Shim washers

[Raymond]

I am looking for a regular supply of shim washers. They need to be .5" ID and about .5625" OD. Thickness can vary some from .020 to .040. Brass is preferred.

The primary purpose is to put under the screw on cylinder retaining caps when the cap has worn down.

I checked at a supply place and they wanted way too much per item.

I remember rekeying some Yale deadbolts or lever cylinders that came with the washers but Yale tech support says they have never heard of them. I know they were Yale but couldnt argue. If anyone sees one of these Yale cylinders I would sure appreciate a couple of pictures just to prove to Yale that they do exist.

Thanks

Raymond

[Jacob Morgan]

There is a company out there that does this sort of thing http://www.bokers.com. Not sure if they will take small orders, but might be worth a shot if it happens to be a stock item.

Is the OD 0.5625" or 0.625"?

If it is 0.5625" it will be hard to find given the ID. That works out to a 1/32" difference of radius between the ID and OD. If that is what you are after, have you thought about making a loop out of some 20 gauge copper wire?

If it is 0.625" then one option would be to punch them out yourself from brass sheet stock. Tool and die makers have sets of punches to punch discs out of shim stock when adjusting stamping dies. An entire set is available here https://www.mcmaster.com/#shim-stock-punches/=15l4638, but it would surely be more economical if you could find just the two diameters you needed. Do you know anyone who works in the die shop at a stamping plant?

If the thickness did not have to be perfect, you could try some 1/2 copper tubing. Clamp two pieces of wood together, bore a 5/8" hole through them where they meet, then use the hole in the wood to clamp some 1/2" copper tubing in a vise, then stick some of the tube out of the hole and cut it off with a sharp hacksaw blade. The OD of 1/2" copper tube is around 0.625".

[Raymond]

Right. I intended the width of the ring to be about 1/16". On Schlage deadbolt cylinders if the washer is too large it will not seat in the deadbolt housing without rubbing.

Hand stamping them is a way but would be too labor intensive and costly to get the dies. I do make custom shim washers for old safe dials when necessary, I punch them with a hole punch and cut out the outside with scissors. I need to check out some plumbing washers also.

I will check out some other sources. Thanks.

[billdeserthills]

You can take an old schlage cylinder and cut the bible off of it and cut your own shims, they don't need to be an exact thickness, because
the cylinder itself has some adjustment. I bought some spring steel round shims years ago that are about the size you are looking for, so they
are available, if you don't mind using something other than a brass shim

[cledry]

I am looking for a regular supply of shim washers. They need to be .5" ID and about .5625" OD. Thickness can vary some from .020 to .040. Brass is preferred.

The primary purpose is to put under the screw on cylinder retaining caps when the cap has worn down.

I checked at a supply place and they wanted way too much per item.

I remember rekeying some Yale deadbolts or lever cylinders that came with the washers but Yale tech support says they have never heard of them. I know they were Yale but couldnt argue. If anyone sees one of these Yale cylinders I would sure appreciate a couple of pictures just to prove to Yale that they do exist.

Thanks

Raymond

A couple of strokes with a flat file on the back of the plug does the same thing.

I remember those spacers though, let me poke around at work.

[RumballSolutions]

Another source of shim washers are the assorted sump plug washers available at the auto parts store. They come in brass and copper.

[billdeserthills]

Another source of shim washers are the assorted sump plug washers available at the auto parts store. They come in brass and copper.

I remember that I have in the past used Craftsman circular saw bushings, a ten pack is around $10, they are steel washers but very thin and 1/2" diameter and they are about 5/8"
outer diameter. My cheapest fix is aluminum tubing, 1/2" inner dia and 5/8" outer dia. You can buy it from machine shop supply, like MSC. If you call them and tell them what you want I'm sure a salesperson could help you www.mscdirect.com

[Raymond]

Thanks for the ideas. I will try to check out some of them. I am looking for the steel spacers and also some plumbing washers. The bearing spacer under the dial of an S&G 8500/2937 are close enough to work but are a little large.

Cledry: "A couple of strokes with a flat file on the back of the plug does the same thing."

On the cylinders I was having trouble with, the threads were too short and the cap tightened down. With no more thread to go, the spacer was the only way.

[cledry]

Try this Medeco part number CP-021011

[jeffmoss26]

Jim, I believe that part number is the flat plate with 2 screws that blocks something from going through the back of the plug.

[cledry]

Jim, I believe that part number is the flat plate with 2 screws that blocks something from going through the back of the plug.

OK, it wasn't illustrated, so I assumed based on a description. I just know that Medeco supplies a thin copper washer that goes between the cam and the back of the driver on their IC core housings. Perhaps you know that part number.

[Raymond]

You are correct about the 'cam washer'. It isn't a washer at all. I found both in he medeco technical book today. The shim washer is way too thin for my purposes, I would need 10 of them to work.

Found an Abloy spacer but it is too small.

By the way the actually measured dimensions are ID: .5, OD: .625, and thickness could be about .020.
I still plan on looking at the hardware store in the plumbing area.

[jeffmoss26]

I don't know the part number, but I did find one just now in my bin of Medeco parts.

[cledry]

You are correct about the 'cam washer'. It isn't a washer at all. I found both in he medeco technical book today. The shim washer is way too thin for my purposes, I would need 10 of them to work.

Found an Abloy spacer but it is too small.

By the way the actually measured dimensions are ID: .5, OD: .625, and thickness could be about .020.
I still plan on looking at the hardware store in the plumbing area.

Wow that thick! That is a lot of wear.

[Raymond]

Yes!!!!! This is in a mental hospital where every door is locked with Schlage spring latches. With door closers helping each door close and lock, the staff pulls the door open with the key. Because of the CONSTANT use on each lock I have been putting in the ball bearings to prevent key and pin wear down.