Stopped by an old shop in Elgin last week and noticed something funny

I was down in Elgin last week picking up some walnut from a guy I've been going to for years. He's got this old cabinet shop out back of his house, been running it since like '89. I noticed all his dado stacks are still set up on these ancient arbor shafts with shims instead of just using a modern stacked set. He told me he's never switched because the old method gives him a tighter glue joint on heavy frameless stuff. Anyone else still running old school setups like that or am I just hanging out with a dinosaur?

2 comments

2 Comments

brookebailey1mo ago

You know, I used to think shims were old junk, but this thread finally changed my mind.

craig.nathan1mo ago

My buddy Jake who does custom kitchens still runs his old Waddells with the arbor shafts and shims too. Swears by them for that exact reason, says the glue joint is way more consistent on big euro-style panels. I tried to talk him into a modern stack once and he just laughed at me.