Wobble Wedges
By Gordon DeWitte
Wobble Wedges® are small (1″ × 1 ¼” × ¼”) tapered (4°) wedges made from hard clear (there’s also a black version for photographers) polypropylene or soft white vinyl, which is easily trimmed. They have interlocking ridge teeth to prevent slipping when stacked. The manufacturer lists a myriad of uses for these shims, including plumbers, installers, cabinet makers, homeowners, and even restaurants — for leveling those tippy tables.
They’re available in a variety of package sizes and from many stores (Lowe’s, for example, sells them in a eight-pack under the Plumb Pak label as “soft-ribbed shims”; other stores list them as “toilet shims”). A variety pack of 16 assorted wedges will cost you about $5. A six-pack is around $2, and, if you just need a couple, you can usually find a store with a display jar and get a wedge or two for less than $1 each.
Has anyone used these very much? What’s your opinion? I once trimmed one of the hard shims to wedge a battery holder and stop it from rattling around in some electronic equipment, but have no experience beyond that.
Wobble Wedges [Manufacturer's Site]
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Via Amazon [What’s This?]
September 16th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Seems very similar to the spacers I used when installing laminate flooring in my house; you’re required to keep 3/8″ from all walls when installing said laminate, and these things do the job.
Since I have a bunch left over from installing the floor, maybe I should replace the piece of cardboard stopping the wobble and chilling under my shelves/workbench setup.
September 16th, 2009 at 10:44 am
I mistyped the long dimension: it should be 1 3/4″
September 16th, 2009 at 10:58 am
I use those little laminate flooring spacers all the time, for many different applications…they’re definitely worth saving. I keep a few in each toolbox/bag.
Also, a ninety-nine cent pack of cedar shims is one of the most versatile tools/supplies you can get, for the money.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Although they are made for the fibeglass fabrication business - we haev found wedges made by a company called Bodi - to be of use:
http://bodico.com/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=74
September 16th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
i have used these or ones similar to shimming toilets, since the floor can get wet they won’t rot or corrode
September 16th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I would think that these would be great for small machinery, like a planer or a jointer or even bandsaws
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