A good woodworking shop isn't just about routers, spindle moulders, or saws: small accessories like spacers and shims often make all the difference for precise adjustments, secure mounting, and quality work. These spacers, also called millimeter rings or setting rings, are essential tools for correctly adjusting the height or position of tools on a spindle moulder, while ensuring stability and precision.

Why use spacers and shims?

When using a wood spindle moulder (with a 30mm spindle or other), the spindle may not be completely filled, or play may develop when the installed tool is too small to fill the space—which can lead to vibrations, cutting defects, or even a safety hazard. Spacers allow you to "fill" the spindle or properly shim the height and position of the tool.

Similarly, shims (or millimeter shims) are used for fine adjustments: they are available in very thin profiles (from a tenth of a millimeter) to allow for precise adjustments, particularly when installing adjustable cutters, tool holders, or profiles/counter-profiles.

What are the practical uses of these accessories?

• Safety and stability — by filling or shimming the spindle, you prevent play, vibration, or misalignment during machining.
• Cut accuracy and adjustments — proper shimming ensures that the cutter or tool is correctly positioned, resulting in clean cuts, consistent planing, or well-formed profiles.
• Versatility and adaptability — whether you are installing a thin cutter, a wide cutter, a tool holder, an insert tool, or a groove/tenoning tool, shims allow you to adapt the spindle to various situations.
• Simple replacement and quick adjustments—often supplied in sets of several rings of varying thicknesses (e.g., 1 to 10 mm, or a "fill-up" set up to 130 mm in total height); simply stack or insert the appropriate rings to achieve the desired shim length.

In short, the range of "filler and shim rings" is an essential accessory for any serious woodworking shop: it guarantees optimal spindle alignment, ensures safe and precise machining, and offers great flexibility to adapt to different tools or cutters. While their role may seem secondary, these rings are actually a key element for achieving a professional and lasting result in your woodworking projects.