Planer cutter lock

[Porter Bassett]

I have the opportunity to buy a Delta TP305 for $150. I know it's a low-end planer, but I'm hoping that a low-end planer is better than the no planer I currently have. :)

Anyway, one of the big issues that people seem to have with the TP305 is that it doesn't have a cutter lock. I've never used a planer, and I don't know what a cutter lock is.

What is a cutter lock, and what difference does it make?

[Alan Schwabacher]

Snipe, an slightly deeper cut on the ends of boards, can be caused by two different things. Either the cutterhead, which spins above the board, slicing off its top surface, can dip down onto the board, or the board can raise into the cutter. A lock can prevent the first type of snipe, but not the second, by locking the position of the cutterhead.

I've not used a planer without a lock, so I can't say how significant it is.

[Bruce Pennell]

Porter one thing that might help is a ext. bed for your planner. I made mine out of 3/4" MDF I had laying around. Make it the same width as the inside of your planner with a cleat on the bottom front. I made mine about 3 & 1/2 feet long. Make sure you wax the up side. This helped when I was getting snipe with a Delta planner. I liked the small planner, blade change was quick and blades where cheap (never tried to have them sharpened). Reason I changed was for dust collection.
I have had both locked and unlocked. Most of the snipe I dealt with was caused by the cheap out feed tables. The board pops up into the blades. People I've talked too, liked locked because the got more repeatable cuts. I've not noticed a difference.

[Mark Engel]

My old Ryobi does not have a cutterhead lock. I find that if I hold the back end up slightly as I feed the board in and do the same to the leading edge of the board as the trailing edge clears the cutters, snipe is reduced to the point where it can be sanded out pretty easily.

That, or I just plane longer boards and cut the snipe off. :rolleyes:

[glenn bradley]

The carriage (cutter) lock helps the cutter head carriage on lunchbox planers stay put under the pressure of the feed rollers and material. My DW734 has a lock and if I leave my digital readout on I can still see the carriage raise and lower a decimal point or so on some operations. No carriage lock? Hmmmm.

[Art Mann]

I would bet you wil have to deal with at least some noticeable snipe with that planer. However, as you said, it is better than no planer at all.

[Porter Bassett]

Well, I decided to get it. Thanks for your help.

Bruce, do you have any pictures of the table you made for your planer? I'm having trouble visualizing everything you described about the table you made.

[Bruce Pennell]

Sorry I gave it to the guy that bought my Delta planner. It's simple a board cut the width of your planer, sets right though the middle, on top of your in feed and out feed tables. Kinda levels every thing up. My problem was with the short, not quite level in feed and out feed tables. You will lose 3/4 of an inch of clearance ( it was never a problem with me ). The cleat is on the bottom of the board in front of the in feed table (holds it in place). You can make it as long as you want, mine was about 3 and 1/2 feet long and 12" wide. These real help on longer boards where your out feed table can flex and cause snipe. Hope I explained it better. Good Luck Bruce
PS use wax on the top of it.

[Porter Bassett]

Yes, I understood much better that time. Thank you.

[Bruce Pennell]

Found a pic at woodshop demo's (http://www.woodshopdemos.com/plan-pm1.htm)
Hope this link helps. Bruce