| I guess this shim storage case is a project
for the truly bored, but it IS an excellent
way to keep your shims protected, and ready for use. Materials
are cheap and readily available, probably stuff you already
have laying around the garage or workshop. As with most things,
this is just one way to do it... |
|
| Materials: 3/4" plywood, galvanized deck screws, 12 cup aluminum
muffin tin, 2" hinges with screws and
bolts, plexiglass for the top, sandpaper, and whatever color
paint you want. Since this will be for servicing my A15, green
for the wood seemed appropriate, the muffin tin is already
silver. Yeah, sometimes it's hard being me! ;-) |
|
| 
|
| Here's
the storage case with the plexiglass cover closed.
|
| I bought the muffin tin at Wal-Mart, and their
12 cup size measures 13 13/16" x 10
3/8". With those dimensions in mind, here a list of the
pieces to cut: |
| 1 BASE:
14" x 10 1/2" |
| 2 "LONG"
SIDES: 14"(Long) x
3"(Tall) Initial
=> 2 1/2"(Tall) Final |
| 2 "SHORT"
SIDES: 11 7/8"(Long) x
3"(Tall) Initial
=> 2 1/2(Tall) Final |
| 1 PLEXIGLASS
TOP: 15 1/2" x
11 7/8" |
|
| NOTE:
The base (14" x 10 1/2") is the correct size for
the muffin tin to just sit on with only the slightest space
around it. The sides must be fastened to
the edges of the base, not the surface. (Note
the screw holes in the pictures.) |
| NOTE:
The sides are cut 1/2" taller than the finished
case should be. I do this because the way plywood is contructed
sometimes causes screws to wander, which can result in an
uneven assembly. The final wood cutting step is to set the
saw fence at 2 1/2," and cut down all 4 sides. This creates
a perfect surface for the top to rest on. |
|
|  |
| Here's
the storage case with the plexiglass cover open.
|
| Once
the basic box is assembled, lay the plexiglass on top. I set
the hinges about 2" in from the sides, but do it however
it looks best to you. Mark and drill the holes for the hinges,
allowing the drill bit to mark the top of the plywood underneath. |
| You
can bolt the hinges to the top, bolt heads down on the plywood
side, and up through the plexiglass with the nuts on top. |
| You
can use an appropriately sized router bit, plug cutter, oversize
drill or whatever else to make the 4 "holes" on
the edge of the plywood that each bolt head will live in when
the cover is closed. |
| Next,
lay the cover back on the box and screw in the 4 screws holding
the hinges to the sides of the box. |
| Remove
the side hinge screws - (yes, you did
just put them in) - and set the cover in a safe place where
it won't get covered with dust or paint. |
| Now,
with all the holes drilled, and everthing done to the wood
that's going to be done to it, get busy with that
sandpaper! Make sure to clean all the sawdust off when you're
finished. |
| Finally,
paint the box. I used Hunter Green latex spray paint, and
set the box up on two coffee cans so I could easily get the
sides and edges. When everything is painted that can be "reached,"
flip the box over and paint the rest. Plywood is fairly absorbant,
it took 4 coats to produce a finish that I found acceptable. |
| Once
the box is completely dry - give it at least
24 hours after the final coat with latex, and longer with
an oil-based paint - screw the cover hinges back in place,
and drop in the muffin tin. |
| You can fill all the cups if you start with
2-30 and finish with 2-85 shims. Fill each cup about 1/2 to
3/4 full with clean oil, I haven't determined if it should
be Mobil 1 or not ;-), clean the shims
of any of the protective coating they come shipped with, and
drop them by size in each cup with the numbers facing UP.
You can easily see the shim size through the oil. They're
clean, pre-oiled and ready to drop in! |
