Planer Table ideas / feedback

[Adam Chin]

Now that I have a new planer, I’m off to the races on addressing snipe as effectively as possible. One of my Luthier friends recommended making a surface to go on top of my planer Table to go beyond infeed and outfeed extension (flip tables) to avoid snipe. If this is a old subject sorry about being redundant.


I’ve been exploring possible options and have a few questions.


This Idea is what I think is in the ball park of what need to make the long 36” or 48” 1.5 inch square laminates for bass guitar necks..


Here are a few ideas I found on YouTube
https://youtu.be/KOzRB30gxpE


https://youtu.be/i6CTmgpcdTM


I’m wondering how long to make these insert tables? Shooting for two lengths as I mentioned above 36 or 48”.


Have any of you made one and like it?


One last question, is a Torsion box type highly recommended, or can a 2 3/4 inch MDF sheets and a melamine top suffice?



Currently I don’t have a truly flat assembly table.

Thoughts? Thanks!

[Lee Schierer]

Shortly after I acquired my 12-1/2" Delta planer I built a table for it with in feed and out feed extensions. You can see it in the back ground of this photo. It pretty much eliminated any snipe on my projects.
392730

[Adam Chin]

Thanks Lee!


I’m not exactly sure why, but I replied to you a few days ago and the thread
isn’t showing it now. Anyway...

I found this video of a guy who made and edge joint sled also.
Nice idea I think.

https://youtu.be/rpq-Cb-UesM

[Mike Cutler]

Adam
I like the first one. It's simple and easy.
The second one is more purpose specific.

I probably wouldn't make the first one the same way, but he may have had one or two prototypes before he arrived at that design, so it may be best just to build it exactly as he did.
I would have rabbeted and rounded the edges and used steel, or aluminum "L" stock. This would reduce the profile by 1/2". The UHMW surface is nice, but that is going to be fairly expensive. I'm not sure that an epoxy painted surface that was waxed wouldn't have accomplished the same thing.
For the length, I would go 48". That is the length, end to end, for the infeed and outfeed roller tables on my 15" Jet stationary planer.

[Adam Chin]

Thanks Mike!

I’m thinking about making the table itself a torsion just to reduce on weight
and possibly ensure on rigidity.

I actually don’t have a perfectly flat surface at the moment, but should :)

I do all my cutting outside and with the FL humidity, everything moves.

My current indoor assembly table (birch lammed table top isn’t perfect,
and this 48” Table could serve me inside as well.


I appreciate your thoughts on that first design :)

[Robert Engel]

Have you tried to adjust the snipe out of the planer? One of the biggest culprits are bed rollers (if your planer has them). Adjust them down so they do not engage the wood. I was able to eliminate the snipe from my planer (Grizzly 20"). If you keep the table waxed or coated you really don't need them.

Next, have you gone through a routine check of all the roller settings and be sure they are spot on?


That being said, a secondary feed table does work well & maybe the best solution for you.

I don't think a torsion box is necessary. I piece of MDF or ply laminated on both sides should be adequate.

[Adam Chin]

Have you tried to adjust the snipe out of the planer? One of the biggest culprits are bed rollers (if your planer has them). Adjust them down so they do not engage the wood. I was able to eliminate the snipe from my planer (Grizzly 20"). If you keep the table waxed or coated you really don't need them.

Next, have you gone through a routine check of all the roller settings and be sure they are spot on?


That being said, a secondary feed table does work well & maybe the best solution for you.

Hi Robert,

I’ll need to check on that. Are these rollers that are the ones up on the planer
that pull the wood thru, or down on the table?

Thanks,
Adam

[Mike Cutler]

Adam
A few thoughts.
Thanks Mike!

I’m thinking about making the table itself a torsion just to reduce on weight
and possibly ensure on rigidity.
I think this would overly complicate the solution. The first video's solution is elegant in it's simplicity.

I actually don’t have a perfectly flat surface at the moment, but should :)
If you only need to make the bed, a 48"x12" bed could be made flat on the dining room table.

I do all my cutting outside and with the FL humidity, everything moves.
This why you would want to use plywood, or MDF

My current indoor assembly table (birch lammed table top isn’t perfect,
and this 48” Table could serve me inside as well.

David Marks used to have a video on making a torsion box, without a flat reference. If it's still on the net, it's worth the time watching it.


I appreciate your thoughts on that first design :)


Keep it simple. The more variables you put into it, the more things that will need to be accounted for to keep it flat.

[Adam Chin]

Adam
A few thoughts.


Keep it simple. The more variables you put into it, the more things that will need to be accounted for to keep it flat.


Sage advise to keep it simple. I do like the example of video #1.

I could see doing a few layers of plywood or MDF, and 1/2” or 3/4 of Melamine particle board.
I just thought the stiffening bars was a bit more (but it may be essential). Didn’t exactly follow your thought on aluminum “L”.

This guy has a similar, yet simpler version which helps point out that the planer itself needs a good anchor.

https://youtu.be/Eadz-uNuD-4

Thanks!

[Derek Cohen]

Adam, before I moved to the Hammer A3-31, I had a Delta lunchbox. (It was rarely used because of the noise - and I preferred using handplanes). It was, nevertheless, a clean performer - no snipe - after a modification. This was to made the steel extension in- and outfeed tables as coplanar and rigid as possible. Especially rigid. It is the weight of long boards on the tables that causes them to bend, and that ends in snipe.

I would recommend a simple table top that extends all the way through the machine. In addition, you need to make the tables rigid. This is what I did ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Power%20Tools/Thicknessertable1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Power%20Tools/Thicknessertable3.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Power%20Tools/Thicknessertable2.jpg

The bolts allow for adjustability. In the end the tables are stable and coplanar.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matt Day]

Derek looks to have the simplest and best idea there. On my 15” 4 post planer I don’t use anything, no extensions or anything, and I have the planer dialed in.

What planer do you have?

KISS

[Adam Chin]

Adam, before I moved to the Hammer A3-31, I had a Delta lunchbox. (It was rarely used because of the noise - and I preferred using handplanes). It was, nevertheless, a clean performer - no snipe - after a modification. This was to made the steel extension in- and outfeed tables as coplanar and rigid as possible. Especially rigid. It is the weight of long boards on the tables that causes them to bend, and that ends in snipe.

I would recommend a simple table top that extends all the way through the machine. In addition, you need to make the tables rigid. This is what I did ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Power%20Tools/Thicknessertable1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Power%20Tools/Thicknessertable3.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Power%20Tools/Thicknessertable2.jpg

The bolts allow for adjustability. In the end the tables are stable and coplanar.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek!

I like these adjustable end bars to make the in/outfeed tables coplanar.

I’m wondering how you attached these to the metal tables?

Thanks
Adam

[Adam Chin]

Derek looks to have the simplest and best idea there. On my 15” 4 post planer I don’t use anything, no extensions or anything, and I have the planer dialed in.

What planer do you have?

KISS

I’ve got a DeWalt DW734, which does have a carriage lock.
I mainly get a bit of snipe on the outfeed side.
It could probably use some more dialing in regardless.

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Derek!

I like these adjustable end bars to make the in/outfeed tables coplanar.

I’m wondering how you attached these to the metal tables?

Thanks
Adam

Adam, there is no need to attach the rests to the tables - the tables rest on the rests :) This makes it possible to adjust them. The weight of the tables is enough to keep them in place.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Adam Chin]

Adam, there is no need to attach the rests to the tables - the tables rest on the rests :) This makes it possible to adjust them. The weight of the tables is enough to keep them in place.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Awesome, thanks Derek!

[Mike Kees]

Adam I had a Delta planer (portable) when they first came out,like 20 some years ago. I built a table thru mine covered with arborite. Basically 3/4'' plywood with planer bolted on then two 2x4 s ripped to height and another layer of plywood thru the planer bed with the arborite on top. It almost completely eliminated my snipe issues.Currently I also own the same Dewalt that you have. I use it for jobsite work only, when I am finishing or doing renovations. It is far better than the Delta with the snipe issue because of the head lock. That Dewalt does not have bed rollers so if it snipes more than you can live with build the table thru it. I think mine was 48'',but 36'' would probably work just as well. Mike.

[Matt Day]

I had the dw734 for about a decade and didn’t use anything but the tables that came with it and had no snipe. Take the time to go through the adjustment process, IIRC I made some minor adjustments to my tables.

This is a case of overthinking/overplanning. Fix/align/adjust the stock planer tables first. I bet your outfeed table is too low. There are screws that adjust the height of the end of the table.

[Adam Chin]

I had the dw734 for about a decade and didn’t use anything but the tables that came with it and had no snipe. Take the time to go through the adjustment process, IIRC I made some minor adjustments to my tables.

This is a case of overthinking/overplanning. Fix/align/adjust the stock planer tables first. I bet your outfeed table is too low. There are screws that adjust the height of the end of the table.

Thanks Matt. I’ll check the outfeed height. The manual says to adjust them so the tips are level with the bed (with no vertical play). I should be able to get it dialed in right. Thanks!!

[Adam Chin]

Adam I had a Delta planer (portable) when they first came out,like 20 some years ago. I built a table thru mine covered with arborite. Basically 3/4'' plywood with planer bolted on then two 2x4 s ripped to height and another layer of plywood thru the planer bed with the arborite on top. It almost completely eliminated my snipe issues.Currently I also own the same Dewalt that you have. I use it for jobsite work only, when I am finishing or doing renovations. It is far better than the Delta with the snipe issue because of the head lock. That Dewalt does not have bed rollers so if it snipes more than you can live with build the table thru it. I think mine was 48'',but 36'' would probably work just as well. Mike.

Thanks Mike! I’ve been avoiding the rear snipe by running a sacrificial piece at the end (currently).
I’ll go back to check the height adjustment again and hopefully that will be it.

[Robert Engel]

Hi Robert,

I’ll need to check on that. Are these rollers that are the ones up on the planer
that pull the wood thru, or down on the table?

Thanks,
Adam

Bed rollers are not the feed rollers.

The are in the bed under the planer head. Mine are adjustable don't know about yours. If not you could remove them.