Shim Stock Substitution

Machine Shop
#1

A tip that might be useful.

I needed a small piece of shim stock To get my part to run true . I vaguely remembered that the cellophane wrapper from a pack of cigarettes could be used . I wasn’t sure so I measured. It is .0007 in. . (yes I meant 7 ten thousands of an inch ).
A milky way candy wrapper is about .005 I think. .
So I will be saving time by using that to shim up one chuck jaw to make the 303 rod run true on my lathe. It had .002 in run out .

Another tip on a lathe .If you remove the stock and want to cut on it again .mark an arrow(on the stock pointing to the jaw it came from.)

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#2

No 4-jaw action?

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#3

Back when I was first exposed to machining, everything was measured in “thickness of a cigarette paper”, which was “one and half” (thousandths of an inch), if I recall correctly…
Thank you for sharing your hard-earned tidbits!

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#4

In an emergancy, when points needed to be reset because slipped, a match book cover was about .035-.040. Close enough to get car running.

No points anymore so no need to smoke or carry smokers’ measuring tool.

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#5

I don,t have a 4 jaw. I have one three jaw. I have an old Cushman 4 jaw that has broken adjustment screws…

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#6

In the maker space the lathe usually has a big 3 jaw chuck. there it would be quicker to use shim stock than it would be to change the chuck . I would use a 4 jaw chuck at home if i had one. that worked. I might look at buying one but will need a back plate too.

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#7

There is a cardboard box of shim material located above the steel teacher’s cabinet. Various sizes are available.

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