I know the general premise upon which a feeler gauge works, but I'm wondering how tight the right size feeler gauge should be when I am doing my valves, I want to get them as close to right as possible, and I definitely don't want to end up just making them worse.

 

You should feel a very slight drag on the gauge. Not too much, though...you shouldn't have to push/pull the gauges hard and you don't want to be scratching the blade.
Then try the next size up to be sure it doesn't fit.

Also, make sure you have a little oil on the blades, too, and double check after fully tightening. Sometimes it takes a few times...

 

well, the f3 has shims so it is not an adjustment really, just a shim change if it happens to be the wrong size. So I need to have slight drag, but how much is slight drag anyways? And will the next larger size still be able to be forced in without a great amount of force? the difference in sizes for me is about 1 hundredth of a millimeter, which is about a third of a thousandth of an inch.

 

I always use two sets of feelers when I'm setting clearances.
If you've got a tappet clearance of say 0.15 mm then get another set and pick the nearest one up and check that it won't go in after you've got to where you think it should be with the correct gauge. A mixture of metric and imperial gauges are good as you can get very close tollerences between the gauges.
If you're setting shims you need to be damned sure about the measurements you take before you remove the shims and make the adjustment. You need a good selection of shims too to be sure you get the assembly right.
Better to have slightly too much clearance than too little.
Good luck. Once you start you'll get the feel.

 

Aaah yes, you guys have the bucket/shims. The 1000F has tappet/adjusters... real nice...

As far as the "feel" of the gauges... it's just something you kinda get used to I guess. If the gauge kinda "skips" as you're pulling it in and out, you know you've got a close measurement. If it takes a lot of effort, it's too tight.
Plus, the clearance specs on your motors is like +/- .03mm, so that really gives you .06mm to play with. I know it's still not "much", but better than trying to do .01mm.
I'd say it's more important to try and get your gauges flat/not angled between the bucket and cam.
Here is a little write-up for your bike if you haven't seen it. It looks pretty good.... LINK...

 

Good find Trout. A very good write up on how to set shims correctly.
Thank god for tappets... he he.... and 1Kf's!
Last time I had to set up shims I evaluated the situation for about two seconds and took my Volvo head to a local engineering shop who had all the shims in stock. I had it back in a day, perfect and at less cost than it would have cost me to mess about buying the shim kit and had time to do a whole load of other things on the motor at the same time.
I am surprised at his recommended maintenance interval of 11K miles though. I'd expect a bigger interval than that but I suppose better safe than sorry.