Replies

1. 
   philip | Nov 03, 2009 11:07am | #1

   PLANER SNIPE.
   Pregnant silence......

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   spotcheck | Nov 03, 2009 11:07pm | #6

   Yep.  Haloween just passed, so get out the silver crucifix you used to ward off the vampires.........

2. 
   PeterThomson | Nov 03, 2009 06:53pm | #2

   Do your new blades project exactly the same distance from the head as your old blades?  I'm guessing the projection changed when you changed blades, which affects how the outfeed (and maybe infeed) rollers behave.  Relatively straightforward to fix--you'll need to consult your planer manual to adjust the infeed/outfeed rollers.

   My 2 cents, seems reasonable.

   Good luck,

   Pete

1. 
   JohnWW | Nov 03, 2009 09:16pm | #3

   Rollers on that machine aren't adjustable. and replacing the blades shouldn't require adjusting the rollers even if that were possible.There is no obvious reason why this should be happening after a blade change. I would suggest going back in and loosening and resetting the blades just in case they were installed way off of their proper setting, but I don't see why that would cause sniping.Are you by any chance cutting wood that is quite a bit different either in species or dimensions from what you usually work with? A few more questions: Were the old blades very dull? How much experience do you have with this machine? John White
   Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998 to 2007

1. 
   rshelly | Nov 03, 2009 10:04pm | #4

   John,

   I did try resetting the blades a couple of times in case that was the problem. The wood I used to test was cherry--same species and dimensions that I've had success with.

   Interesting question....the blades were extremely dull. I bought this planer new many years ago, but it hasn't seen a lot of use until this past year, so this was the first time I changed the blades. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the blades were double edged, so I just flipped them over.

   Thanks,

   Randy.

    

1. 
   MrSQL | Nov 03, 2009 10:34pm | #5

   I pretty much always expect to get some snipe. 

   If I run another board right after the one going through there is no snipe.

   I suppose you could run a 1' block first, then your board, then run the 1' block again.

     

2. 
   JohnWW | Nov 03, 2009 11:27pm | #7

   I like to ask interesting questions, sometimes I get interesting answers.My suspicion was that your machine, like almost all small planers, does create a small amount of snipe but that you weren't noticing it because the dull blades were beating up the wood's surface. When you put in sharp blades the snipe that was always there just became much more visible, especially since you were probably looking at the boards more closely to see how well your new blades were cutting.So the snipe is normal, but you can do a few simple things to minimize it:1. Raise the head up out of the way and put a straightedge lengthwise through the machine. Now adjust the two wings so that they both slope up slightly from the fixed table under the cutter head. When you have the wings adjusted properly the straightedge will be sitting on just the outer ends of the wings and it will be parallel to the center table and 1/8" to 3/16" above it. Check the adjustment close to either side of the wings, over the adjustment bolts basically, and press down lightly on the straightedge to eliminate any play as you check the setting.2. When you feed in the stock lift up on it as it first starts to go under the infeed roller so that you are flexing the head assembly upward as the first 3 or 4 inches of the board go through. When the last of the board starts to pass through the machine again lift upward now on the end.3. Feed stock through continuously so that the boards touch end to end without a gap, this will confine whatever snipe you get to just the leading edge of the first board and the trailing edge of the last piece.If you search through old postings her on Knots you will find a lot of other ways to deal with snipe but the three things I suggested will probably solve the problem.John White
   Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998 to 2007

1. 
   DonStephan | Nov 04, 2009 05:09pm | #9

   Thanks for a great tip, John.  I've often lifted the ends of the board but never thought to adjust the roller trays.

   Hope all going well, thanks for taking the time to share thoughts and suggestions.

2. 
   rshelly | Nov 04, 2009 06:09pm | #11

   Thanks John, and everyone, good suggestions. I will adjust the wings and see what happens.

    

   Randy.

3. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 07, 2009 06:28am | #17

   Good info in your post.  I have the PM 209HH and have no complaints for what little I have used it.  My question - would I benefit by raising the wings as you described for the other planer?

   Tink

4. 
   JohnWW | Nov 09, 2009 09:09pm | #18

   The recommendation to raise the wings, along with my other suggestions, applies to any of the bench top planers.John White
   Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998 to 2007

5. 
   derekcohen | Nov 10, 2009 02:14pm | #20

   The recommendation to raise the wings, along with my other suggestions, applies to any of the bench top planers.

   Hi John

   Would you agree that the act of raising the wings is simply to prevent them dipping below the planer bed height when under load?

   If so, it makes more sense to increase the stability of the wings, per se (hence my modification/support, as detailed earlier in this thread).

   The problem with simply raising the wings is that not all boards weigh the same and will depress the wings the same amount. Too little depression is the same as too much depression.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

6. 
   JohnWW | Nov 12, 2009 01:04am | #24

   Actually most of the snipe is caused by the head rising a bit as the stock runs under the feed rollers. The stock will already be under the cutter head by a couple of inches when the leading edge of the board starts to go under the out feed roller, the added upward pressure on the head causes the entire head to move up a bit and the cut abruptly becomes slightly shallower. The same process occurs in reverse as the trailing edge of the board clears the in feed roller. By lifting the stock as you feed it in you are applying a bit more pressure upward on the head causing it to shift before the board starts passing under the cutting head.John White
   Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998 to 2007

7. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 11, 2009 06:58am | #21

   Thanks,  as I mentioned, I have the floor model PM 209 that I have not used much and although I haven't noticed snipe, I had wondered if lifting the wings would further help.

   Edited 11/10/2009 11:29 pm ET by Tinkerer3

8. 
   forestgirl | Nov 11, 2009 07:18am | #22

   John, I don't think Tink's planer qualifies as lunchbox....

   View Image 

   ...unless he's Godzilla....

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

   Edited 11/10/2009 11:19 pm by forestgirl

9. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 11, 2009 07:55pm | #23

   Very funny!

3. 
   oldusty | Nov 04, 2009 05:32pm | #10

   In addition to the great tips from John W another way to help is to run a longer even narrower strip so it gets sniped not the work piece .

            dusty

3. 
   Samm90 | Nov 03, 2009 11:29pm | #8

   Will the snipe be less if you reduce the cut depth, doing just small shaving per pass ?

   Quang

4. 
   derekcohen | Nov 05, 2009 07:28pm | #12

   Hi Randy

   I have the same planer as you. It had a little snipe at each end until I added a slight modification. Now there is nil.

   Snipe occurs when the rollers cannot hold the board flat, owing to the weight of the board as it moves thorough the machine. Hence the snipe at the beginning and end of the board. Some suggest lifting the in- and outfeed trays to compensate for the weight. What I did instead was to reinforce the trays so that they are immovable. There is also a microadjustment to get them absolutely flush/flat.

   Here is the set up ..

   View Image

   What I have done is add a rest (wood block) at each end into which is set a pair of screws (which offer microadjustability) ...

   View Image

   and another view ..

   View Image

   This stops any flex.

   For long boards lay an extension table made from plywood through the machine.

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

    

1. 
   rshelly | Nov 05, 2009 08:42pm | #14

   Nice solution. My infeed/outfeed tables are not the same as yours. They are removable tables that rest only on the planer stand. I should be able to do my own version of this though.

   Thank you.

1. 
   BG | Nov 10, 2009 12:38pm | #19

   rshelly,I just put a slab of melamine, about 5'long, on the planner surface. There is a cleat on the underside that catches on the infeed table so the melamine board stays put.

2. 
   James R. | Nov 05, 2009 10:39pm | #16

   Derek:I have the same problem that Randy has, from time to time, with my Ridgid Planer. I like your solution and will try it. I find it pays to read these posts.Thanks, Jim

5. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 05, 2009 08:10pm | #13

   Were they longer 'sticks' and needed support on the infeed and outfeed?

1. 
   rshelly | Nov 05, 2009 08:42pm | #15

   No, I was just running a 2' long peice of walnut through.

6. 
   unTreatedwood | Nov 13, 2009 08:33pm | #25

   I had this issue and posted it over on the Breaktime forum. Got a lot of good suggestions, but the best and most comprehensive solution came from an accidental discovery. I found that the in- and out-feed wings had become adjusted too high, for some reason. I don't remember ever adjusting them, so it must have happened during 10 years of constant use. Once I brought them back down and lined them up, it works like it did when it was new. No problems since then. Not sure it will help you, but you never know!! Good luck.

   At its most basic level, capitalism offers people the freedom to choose where they work and what they do … the dignity that comes with profiting from their talent and hard work. … The free-market system also provides the incentives that lead to prosperity -- the incentive to work, to innovate, to save and invest wisely, and to create jobs for others.” -President George W. Bush

   In other words, free-market capitalism is the best path to prosperity.

7. 
   justicejamesb | May 27, 2011 01:48pm | #26

   Hey all,

   This is what I do; cut the board that you're planning 6 to 8 inches longer then final dimensions. Then just cut the snip off with the chop saw. Doesn't eliminate snipe but it works.