Snipe, can it be fixed by the manifactures

[Bill Huber]

I planed some wood today and got a little snipe on some of the boards, not all that much and I sanded it right out but it got me thinking about snipe.

From what I can read in-feed snipe happens when the board comes up a little before it gets to the out feed roller. Out feed snipe is cause by the board leaving the in-feed roller.

So what if the manufacturers put 4 rollers on their planers. I would pay $50 more for a planer with no snipe.

Here are 2 really simple drawings of what I am thinking about.
Do you think it would work and if so would you pay $50 more for a planer that didn't have snipe.


78283 78284

[Mark Rios]

Don't go getting all snippy now Bill.

[Dale Lesak]

Most snip happens when the cutting head tilts as the wood goes into and comes out of the machine I think Dewalt was the first to put a lock on their cutting head that almost all be eliminated it.

[Art Mann]

My Ridgid TP1300LS does not snipe and it only has 1 infeed and 1 outfeed roller. Two rollers may help some designs but it is not a necessity.

[Bill Huber]

Most snip happens when the cutting head tilts as the wood goes into and comes out of the machine I think Dewalt was the first to put a lock on their cutting head that almost all be eliminated it.


That is true but you can still get snipe with a head lock system. Some snipe does come for the head tilt but not all of it.

Here is a good write up on it.

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=67

http://www.woodproductsonlineexpo.com/content.php/676/2505/planer_snipe.html

[Bill Huber]

My Ridgid TP1300LS does not snipe and it only has 1 infeed and 1 outfeed roller. Two rollers may help some designs but it is not a necessity.


I had a Ridgid 1300 and I have a friend that has a 1300 and they both will produce some snipe at times, not a lot but they do, do it.

I don't think there is a bench top planer that doesn't, in fact in FWW they had a bunch they tested and every one did to some point.

[Alan Schaffter]

You get what you pay for- buy some older iron like a 1980's Delta 20" and you get dual adjustable bed rollers, better pressure rollers, dual powered outfeed pressure rollers- and no snipe. These machines went for around $5000 then and almost that much now- not like the $500 - $600 (or less) 12 - 13" lunch box planers and most of the $1300+ 15" planers.

[Bill Huber]

You get what you pay for- buy some older iron like a 1980's Delta 20" and you get dual adjustable bed rollers, better pressure rollers, dual powered outfeed pressure rollers- and no snipe. These machines went for around $5000 then and almost that much now- not like the $500 - $600 (or less) 12 - 13" lunch box planers and most of the $1300+ 15" planers.

That's the point, I do not have room for a large planer or do I have the money to pay $1300 + for a planer.

But I think that 2 rollers could be added to the small planers and come up with a much better one and still keep the cost down. to under $500.

[John Newell]

The article suggests that a combination of table setup and physical manipulation by the operator could reduce or possibly eliminate snipe...

[Bill Huber]

The article suggests that a combination of table setup and physical manipulation by the operator could reduce or possibly eliminate snipe...


But why should the operator have to manipulate the wood to eliminate snipe if the tool could do it with out it.

That is kind of like say if you set it up right and with a little manipulation from the operator you can get a square cut out of you table saw.

[Art Mann]

I had a Ridgid 1300 and I have a friend that has a 1300 and they both will produce some snipe at times, not a lot but they do, do it.

I don't think there is a bench top planer that doesn't, in fact in FWW they had a bunch they tested and every one did to some point.

I have checked it with my calipers more times than i can remember. When i say my planer doesn't snipe, that is what i mean. The planer will produce irregularities of a few thousandths, but they are just as likely to be in the middle of the board as on the edge. When I first got the thing, It would snipe maybe 0.005" or more on the ends - enough that you could see it. I kept adjusting the infeed and outfeed tables until it went away. I read a review of lunchbox planers in some magazine and several of them, including the Ridgid, were adjusted so that they didn't produce snipe.

I have used a number of pretty old industrial strength cast iron planers in the past, including Delta, Powermatic and Parks. Every one of them produced some amount of snipe and some quite badly. The problem was simply wear. After a while, the mechanics that hold the cutter head in place get sloppy. Any number of sets of rollers will not do any good. One day, I expect the Ridgid to start doing that, at which point I will start allowing for it or just go buy another one.

[George Bregar]

My experience i that with the right set up of the infeed and outfeed table, you can eliminate sniping from a quality lunchbox planer. A very slight iclined table works for the DeWalt 733

[Robert Mahon]

Good suggestion George.
I have a Rigid 1300 and raised the leading edge of the infeed table and trailing edge of the outfeed table a bit. Snipe is GONE!
The adjustments for that are on the bottom of the tables.

On long boards I assist by lifting the end slightly to ovecome the weight of the board.

Adding more rollers could be an answer but will add significantly to the cost.

[John Bartley]

Good suggestion George.
I have a Rigid 1300 and raised the leading edge of the infeed table and trailing edge of the outfeed table a bit. Snipe is GONE!
The adjustments for that are on the bottom of the tables.

On long boards I assist by lifting the end slightly to ovecome the weight of the board.

Adding more rollers could be an answer but will add significantly to the cost.

Same here exactly.

cheers

[Thomas Williams]

Do you think it would work and if so would you pay $50 more for a planer that didn't have snipe.

Bill, to answer your questions, yes I do think the additional rollers would help eliminate the potential for snipe. I would pay an additional $50, but I am not sure that the cost for the additional rollers would only add $50.

[John Newell]

In order to deal with the leverage issues, you'd probably have to increase the size significantly.