My crew still ribs me for using ketchup packets as shims

I ran out of proper shims on a door install and used ketchup packets from my lunch to level the glass. It held perfectly until I could get real ones, and now I think they're a decent backup. The guys won't let me live it down, but it worked in a pinch.

3 comments

3 Comments

joseph_torres1mo ago

Ketchup packets for shims? That's nuts. How did they not leak everywhere?

the_skyler1mo ago

That's the part that gets me. Even if they didn't burst, the smell alone would be brutal after a few days. Sticky sugary tomato goo baking near an engine bay sounds like a biohazard waiting to happen.

noah_hill791mo ago

Those packets are sealed pretty tight. They don't just leak from being squeezed. The plastic is made to hold up under normal handling. When used as a shim, the pressure is even across the packet. It might get warm and soft, but it won't burst open. It's not a great long term fix, but it can hold for a while.