Planner use

[JWH]

Hi Guys annd Gals
I just bought my first 12 1/2" planner.
When I use it I am getting snipes on both ends. It does not seem to matter if I make small adjustments or heavy adjustments. It does the same thing on both ends. Only thing that works is two make my measurements and allow for waste on both end which adds up to 4"which means I have alot of scrap.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks
JWH

[CanadianScroller]

Check the height and angle of the in feed and out feed tables.
Make sure you have lots of support at the same level as the out feed table.

[utbva]

Carl is right. The infeed and out feed table have to be at the same level as the cutting table. Also, be sure you feed the board straight in, but I am sure you are doing that. Sometimes when I am not careful and put the board in just slightly wrong I will get bad snipe. Even when things are perfect I get some slight snipe. Some planners are worse than others for snipe.

[will8989]

Here's a little hint. Hubby made a board that completely fits over the entire bed of the planer. He put some sort of stop on the bottom of it to keep it from slidding through when I am planing. Seems to have almost eliminated my problem. If you have no idea what I am talking about, let me know and I'll take a pic of it and post it (hopefully). Or you can check DIY. He got this from the tool show.

Betty

[earlinjax]

Don't know what kind of planer you have, but if it has a locking head, be sure to lock it before planing. This is the voice of experience. Also, I was given a tip that just as the board is exiting to raise the end of the board a bit. I've done that and virtually no snipe.

EarlinJax

[Steviegwood]

Here's a little hint. Hubby made a board that completely fits over the entire bed of the planer. He put some sort of stop on the bottom of it to keep it from slidding through when I am planing. Seems to have almost eliminated my problem. If you have no idea what I am talking about, let me know and I'll take a pic of it and post it (hopefully). Or you can check DIY. He got this from the tool show.

Betty

Hi Betty, I would like to see a picture of that on here I believe it could be helpful to a lot of us. Do you know which show that this was on? Thanks, Steve

[JWH]

Thanks all I will try what was sugested and get back to you.
JWH

[MikeDingas]

Here's an article that might help...

[sawdustus]

snipe

I have had a planer for 10 years now and just account for snipe. I start with a board that is 6-8 inches too long and cut off the extra. I then resaw the waste and use it for small ornaments or other projects where thickness is not all that important. All the above suggestions work to some extent but there has, to my knowledge, never been a planer that is totally snipe free but some brands are better than others. Most planers snipe between 0.001 and 0.004 inches. By the way, you can feel a snipe of only 0.001 inch with your fingertip. This little is easily sanded smooth and unless you are making very high level competition grade cabinetry or furniture should not affect your results. My planer, a 12" delta, snipes about 0.004" so I start with a board that is 6-8 inches too long and cut off the sniped ends. I then resaw the waste and use it for small ornaments or other projects where thickness is not all that important.

More annoying, and totally unavoidable,are the planer marks. These are the very faint ripples left on the board as it passes through the planer. Since planers only have two or three blades, there are gaps when the board is moving foward but not being planed. This results in very shallow ripples. You can see them easily by using a bright, raking light source ( one that is at a low angle to the board). These must be sanded , hand planed, or scraped smoothor they will show up big time when you finish the piece. They are often more pronounced on boards from lumber yards or big box stores.

Hope this helps a bit.

[workin for wood]

That's the truth on the sacrificial board. That's exactly what I do too. you can't adjust the infeed or outfeed table on my dewalt, so I too have a piece of 3/4 MDF...you tack a little 1x2 under each end flush with the ends of the tables so it can't get pulled through...use johnsons paste wax on the MDF to help wood glide through. It's a pain, but it's also a must to lock the head on the little 12" planers. My dewalt is the same way.
If your getting ripples, that means you have one blade out farther than the rest. You need to re-set your planer blades. Jointers do the same thing if the blades aren't exact.

[Pep]

Hi Betty,
I too would like to see pics, With oak going at $7.00 a foot(?) or about, it hurts to waste to much.
Thanks
Mike "Pep"

[B Smith]

I have also glued strips on the sides of the work piece longer than the board being planed and the snipe then is on the waste strips not the good piece thus not wasting the pieces with snipe..I have had a senior moment at times and cut a piece too short to run thru the planer and used the sacraficial strips to save it. As far as the blades being set different on my Delta 12 1/2 " planer the blades fit on pins and are not adjustable.

[Peterpan]

I have 16" planer and abrassive planer. I do most of my planing by hand for smaller pieces. It's almost as fast and certainly the results are much better. It's also a lot safer. It's not going to be faster to hand plane 1/8" off a piece of rock maple 12x36" or larger, though it might be by the time I have to take care of tear out, snipe, waffle, clean-up etc... Smaller pieces, it's the way to go. Only problem is that it requires a work bench, which is a pretty big investment for many people.

[BobD (Archive)]

I collect and restore old hand planes, and I have to agree with Peter Pan...for small pieces, it's a snap to plane by hand. I've got a scrub plane that I use to take down wood fast, then go back and smooth it down with a jack plane or smooth plane.

I don't have a vice and work bench, per sey, yet, but I've found a bench hook (google the term, they're easy to make) I can do most of the work I need for small pieces of wood.

Bob

[JWH]

Up date on my planner
Talk about a crappy weekend.Weather is cold and I am ticked off.Finaly got back to my planner thought I would try and adjust the blades. Bad idea once I took the top cover off I found a BIG crack in the housing for the motor and the cutter head. Went back to Canadin Tire and returned the planner for another one.No such luck none in stock but more coming on Feb.2 Looks like Dragon and I are in the same boat we both have Master Craft tools that aer good for boat anchors only.LOL
At least I got most of my planning done and can wait for my new one to come in. Once I get it I will let you know how this one works.
I do have a 3 1/4'" planner that I have converted to a small jointer that I can use.
To top the weekend off I could not recive any mail since last Thursday and my Lovely wife Bonnie spent the last two days getting me setup again. My daughters better half has a lap top he is going to give me that will be set up just for me.
Till later.
JWH
Busy hands makes for a busy mind.