you can usually find roll stock from 2" wide to over 12" wide. I purchased several boxes of 6" wide stock from .0005" to .030" for about $5.00 per box.

 

[brino]

Lee Valley Tools has a mixed pack of brass shim stock:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...materials/40946-brass-shim-stock?item=27K0750

-brino

 

[MrWhoopee]

I used to get a lot of calls from clients looking for stuff. I'd always ask if they'd checked the "big yellow book", the purchasing agent's bible.....

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

I still have a paper copy, great to browse in the "reading room"

 

[homebrewed]

Most any decent hardware store or hobby shop sells K&S brass stuff for hobbyists. Along with small rods, sheets and tubing they offer a brass shim stock assortment. Over the years I've bought a couple assortment packs that way. It's widely available online but you may prefer to support local businesses when you can.

The same hobby shop probably sells polystyrene sheets in varying thicknesses that can be used if you need something thicker.