Unless the jointer is really screwed up you should not have to shim the dove tail ways.
What ever instructions you are following seems, terrible.
First the dove tails in the base and the tables need to be clean and lubed with a dry lube.
There are thin plates "gibs" that are adjusted with set screws, those force the dove tails tight.
I would tighten those screws to the point of locking the table tight, then carefully backing them off until the table can be moved freely with some friction. Keep in mind any straight edge test needs to be done with the table locks tight.
The tables, check each one for true with your straight edge, hopefully they are good.
Set the out-feed table to the cutter head as per the Griz instructions. Rotate the knife out of the way.
Bring the in-feed table to the same height as the out feed table using your straight edge, but not clear across the in-feed table at this point, just a few inches on the other side of the cutter head. Lock the tables.
Now, check across both tables and see what error you have.
From what you posted, if I am getting it right, you may have a maximum error of .006" across both tables.
That is not much and may not effect the performance badly.
It could be impossible to shim that out, that is, I have heard of dove tails being shimmed when the tables are way out, like 1/16", from sag.
Having a Griz jointer myself, an older 1018, there may be another point of error- the cutter head body to the table surface.
Not a big deal, if the knives are set to the out-feed table surface rather then using the the supplied gage that sets the knives to the cutter body.
What ever instructions you are following seems, terrible.
First the dove tails in the base and the tables need to be clean and lubed with a dry lube.
There are thin plates "gibs" that are adjusted with set screws, those force the dove tails tight.
I would tighten those screws to the point of locking the table tight, then carefully backing them off until the table can be moved freely with some friction. Keep in mind any straight edge test needs to be done with the table locks tight.
The tables, check each one for true with your straight edge, hopefully they are good.
Set the out-feed table to the cutter head as per the Griz instructions. Rotate the knife out of the way.
Bring the in-feed table to the same height as the out feed table using your straight edge, but not clear across the in-feed table at this point, just a few inches on the other side of the cutter head. Lock the tables.
Now, check across both tables and see what error you have.
From what you posted, if I am getting it right, you may have a maximum error of .006" across both tables.
That is not much and may not effect the performance badly.
It could be impossible to shim that out, that is, I have heard of dove tails being shimmed when the tables are way out, like 1/16", from sag.
Having a Griz jointer myself, an older 1018, there may be another point of error- the cutter head body to the table surface.
Not a big deal, if the knives are set to the out-feed table surface rather then using the the supplied gage that sets the knives to the cutter body.
