How to Cut Super Shims

hi and thanks for stopping by next level carpentry in this video I want to show you how I make what I call super shims they're just tapered strips of wood that I cut the custom length and thickness for special shimming purposes I don't use them often but sometimes they're the best fix for certain applications on remodeling projects to give you an idea what's possible with this method I'll make a pair of identical shims that go from nothing to 1530 seconds in four feet one and then I'll make another one that goes from zilch to fifteen sixteenths over twelve feet so if you want to learn how to make super shims to get you out of a bind on a remodeling project stick around and I'll show you how [Music] making super shims is actually a pretty straightforward process but you do need a few things to get it done the first thing you need is an accurate measurement of length and thickness for the shim I'm going to use this 2x4 as an example of say a floor joist that's out a level and needs to be shimmed level before plywood's put down a great way to get a measurement like that is using a level with a how far out gauge attached at the end of this video there's a link to another video I did where I review a how far out gauge and show a little bit about using it but basically with the gauge attached to a level I can set it on a surface that's out a level and then turn the knob on the gauge until the bubbles in the middle so I know how much slope is in the joist over a given length it's a 4 foot level and with the gauge added I'm totaling four foot one in length and I'm reading 1530 seconds on the gauge once I determined the length and the slope for the Super shim I just need a straight board to cut it from and on a jobsite a straight board isn't always available so there'll be a link to another video at the end of this one that shows how to cut a straight edge on a crooked board and I use that method to straighten the pieces I'll use in these examples for cutting these super shims in the video where I show how to cut a straight edge on a boat board I go through the steps I use to create this straight edge fixture which I use to carry the straight board through a table saw to cut the super shim because I want to show how this process can be done on a jobsite I'm going to put aside my cabinet saw and bring in my Dewalt portable saw to show that this is possible even on portable jobsite equipment and just like in the other video I'll set up a roller stand catch the work as it comes off the table saw using the process I show in the video about cutting a straight edge on a boat board I make a straight edge with a sturdy push fence on it and add a couple of hold down blocks and then I cut two straight edges on a two-by-four if the 2x4 is already straight great if it's got a bow in it I use that process to make sure that I've got two straight edges everything up to this point is the same between cutting a straight edge on a crooked board and cutting a super shim but this next step is where the process changes the next step is to drive a flathead screw into the solid wood block near the push fence and I like to start that screw and drive it in with the cordless screwdriver but it could be a lot easier to use an old-fashioned cordless screwdriver to set that screw head to an accurate measurement in this case the shim is going to be fifteen thirty Seconds inch thick at the fat end and so the head of the screw piece to stick out past that straight edge fifteen thirty seconds of an inch I'm using a tape measure in this example but if more precision is required you can always use a fractional caliper and I'm satisfied with that either way with the flat head screw in place and the fixture all set up the next step is to cut you straight two by four to the length of the shim in this case it's four foot one [Music] next I just set the straight 2x4 that's couple lengths up against the flathead screw on one end and tight against the straightedge on the other end so it's held firmly in place at the right angle for cutting the shim with these hold downs it's possible cut a number of shims out of the same piece but as the piece gets thinner or the shim is longer it's important to make sure that this piece isn't flexible enough to bow in the middle because that'll throw off the accuracy of the shim in a pinch a person could add another stop screw or two in here at the right distance to hold that head straight as the cuts being made if the board wants to flex during the cut after getting this fixture I'll set up the next step is to measure the combined width of the board and the straightedge at the narrow end of the taper and in this case I'm reading seven and thirteen sixteenths inches so I'll raise the blade so teeth are about 1/8 inch above the two-by-four and then set the fence to seven and thirteen sixteenths inches to the far side of the blade that's important that your measure to the far side of the blade not between the fence and the blade once the fixture is set up rip fence is set and the outfeed roller and or your helper are in the correct position it's time to get down to business and cut a super show [Music] because of their very narrow taper of this piece I could have set the fence over another ten thousandths of an inch to keep the shim length of exactly 4 foot 1 but as it was the cut ate up that first few inches of the shim but it still gets the job done once one shim has been cut off the straight 2x4 all it takes to make an identical shim is to unscrew the blank from the cutting fixture set it aside and then reset the fence to the narrow end of the blank with the cut edge of the 2x4 flush with the outside of the blade and the position I set the fence at this point will determine if the thin edge of this super shim gets cut away or if it stays intact I'm going to leave it just a little bit proud to show the difference so I'll reposition the outfeed roller and use a push stick for this operation and with that cut we have two shims that are virtually identical going from nothing to 1530 seconds over four foot one as I cut the shims off the straighten two by four it also changed the equilibrium of tension in that wood so that this board developed a bow in it again if I was cutting more shims off this I need to straighten it again to make sure those shims stay consistent as it is that bit of a bowl in the blank made the one shim slightly thinner in the middle than the other the ends are the same but the middle is a bit different because the board bowed that's a little embarrassing but it's also a factor in cutting these shims the longer they are the more accurate they need to be the more you need to pay attention to all the little details so that they come out the way you want them next as promised I'll make a shim that goes from zilch to fifteen sixteenths over twelve feet using the same process with a little bit of a twist and I'll start with this ragged two-by-four that's not good for much else and make shims out of it so it doesn't go to waste first I'll cut her ended it here to six feet in length and then I'll remove the taper screw and reposition one of the whole dump slots to accommodate the longer workpiece making sure to put the both side of the board away from the straighter this is a pretty beat up 2x4 so I'm gonna take a little more off of it with a cut at 7 and 3/4 this cut will give a straight edge on the next I would move straight edge to the front of the side and reset the fence to cut a parallel edge on the to by and those two cuts give me a 2x4 blank that's straight on both sides and it's 6 feet long to make this extended super shim with the taper from nothing to fifteen sixteenths and 12 feet I'll make the same taper from 15 30 seconds to nothing in six feet half the length half the thickness by putting the flat head screw back in the same hole at the same depth as the other example and then I attach the six-foot 2x4 blank to the fixture with this end resting on the head of that flat head screw and then measure the combined width of the straight edge and the workpiece again and I'm going to go seven and a half inches to the far side of the blade was everything in position how do you make the cut and that piece is six feet long goes from nothing to 15 30 seconds with a little bit of play in the system this is actually a little thicker than 15 30 seconds but in framing situations that's generally plenty good enough and this next step is the trick that makes it possible to create these super long shims with the great degree of accuracy while avoiding the difficulty of trying to manage a 12 foot 2 by 4 blank so what I do next is to remove the blanks on the straightedge except the fixture aside and now to complete the process I mark the thick end of the first cut off onto the thin end of the blank and then set the RIP fence to that pencil mark so that the pencil mark is on the far side of the blade once again and because the taper of the shim is built into the blank I just make a parallel cut at that setting and a close-up of this piece after the cut shows that it's exactly one inch instead of the 15 sixteenths that I was shooting for that tells me my taper is off by 1/32 of an inch once at the middle mark and once at the end if a greater level of accuracy was needed for a particular shim I can spend more time with the set up in preparation and dial that down but like I said earlier for most framing applications this level of accuracy is plenty good and as you can see now got a shim that's for all intents and purposes goes from nothing to an inch or fifteen sixteenths over twelve feet well I guess that's pretty much a wrap and I hope you find the method that I've shown here for cutting these super shims interesting if not helpful because as far as I know next-level carpentry is the only place on YouTube that shows how to get this done as I said at the beginning I'll put links over here at the end of this video one that shows a review and setup with a how far out gauge and the other one that covers making the straightedge fixture for cutting a straight edge on a bowed board so that the three of the videos combined show you the process that I take with me on every and the three of the videos and the information in all three videos are something that I take with me on every remodeling project I go on and use this method applied to various applications for getting better results when working with less than ideal job site conditions and the information in all three videos are something that I take with me on every remodeling project I go on and use this method applied to various applications for getting better results when working with less than ideal job site conditions so it's time for me to get cleaned up and go have dinner I appreciate the time you spent watching the video hit the thumbs up button if you liked what you saw consider subscribing if you haven't viewer participation and comments are what bring momentum to the channel and help it grow and with that growth I'll continue to work to improve the quality of the videos and provide more of this sort of in-depth insight into next level carpentry I'm going to try to get another video cranked out before the end of the year but peeps are busy so if you're not able to come back until next year Happy New Year and thanks for watching [Music]

Channel: Next Level Carpentry

Views: 125,503

Keywords: shims, shimms, shimming, furing, furring, fir, firring, firing, taper, wood, cedar, redwood, level, plumb, crooked, sloped, angled, sagging, sagged, dip, timber tailor, matt jackson, next level carpentry, fine homebuilding, tricks, techniques, hack, hacks, jobsite, concrete, floor, slab, stud, joist, rafter, plate, foundation, remodel, remodeling, kitchen, bathroom

Id: IGK3w2I_Bms

Length: 15min 5sec (905 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 30 2017