► Shop Aid | Blue Tempered Shim Packs

Precision Shim Stock for Machinery Fit-Up & Alignment

A few thousandths of an inch can be enough to change how a machine sits, aligns or comes back together. Shop Aid Blue Tempered Shim Packs give fitters, maintenance crews, fabricators & workshop technicians flat spring-steel shim stock that can be cut to suit the dimensions of the job.

Seven thicknesses are available across the current Shop Aid Blue Tempered Shim Packs range: .008", .010", .012", .015", .020", .025" & .032". Each product is listed as a 2-piece 6 × 25-inch flat pack, giving you material to prepare around machinery bases, brackets, mounts & other compatible assemblies.

Measure first & cut second. Accurate dimensional checks help establish the correction required before valuable shim material is marked or trimmed. Browse Calipers (Digital / Manual) for close measurements or Rulers & Straight Edges when laying out larger pieces.

► Blue tempered spring-steel shim stock
► 2-piece 6 × 25-inch flat packs
► Seven thicknesses from .008" to .032"
► Material for custom-cut shims
► Useful for suitable machinery fit-up, spacing, alignment & repair work

What Are Shop Aid Blue Tempered Shim Packs?

Not every machine needs a shim that already exists in a catalogue shape. Sometimes the required piece has to follow the footprint of a base, bracket, mounting point or component that's sitting directly in front of you.

Shop Aid Blue Tempered Shim Packs provide flat spring-steel stock that can be prepared into a suitable shim profile. Instead of choosing from a pre-cut slot or standard outline, you begin with the required thickness then mark & prepare the material around the actual assembly.

Thickness is the defining choice within this collection. Every current product uses the same listed 6 × 25-inch flat-pack format while the material thickness changes from one option to the next.

That format gives workshops useful flexibility when unusual fit-up problems appear. A technician can start with controlled shim material then produce the dimensions required by the equipment rather than adapting a completely unrelated packing material.

Why Choose Shop Aid Blue Tempered Shim Packs?

Improvised packing can turn a measured adjustment into a guessing exercise. Purpose-made shim stock gives you a known material thickness before the piece is cut to shape.

Flat stock also lets the finished shim follow the job. That can be especially useful when bolt positions, mounting footprints or available clearance make a standard pre-cut piece unsuitable.

Another advantage appears in maintenance stores. Keeping several known thicknesses available gives technicians a clearer starting point when a machine needs an adjustment that wasn't planned before dismantling.

The stock still isn't a substitute for diagnosis. If equipment has shifted because a base is damaged, a fastener is loose or another component has worn, inserting more material without investigating the cause can hide the real problem.

For the broader rotating assembly around many machinery repairs, browse Bearings.

Common Applications

Where does flat shim stock become particularly useful? Look for jobs where the required correction is measurable but the finished shim shape isn't standard.

Motor & Pump Fit-Up

Motor & pump installations can require careful positioning before a coupled assembly is returned to service.

Where the equipment procedure permits shimming, measured stock can be prepared to suit the mounting footprint & required adjustment. Alignment should still be established using the appropriate equipment procedure rather than judged from appearance.

If rotating components are already exposed during the job, Ball Bearings & Accessories can help when bearing-related parts also need inspection or replacement.

Gearboxes & Drive Equipment

A gearbox that doesn't sit correctly deserves measurement before force.

Suitable shim stock can help establish controlled spacing beneath or between components where the equipment design calls for it. Mounting surfaces should be cleaned & checked before assuming the visible gap represents the true correction required.

Plant Maintenance

Large machinery rarely stops because only one component needs attention.

Fitters working on crushers, conveyors, motors, pumps or other plant may encounter alignment, spacing & mounting issues as the assembly comes apart. Flat shim stock gives the workshop material that can be prepared around the actual machinery.

For a closer look at maintenance decisions around demanding plant, read Quarry Crews Crusher Maintenance.

Fabrication & Assembly

Fabricated assemblies don't always land perfectly at final fit-up.

Where a controlled spacing correction is permitted, shim material can be cut around mounting points, brackets or plates instead of forcing components together & creating stress somewhere else in the assembly.

Workshop Repairs

Odd jobs are exactly why flat shim stock earns shelf space.

A workshop dealing with machinery from different manufacturers may not know the finished shim shape until equipment arrives. Keeping several thicknesses available gives technicians material to work from once the gap has been measured.

Equipment Reassembly

Dismantling can reveal shims that were previously hidden beneath a housing, bracket or machine foot.

Record their original positions & thicknesses before mixing them with other parts. Reassembly becomes considerably easier when each shim can be returned to the location it came from.

Product Selection Guide

Seven thicknesses may look straightforward until you're deciding which one belongs under the machine. Work from the required correction rather than choosing the sheet that feels closest.

Compare the Available Thicknesses

Small differences matter when the purpose of the material is controlled spacing. Don't round the measurement casually simply because another thickness happens to be closer at hand.

Establish the Correction

Start with the equipment, not the shim rack.

Use the appropriate measuring or alignment method to determine what needs to change. A visible gap can be useful evidence, but it doesn't always tell you how the complete component is sitting.

For larger layout checks around a machine or mounting area, browse Tape Measures.

Plan the Finished Profile

One 6 × 25-inch sheet can become many different shapes depending on the job.

Before cutting, establish:

► Finished outline
► Bolt or fastener clearances
► Contact area required
► Available space around the mount
► Direction of installation
► Whether the piece needs to remain accessible for removal

Marking the shape clearly can reduce wasted material. Browse Markers & Pencils for workshop layout options.

Inspect the Surfaces First

A burr under a machine foot can look surprisingly similar to a spacing problem.

Clean the mating surfaces & inspect them for debris, corrosion, damage or raised material before finalising the shim thickness. Taking measurements over an unwanted high point can send the entire adjustment in the wrong direction.

Verify After Assembly

Don't consider the job finished just because the shim is underneath the component.

Recheck the position, alignment or clearance according to the relevant procedure after the fasteners have been brought to their required condition. The final assembly is what matters, not the loose fit-up on the bench.

Expert Tips

Good shim work is usually more about preparation than cutting.

Keep Thickness Identification With Every Offcut

That useful leftover strip becomes much less useful once nobody knows whether it's .012" or .015".

Store remaining material with its labelled pack or use a reliable workshop identification system. Visually comparing thin shim stock is a poor replacement for knowing what you're holding.

Don't Cut Before the Layout Is Settled

A rushed first cut can waste the section of sheet you needed for the next piece.

Position the required profile sensibly on the material, confirm dimensions & consider whether another shim may need to be cut from the same sheet later.

Watch for Burrs & Raised Edges

A precisely selected thickness can still create an inaccurate fit if the finished shim doesn't sit flat.

Inspect prepared pieces before installation & deal with unwanted edges according to the requirements of the job.

Check the Hardware Holding Everything Together

Shimming changes position, but the fasteners still have to secure the assembly correctly.

Inspect bolts, mounting points & surrounding components while the machine is apart. A loose or damaged fastening point can produce movement that no amount of carefully selected shim stock will solve.

Look at Bearing Support While Access Is Available

Alignment work often opens up parts of a machine you don't normally see.

If the job involves rotating equipment, check related bearing supports for obvious wear or damage while access is available. Housings & Accessories can help when bearing housing components also form part of the maintenance scope.

Treat Repeated Adjustment as a Clue

Adding another shim every time the machine is serviced isn't automatically a maintenance plan.

If position repeatedly changes, investigate mounting condition, movement, wear & the broader assembly before assuming additional material is the correct answer.

Busy periods are easier when the basic measuring, maintenance & repair materials are already organised. Read Spring Jobsite Prep Getting Your Gear Ready for a wider look at preparing workshop & jobsite gear.