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Dirk Hoogendoorn WR Addict Offline either a mistake or design opportunity Posts: 609 Meaford Ont. Ontario Canada Gender:	Thickness Planer Question Mar 14^th, 2014 at 8:13pm I have a Delta 12.5 inch thickness planer and what causes that the end of all boards have about a 3" area at the end of the board where the cut is different than the setting, is this called snipe? Is there any way to counteract that?
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JimQuarles WR Addict WR Patron Offline WR Rocks, BIG Time! Posts: 13,194 Glendale, AZ Arizona USA Gender:	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #1 - Mar 14^th, 2014 at 11:25pm Dirk Hoogendoorn wrote on Mar 14^th, 2014 at 8:13pm: is this called snipe? Yep Dirk Hoogendoorn wrote on Mar 14^th, 2014 at 8:13pm: Is there any way to counteract that? Support both ends of the boards.
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David Hamann WR Administrator WR Patron Offline papadave Posts: 5,701 Pasco WA Washington USA Gender: Jet 1014VSI	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #2 - Mar 15^th, 2014 at 12:10am you can also run a sacrifice piece in front of and behind the actual piece. this gets the snipe and yours is flat.
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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #3 - Mar 15^th, 2014 at 10:25am Also, make the last couple passes lighter cuts, don't take so much at once. Another thing that has been helpful for some people is raising the in-feed and out-feed tables a small amount like 1/8" , This keeps pressure on the ends of the boards as they pass under the cutter-head assembly reducing snipe.
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Dirk Hoogendoorn WR Addict Offline either a mistake or design opportunity Posts: 609 Meaford Ont. Ontario Canada Gender:	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #4 - Mar 15^th, 2014 at 6:51pm Thanks guys for the helpful hints about curing this "snipe" thing. In doing a bowl from a board, especially when I decide to make the board of different woods glued together, then this snipe issue is a pain, so I really appreciate your help.
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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #5 - Mar 15^th, 2014 at 9:00pm Another thing is to allow enough length for the snipe to be trimmed off
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Jenny Trice WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 553 St. Paul, MN Minnesota USA Gender:	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #6 - Mar 16^th, 2014 at 7:46am Some planers are better at reducing snipe than others but it is virtually impossible to totally eliminate. Some good suggestions/work arounds have already been mentioned.
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Dirk Hoogendoorn WR Addict Offline either a mistake or design opportunity Posts: 609 Meaford Ont. Ontario Canada Gender:	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #7 - Mar 16^th, 2014 at 1:52pm Really informative for me folks, thanks for your input.
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Larry Matchett WR Addict Offline Be One with your Tool! Posts: 1,588 Gulf Coast, Mississippi Mississippi USA Gender:	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #8 - Mar 21^st, 2014 at 7:03pm Buy a drum sander. I just got one. Problems solved.
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Bert Delisle WR Addict Offline Posts: 1,424 Calgary Alberta Canada Gender: Vicmarc 300	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #9 - Mar 21^st, 2014 at 10:38pm I have used strips glued to each side of the "good wood". strips should be long enough to allow the good wood to clear the cutters. Small thickness planers have lots of slop in the adjustment head. The longer strips fool the machine. My 0.02
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Ed Weber

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Re: Thickness Planer Question
Reply #10 - Mar 22^nd, 2014 at 9:39am

The main reason is that "lunch-box" style planers produce snipe is the cutter-head carriage design.
In-feed roller > cutter-head > out-feed roller. When the wood is only under two of these , whether it be in or out, the cutter-head carriage does not have equal downward pressure.. the carriage "rocks" a bit causing it to drop slightly which results in snipe.
Always lock the cutter-head, it does help.
That's a very generic description.

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Dirk Hoogendoorn WR Addict Offline either a mistake or design opportunity Posts: 609 Meaford Ont. Ontario Canada Gender:	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #11 - Mar 22^nd, 2014 at 6:10pm Larry Matchett wrote on Mar 21^st, 2014 at 7:03pm: Buy a drum sander. I just got one. Problems solved. Thanks Larry, but if there is a better way than buying an other piece of machinery then that is the way I would like to go.
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Bill Moschler Active Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 215 Knoxville Tennessee USA Gender: Nova	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #12 - Apr 30^th, 2014 at 10:27am Is it a 2 post or a 4 post planer? I have a 12.5 inch 4 post Delta and it makes absolutely no snipe at all on short stock this is well supported. I think you need to look at adjustments, technique or maybe if it is the 2 post just getting another one.
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Bill White Full Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 70 Tupelo USA	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #13 - Dec 21^st, 2014 at 11:35am Just my solution that helps a lot.... Lift the back end of the board as it enters the planer, then lift the front end as it exits the planer. Won't work on every planer, but on my DW 733 it has really solved most of the snip issue. Bill
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Robert Hayward WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 774 Tampa area Florida USA Gender: 3520b	Re: Thickness Planer Question Reply #14 - Dec 23^rd, 2014 at 8:40pm Bill White wrote on Dec 21^st, 2014 at 11:35am: but on my DW 733 it has really solved most of the snip issue. Bill This method cures snipe on my DW735 also.
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