any ideas on some unusual snipe with my Griz GO453 Planer?

[Larry Rasmussen]

I bought this 15" planer last spring and it took me all summer to finally get around to putting in the Shelix cutterhead. Not being too mechanically inclined I really held my breath when I put the first piece through. What a relief, worked great for the first projects all the benefits attributed to the Shelix heads confirmed but it really didn't see much use.

I've been back out in the garage/shop again as it warms up running some cherry boards through, 8/4 and 5/4. They look great as before but I'm getting some irregularities like a snipe type wave about a foot or two in to the work. I checked the intake rollers and they appear to be at spec. There is a roller on the bottom that is very close to even with the intake and outtake tables.

I've always been a little concerned about the way it feeds although I get little snipe at the ends. The machine grabs the board and it is essentially not really in contact with the infeed or outfeed table as it is pulled through. My lunchbox planers always planed with the wood riding on the table tops.

It almost feels like it hits a bump but the spacing doesn't coincide with positioning of any of the rollers. Any ideas? Mostly looking for food for thought for when I go back out to take a better look at it. The waves are pretty minor and I have worked around them so far.

Thanks for any ideas, I'm not very intuitive with anything mechanical.

Larry R
Seattle

[Dave Verstraete]

Larry
When I lowered the table rollers to .002 above the table(It was factory set at .005-.006 above the table), the cut on my G0453Z really improved. I dropped them to even to the table but it didn't feed right. It would hang up when I put the board in. . I still have a little snipe also. I haven't experienced a "wave" though.

[Larry Rasmussen]

I'm thinking my settings are about same as you started with but I couldn't measure exactly, maybe .004+

any other comments folks?

[Joe Chritz]

I have the same planer but no shelix. I only get a few thousandths snipe at the leading edge and maybe 1 or 2 at the end.

I would start by setting a board in with the power unplugged and line up the snipe with the cutter head. Check both ends of the board to see if anything is hitting. That is an interesting problem since it seems like it could only happen if the board was forced up somehow from underneath once both pressure rollers are on the board.

If that doesn't offer an easy answer a call to Grizz tech is usually painless and full of answers.

Joe

[John Michaels]

My 0453 does that jump action a little. If I push the board down firmly just prior to it be sucked in it really reduces it. I bought a rotocator from griz and really dialed the planer in. Snipe is very minimal, sometimes non-existent now.

[Eric Haycraft]

Are the infeed and outfeed tables aligned and the total surface flat? Also, I could see this problem occurring if the infeed/outfeed rollers don't have enough downward pressure.

[Paul Simmel]

Are the infeed and outfeed tables aligned and the total surface flat? Also, I could see this problem occurring if the infeed/outfeed rollers don't have enough downward pressure.

.002 is about right for the rollers, so you are good there. I too think your rollers need more pressure. You should really feel it when they grab the piece. There should be no question about it. If the rollers are too pressured, you can easily back off a bit. If you take off about .005 and still get indent marks, back off.

Your in feed and out feed rollers can be higher than the bed. This will actually help the snipe. The rollers should be tight enough to where the in feed and out feed rollers... being slightly high, should NOT be influenced. Those rollers need to hold that sucker, DOWN.

[Rick Christopherson]

They look great as before but I'm getting some irregularities like a snipe type wave about a foot or two in to the work. That's a stall gouge. The serrated rollers are spinning against the wood and digging in. You don't have enough down pressure on one or both drive rollers with respect to the cutter head. Most likely this is the result of the infeed drive roller being too high and not grabbing the wood sufficiently to move it forward.

[Joe Chritz]

Stall marks are a very real possibility and it doesn't take much slip to get one. Especially with the infeed roller. That thing is aggressive to say the least.

I guess I'm not clear but does it do this every time or just once and a while? If it is intermittent that would be a sign it is more likely to be slipping.

Perhaps a full dial in is necessary to check it out.

Joe

[Rod Sheridan]

Almost every feed stalling issue I've experienced on planers is due to pressure bar/chipbreaker being set too low.

As mentioned earlier, check feed roller pressure, and the pressure bar/chipbreaker setting.

Regards, Rod.

[Larry Rasmussen]

Also seems like that dial indicator I've been putting off moved to the top of the list. Much appreciated input.

[Cary Swoveland]

Larry,

I'm sorry I can't suggest what may be your problem, but I can add my experience, for what it's worth. I have the same planer with Grizzly's spiral/carbie cutterhead. I set it up as per the manual, and have had no noticeable snipe. I'm obviously vary please with the machine.

There's one thing about this planer that had me scratching my head for awhile. The manual (copyright 2005 -- I bought mine around the end of 2006) gives specs for adjusting the infeed roller, chip breaker, pressure bar and outfeed roller. However, when comparing my machine with the photos in the manual, I couldn't find the pressure bar on my machine! I then noticed that the manual was for both the G0453 (15") and G0454 (20"). Grizzly confirmed my suspicion, but it did take awhile: the 453 does not have a pressure bar. (The photos in the manual show the pressure bar on the 454.)

Cary