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| Forums10 Topics39,555 Posts562,700 Members14,593 |  | Most Online9,918Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined:  Feb 2005 Posts: 42 Sidelock |  
| OP   Sidelock 
 Joined:  Feb 2005 Posts: 42 | 
What's the secret to getting a snug fit between the pad and the wood? Even when it seems just right, once the screws are tightened down, a gap developes. Are they epoxied on first? |  |  |  
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Joined:  Jan 2005 Posts: 80 Sidelock |  
|   Sidelock 
 Joined:  Jan 2005 Posts: 80 | 
Put the pad on a sheet of sand paper & move in a figure 8 motion to flatten that surface. I square the stock with a sanding disk on a radial arm saw, the stock being held in a sled/fixture. Both surfaces need to be flat.
 Regards,
 Ron
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Joined:  May 2010 Posts: 1,545 Likes: 106 Sidelock |  
|   Sidelock 
 Joined:  May 2010 Posts: 1,545 Likes: 106 |  |  |  |  
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Joined:  Feb 2002 Posts: 14,466 Likes: 278 Sidelock |  
|   Sidelock 
 Joined:  Feb 2002 Posts: 14,466 Likes: 278 | 
You must be using screws that are not flat bottomed and are not of sufficient diameter to bear uniformly flat on the spacer.  I have been known to glue a pad down if it is not on a through bolt gun.  Why not? |  |  |  
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Joined:  Jan 2010 Posts: 683 Sidelock |  
|   Sidelock 
 Joined:  Jan 2010 Posts: 683 | 
A mouse sander and working down the high areas with it.  Avoid epoxy if you want a good fit. |  |  |  
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Joined:  Jan 2002 Posts: 5,983 Sidelock |  
|   Sidelock 
 Joined:  Jan 2002 Posts: 5,983 | 
I've installed a lot of pads, for an amateur. The way to get a flat fit is to square the stock, as Ron said and to square the pad base, as well. They are not usually perfectly flat. I cut the stocks off with a radial arm saw and square both with a 6" wide belt sander. 
 > Jim Legg <
 
 
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