Jointer Snipe?

[jason mowery]

Good Evening Creekers,

I've done a search on this topic, but didn't find anything especially relevant related to jointer snipe. -Plenty on planer snipe, but not jointer snipe. I'm having consistent snipe at about the last 1-1.25" when jointing a board on my Yorkcraft 6" jointer. I realize something is probably not adjusted correctly, but I'm not sure what. I haven't ruled out a technique issue either, as I'm still working the "how-to" aspects of good jointing. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks!

[Mike Nolan]

Jointer snipe on the last inch or so is usually blamed on the outfeed table being too low compared with the blades. Try putting something flat on the outfeed table overhanging the blades and rotate the blades by hand. The blades should touch but not move the "something flat". I like to unplug the jointer before doing this.

[jason mowery]

Thanks for the reply. I saw the same answer you provided in a few other places online immediately after I posted my question. I don't know how I've been able to make setting the knives so hard, but I've yet to get anywhere close to satisfactory results. -Guess I'll keep practicing. Is it safe to say it's a better idea to adjust the knives again than raise the outfeed table?

[Dick Mahany]

If the snipe is limited to the last (trailing ) part of the board, then it is most likely because the outfeed table is lower than the cutter head by a tiny amount. This would allow the board to fall down further on the cutters after leaving the support of the infeed table and cause a few inches of snipe on the trailing end. It would also not show on the beginning of the board as the board would have ample support fron just the infeed table alone.

The outfeed table wants to be at the same level as the top-dead-center, 12 o'clock height of the cutter knives. A straigt edge placed on the outfeed table and extending to the cutters should help. This should be a quick and easy remedy. Good luck.

[keith ouellette]

I had that jointer. My tables were way out of line and I ended up sending it back. I would check to see if your tables are in the same plane across the length.

[glenn bradley]

I used the method Per describes in this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20579

Very easy, very quick. . . .these comments assume co-planer tables properly adjusted ;-)

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

If all three blades are the same height, leave them alone and just adjust the height of your outfeed table. No reason to adjust the blades to the table height. Moving the table is much easier. By the way, the result of lowering the OF table too much will be convex boards. You will notice the blades have nothing to cut and the board is still not past the cutter head. Somewhere between is perfection.
fmr

[jason mowery]

Thanks to all who replied to yet another jointer adjustment question. To follow up, I set all the knives (again, this time with my new Christmas Jointer Pal), which solved the ridges and generally crappy cut I was getting, and then, following all your advice, I gradually raised the outfeed table in TINY increments until the snipe went away. In fact, I've never gotten results this good since owning it, and I've been monkeying with it for countless hours. Thanks again!

[glenn bradley]

Well done. The diligent prevail.