HELP! Snipe from my planer

[Jack Diemer]

I recently changed the blades on my planer. The planer came with a couple little jigs to set the blades. Anyway, everything I run through the planer has snipe at the end (just like jointers usually do).

I never had snipe before, so I am trying to figure out if I set the blades too high or too low?

[Bart Leetch]

Hi Jack

Well if you used the jig properly then the blades should be set properly.

Another thing you can try is shown at this site.

http://www.woodisourart.com/planer/planer.htm

I tried it & my little Grizzly G1017 bench-top planer now has no snipe.

However I still have to assist with long boards by lifting the furthest end of the board when going in & coming out of the planer.

Oh by the way Jack jointer's don't usually have snipe unless the out-feed table is lower than the knives in the cutter head. When you have this problem turn your out-feed table up fractionally a little at a time until you now longer have snipe. If you have a non movable out-feed table you'll need to do the adjustment with the knife installation. The rear table adjustment on these jointer's is a real pain DAMHIKT. :eek: :D

[Mark Singer]

Jack,
Lower the outfeed table a very small amount and try it . The cutter actually cuts a series of scallops and the resting point is slightly lower than the higest arc of the cutter.

[Ted Shrader]

Jack -

I have had good luck holding up on the end of the board as it feeds in to and out of the planer. That way the end, when not held down by both feed rollers, won't tip up into the cutter head and pull it "out of square". That is the reason most lunchbox planers have head locks.

Also, if you are doing several boards gang feed them with the ends staggered so the cutter head won't tip back and forth.

Ted

[Jack Diemer]

Jack -

I have had good luck holding up on the end of the board as it feeds in to and out of the planer. That way the end, when not held down by both feed rollers, won't tip up into the cutter head and pull it "out of square". That is the reason most lunchbox planers have head locks.

Also, if you are doing several boards gang feed them with the ends staggered so the cutter head won't tip back and forth.

Ted


Fyi, I was sniping boards that were only 20 inches long (soon to be raised panels), so I think its not a holding up the board issue.

[Jack Diemer]

Hi Jack

Well if you used the jig properly then the blades should be set properly.

Another thing you can try is shown at this site.

http://www.woodisourart.com/planer/planer.htm

I tried it & my little Grizzly G1017 bench-top planer now has no snipe.

However I still have to assist with long boards by lifting the furthest end of the board when going in & coming out of the planer.

Oh by the way Jack jointer's don't usually have snipe unless the out-feed table is lower than the knives in the cutter head. When you have this problem turn your out-feed table up fractionally a little at a time until you now longer have snipe. If you have a non movable out-feed table you'll need to do the adjustment with the knife installation. The rear table adjustment on these jointer's is a real pain DAMHIKT. :eek: :D

This site is VERY helpful, thanks Bart, I will give it a whirl.i

[Ted Shrader]

Fyi, I was sniping boards that were only 20 inches long (soon to be raised panels), so I think its not a holding up the board issue.Jack -

Let me try a different explanation. . . . As the board (no matter how short) goes in and hits the first feed roller, the head assembly wants to twist. Ditto when the board exits. Holding up on the end as it goes in (and comes out) helps keep the other end of the board down tight against the bed and not let it rise up into the cutter head. Head locks help prevent this twist. I hold up on the ends of my boards, no matter how long or short they are, and get minimal, if any, snipe.

The technique on the site Bart referenced effectively does the same thing since the outer ends of the in/out feed tables are raised up slightly.

Since you are getting raised panels ready, you should be able to gang feed the boards and minimize the snipe.

Regards,
Ted

[Bart Leetch]

Jack,
Lower the out-feed table a very small amount and try it . The cutter actually cuts a series of scallops and the resting point is slightly lower than the highest arc of the cutter.


Mark are you talking about the Jointer............or the planer?

Check out the url it interesting & has helped my planer immensely.

http://www.woodisourart.com/planer/planer.htm

[Tom LaRussa]

Jack,

Sorry to highjack your thread but your post reminded me of something I saw a while back but had forgotten about.

I don't remember where I first saw this idea, but here is my half-baked schematic of what I think is the best planer anti-snipe thingie I've seen. I say I think it is because I've never gotten around to building it, so I have no idea if it works in the real world. :D

The idea is simple. Run a single flat table through the planer which in essence replaces both the infeed and outfeed tables (as well as the inside table-thingie) with a single, continuous flat surface.

Since there are no dips anywhere, the rollers can't do anything except run the board through the machine -- elminating their tendency to make the board wobble before it gets to the second roller and after it runs past the first roller. That's the theory anyway.

One of these days I'll get around to building this thing and let everybody know if it works.

[Mark Singer]

Bart,

Your right...I was taking about a jointer very early this morning when I was sleeping:D


Mark are you talking about the Jointer............or the planer?

Check out the url it interesting & has helped my planer immensely.

http://www.woodisourart.com/planer/planer.htm

[Jack Diemer]

Jack,

Sorry to highjack your thread but your post reminded me of something I saw a while back but had forgotten about.

I don't remember where I first saw this idea, but here is my half-baked schematic of what I think is the best planer anti-snipe thingie I've seen. I say I think it is because I've never gotten around to building it, so I have no idea if it works in the real world. :D

The idea is simple. Run a single flat table through the planer which in essence replaces both the infeed and outfeed tables (as well as the inside table-thingie) with a single, continuous flat surface.

Since there are no dips anywhere, the rollers can't do anything except run the board through the machine -- elminating their tendency to make the board wobble before it gets to the second roller and after it runs past the first roller. That's the theory anyway.

One of these days I'll get around to building this thing and let everybody know if it works.

If you look at the woodisourart site above, they intentionally do not have a level table.

Your picture has given me the idea of putting the chunk of melamine in the planer and running boards on top of it. I will give it a try. I still suspect that my blade height may be causing the problem since I did not have the snipe prior to the changing of the blades.

[Bart Leetch]

I did the same thing with 2x4 ripped the the right width to make the pieces on each side of the planer that bolt into the angle iron for the plywood top that goes through the planer to screw down to. I also screwed guide strips to the edges of the plywood that just stuck up above the plywood surface to keep the material aligned up with the cutter head. I took the folding extension tables off the planer . There was an area built into the center of the system for the planer to set into & be bolted down. In a small shop this is handy the whole unit can be set on end & strapped to the wall. I think the tables on each side were about 28" long.

It got to be a problem in my small shop though just to big & then I found the site where it explains how to adjust the planer in-feed & out-feed table & I didn't need the table system anymore.

[Jim Barrett]

Hey Jack,

What brand/size planer do you have? How much snipe are you seeing? I have been messing with my new General Intl planer this weekend trying to eliminate the snipe and not having much luck.

Jim

[Jay Goddard]

Hey Jack,

What brand/size planer do you have? How much snipe are you seeing? I have been messing with my new General Intl planer this weekend trying to eliminate the snipe and not having much luck.

Jim


Jim,

What model/size of the General Intl planer do you have? I have been looking at the model (30-115 M1) recently reviewed in Popular Woodworking. The main complaint they had in the article was excessive snipe.

I don't know if this will help, but here is a reprint article from FWW on setting up/tuning a larger style planer:

http://www.owwm.com/Parks/FWW/tuning.asp


Jay

[Jim Barrett]

I have the 30-125, motor is on the bottom in the cabinet. Thanks for the article I'll check it out.

Jim