How to cut 1/2″ tapered shim 8′ long
BUILDER
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Needing to cut 10 tapered shims that are 8′ long that start at 1/2″ and taper down to nothing. Was planning on using 2x material. Going to use them to shim under OSB to join 2 different floor heights. What’s the best way to cut them accurately so they are all the same?
Replies
Can you just sister 2x material to the side of the lower floor?
Use a taper jig. I've had to do about the same thing, but with floor joists. You can buy one or just make one. If I remember right, I used a flat board and screwed another board at an angle to it. Then set the piece you need to cut on top and theres your jig. I cut twenty joists and they all came out the same.
Thanks for the idea on screwing a board to it to use as a jig. For the previous post , I can not attach 2x material to floor joist. there is existing 1/2" plywood under 3/4" chip board which I am replacing with OSB. I plan on leaving the 1/2" plywood down, and just adding the shims before putting down the OSB.
i don't know what type of floor you are planning on putting over the top but had you considered using a selfleveling compound instead.it's good for just that sort of thing. you mix it pout it and level it and it will go to a feather edge.just an idea.
You might want to pull the chipboard before you plan to leave the ply.
Edit: A1/2" in 8' (0.5% slope) is not enough to worry about. I wouldn't even think of getting it more level.
SamT
Edited 3/4/2005 12:49 pm ET by SamT
All of the above posts are good and useful for different applications. In your case I would snap lines on the 2x board and rip with a circular saw, or run it through a tablesaw freehand, though that's me--I do lots of stuff freehand and have been doing it a long time. If this makes you at all uncomfortable, stick to the skilsaw.Or you can run a bunch of varying thicknesses of plywood and other stock straight through the table saw and lay them perpendicular to the way you were going with the tapered shims. This works well too.In either case I would use real plywood over the top of the shims, not OSB.
agreed ...
secure it ...
mark it ...
snap it ...
and just freaking cut it!
circular saws are yer friend.
If he needed a "finish" cut piece ... just lay down a straight edge at the right angle and run that very same circular saw.
me? I'd cut ehm down then mark ... so one cut makes for two pieces.
sorry about all them little dots ...
my key board seems stuck?
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
The first ever tapered cutter
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Take measurements
Top & Bottom
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Secure the filler
with Smart Clamps
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Cut right on
the line
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Tapered cut
No caulking.no sanding,no freehand cutting
on the table saw and no screwing. Cut the filler 1/16 larger and let the wall be the clamp.
You can do the same cuts with a straight edge.
Edited 3/3/2005 10:41 pm ET by YCFriend
when you cut on the line is the saw fenced on the left or is it just free cut?
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the Ez way.
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...
I have all kinds of straight edges, I would use the 6"wx8' long its from some nice birch ply. Take the straigt edge and screw it to 2x6 or 8 or and put it on say 1+1/2 at one end and 1" at the other there is the 1/2" now set up yur table saw----- you do have a table saw? and set it so your rip is like5/8 or 11/16" depending on blade so finish cut gives you !/2" at fat end and rip away, take off straight edge and reset saw and rip that wedge replace straight edge and do it till you run out of fingers opps i mean wood.
WHY?
I don't really care much about the tapers… but that was one mighty handsome post back up the way.Are you pasting in html or just using Prospero's tools. Easy to do?Nice job!
Nice job!
On the taper or the post? I just paste from the site.
That much I can do with a computer.
And here is a true jock.
From my friends at the club. (computer gigs.)
Dino, How good you're with computers?
--The Best. And I can use 6 at a time.
-No way.We thought that you hate computers.
--I use to. but after i use them to cut some plywood, i start to like them.
- And why 6 computers? what kind of cutting and program needs 6 computers?
--Trade secrets guys. I can't tell you.
weeks later and after they stop showing off to me their gigness i told them how I use 6 towers to support the plywood instead saw horses. The dumpster at the job site was full with old computers and i use ...6 at a time.
They just don't get it that the panel must stay flat. I'm telling you. Gigs.
YCF dino
Edited 3/5/2005 12:02 am ET by YCFriend
6 at a time
Too funny man. Had me wondering the whole post.
Now I owe you one.
be ready
The final splash of SanchoRon receded from shore and returned to sea.Now but a passing memory to some, the fallen comrade to friends, and an unknown for those to come.The death merchants united dealt the blow to what aim?
Ready?
What you have in mind?
No.
Why ?????????? yes what's the question how do you make such a simple task so hard/difficult? Cutting shims the way I stated will get you to 64s" the same.
clay.. i've done it your way...works great !
i've screwed guides to wood.. works great !
i've got fantastic 8' straight edges... work great !
nothing works as fast,accurate or as easy as that EZ-Guide setup that yc was showingMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike, I used to watch a guy that had crazy jigs for cutting exact shims for rough jobs. I thought it was overkill then, as well as now. For finish: I'd probably want some ez jig.
But to shim rough joists? I'd have them all cut before anyone got back from the truck! There is no need to shim a defect out 8'. That is analism compounded. I'd only require that if the carpenters were going to jack plane every joist true, then come back weekly to tweak the floor system as it dried out and settled.
Flooring adhesive will "shim" 3/8", doesn't it?
blue
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should!
Warning! Be cautious when taking any framing advice from me. There are some in here who think I'm a hackmeister...they might be right! Of course, they might be wrong too!
Is that a plate that attaches to the straight edge? of the easy guide?
clay.. the EZ Guide comes with a polycarbonate base that you bolt onto your saw..
the base has grooves in it that track exactly.. zero wobble..
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the yellow insert is an anti-splinter insert..
the white edge is a vinyl edge.. the first cut you make with the guide barely trims the white vinyl edge...now the vinyl edge becomes an EXACT cut guide
the guide is pretty heavy.. so most of the time i do not clamp it, as the saw slides so easily and smoothly, the guide doesn't budge.. for some cuts i use the clamps.. the clamps are another work of art... they are extremely easy to adjust and set
notice.... the guide has two vinyl edges... one i mark for my 90 deg. straight cuts...
the other side i use for my bevel cuts.. ( you know how you ruin a shooter board the first time you make a bevel cut with it )....
if you screw up a vinyl edge , you can replace them...you can link the guides into any length you want.. my kit has two 50" guides..
you can also get a door guide (40" ) if you want a shorter one
dino posted the two pics above.. the second one shows a bevel cut being madeMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Ahhsoo- Thanks, and I thought I had all the tools
and do it till you run out of fingers opps i mean wood
I was only joking.(a follow up to yours) Your way if fine. And I stated in the post that you can do that with any straight edge.
What's the best way to cut them accurately so they are all the same?"
Pencil line and a band saw. Are you sure you want them all to be the same? Did the entire lower floor of my house that way (1200 sq/ft). Way easier to work them in shorter lengths though. Did you know that wood usually warps when you cut it?
WSJ
Touche'
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
Touche'
Duane,
LOL LOL LOL
Jon