Hi - I bought a Dewalt 735 in January and just getting around to setting it up. I've only run a couple of boards through but there is noticeable snipe at the beginning and end of the boards. I have never owned a planer before and am curious if some snipe is to be expected . I guess I am wondering if something might be wrong / need adjustment on this planer. Appreciate any inputs. - Thanks.
Is some planer snipe to be expected?
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Welcome to the forum, Ex.
Yes, if the infeed and outfeed tables aren't precisely aligned with the center table, you can expect snipe often.
Several videos on YouTube on how to do the adjustments. Also, if you want, you can install a 48" board to almost eliminate the snipe.
Yes, if the infeed and outfeed tables aren't precisely aligned with the center table, you can expect snipe often.
Several videos on YouTube on how to do the adjustments. Also, if you want, you can install a 48" board to almost eliminate the snipe.
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Yes, snipe is quite possible, especially on the smaller ones. My 13" planer has fold up tables and it was a bit fo a fiddle to het snipe minimized. Mine required adjusting the tables a bit high at their outer ends to allow for the flex from a heavy board. I actually slightly lift the back end of the work at the beginning and end of a pass to keep snipe to a minimum. I just allow for the snipe area when planing even though the snipe my planer produces can be sanded out.
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Contrary to popular belief, snipe is not caused by the bed or tables, but by the drive rollers of the head, which indirectly causes flex in the rest of the machine. This is why sniping always occurs at a precise location on the workpiece, which is equal to the distance between the cutter head and the infeed/outfeed drive rollers.
In simpler terms, snipe is the opposite of what most people think. It isn't a thinning of the end(s) of the board, but actually a thickening of the center of the board. When both infeed and outfeed rollers are in contact with the board, their downard pressure pushes up on the head and/or down on the bed (depending on whether the planer uses a fixed bed versus adjustable bed). In other words, the bed and the head get pushed apart while the center of the board is passing through, but relax slightly when only one of the rollers is applying force.
In simpler terms, snipe is the opposite of what most people think. It isn't a thinning of the end(s) of the board, but actually a thickening of the center of the board. When both infeed and outfeed rollers are in contact with the board, their downard pressure pushes up on the head and/or down on the bed (depending on whether the planer uses a fixed bed versus adjustable bed). In other words, the bed and the head get pushed apart while the center of the board is passing through, but relax slightly when only one of the rollers is applying force.
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It largely depends on the length of the board. You have two rollers in the planer holding the board flat on the table but until the board gets under both rollers there is a chance of snipe. It usually doesn't do it on short boards but longer boards you have gravity causing the board to raise a little off the table. You can help eliminate that by holding up on the board going into the planer and out. If it still snipes you may have other issues. If your planer has rollers on the bottom they may need to be adjusted down.
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Yes, even if in-feed and out-feed tables are aligned. The entry and exit rollers will force the beginning of the wood down, thus lifting the rear so snipe happens on the front - then as the wood exits, that entry roller will release the end of the piece causing the rear to rise up to the blades.
That's why you cut the wood long, mill to thickness and then trim the ends to length.
That's why you cut the wood long, mill to thickness and then trim the ends to length.
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IMO snipe is inherent in some machines because of design and cannot be totally eliminated. That said, there are remedies. I believe snipe is the planer removing more material at the ends due to inadequate roller pressure, misalignment, inadequate feed table support, or a combination. Ricks explanation is interesting I’ll have to think about it, but it doesn’t explane how the remedies can help.
Tip - A little upward pressure as the board is fed in/pulled out will usually help. Always plane with a jointed face down. I believe the extended table John refers to can’t be a bad idea.
Tip - A little upward pressure as the board is fed in/pulled out will usually help. Always plane with a jointed face down. I believe the extended table John refers to can’t be a bad idea.
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Actually, it does explain it, but the reasons are probably reversed from what most people think. If you're interested, I would love to have one of those "change my mind" type of debates with you on this. I think we could pull that off. Would you like to try?
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By the way, here's an animated graphic I created 25 years ago (using chisels and stone tablets) to show the movement of the head. I wrote an article on the topic back then, but didn't publish it because I didn't have the graphics capability to show it better (hence this crappy animated gif).
Thanks for the additional ideas. I have read that feeding in a piece of sacrificial wood at front and back of the good piece causes the snipe to move from good piece to the sacrificial pieces. Rick's graphic seems to support that. idea. I'll also try lifting the ends as suggested.
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Because the planer is not one solid piece of cast iron...there's a lot going on in there. On planers with a fixed bed and overhead motor (like Delta and most benchtop planers), leadscrew backlash is one of the predominate contributors. Gravity pulls the leadscrew nuts low in the threads, while drive roller pressure pushes them high in the threads.
But even on fixed-head machines (like my Jet 15" planer) there is still some flexibility in the mechanisms, just not as much.
Edit to Add: On most of the cast iron planers, there are bed rollers located directly below the drive rollers. These will be a point of flexure, prompting many woodworkers to conclude they are the root cause, when they are really just an ancillary cause. Nevertheless, lowering them is a mitigation remedy.
Lifting the boards has the effect of "pre-loading" the head (or whatever else is flexing).
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I have an older version of a 735 . I have the tables carefully set such that the outer edge of outfeed table is at tthe same elevation as the planer bed . I use a 4 foot rigid level as a straight edge and pit a little load on it with the planer height adjustment and dial the table pu to match.
I actually get hardly any snipe even on 20 in long stock.
The other thing that helps is to take you last cut to finished thickness as a light cut around 1/32 of an inch. This reduces the load from feed rollers which is correctly discussed in posts above. Lastly if tou are working on multiple boards send the next board through immediately behind the current board. This reduces / eliminates snipe from all except the firse edge in and the last board edge out. YouTube has as mentioned tons of info on this.
calabrese55
I actually get hardly any snipe even on 20 in long stock.
The other thing that helps is to take you last cut to finished thickness as a light cut around 1/32 of an inch. This reduces the load from feed rollers which is correctly discussed in posts above. Lastly if tou are working on multiple boards send the next board through immediately behind the current board. This reduces / eliminates snipe from all except the firse edge in and the last board edge out. YouTube has as mentioned tons of info on this.
calabrese55
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This comes as a pleasant surprise for me to hear. When I first brought these principles up 25 years ago, woodworking lynch mobs were amassed to take my head for the blasphemy I was espousing. 😱 🔥 🤣 Glad to hear times have changed a little.
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The exchange of information and the deposition of one's opinion should never be an issue. Time in grade and experience sometimes can be misunderstood blurring the line between fact and fiction.
calabrese55
I tried a few things this morning, pretty much what was outlined by calabrese55. The extensions as received were really out of flat with the planer - particularly the outfeed. With a 4' level and some weight to hold it down on the planer bed, I adjusted both infeed and outfeed to be level/flat with the planer. This improved the snipe dramatically, probably to the point sanding would take care of it, although I didn't try that for this test. Next I used a sacrificial piece on the front end. This "completely" eliminated snipe on the leading edge and slight snipe on trailing end. I can live with this, especially since I get the feeling that it can't be eliminated 100%..although as I start to use it more, I'll always look for ways to improve. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.
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Observation not argument : When I lowered the bed rollers below the table snipe disappeared completely and I’ve never had any since. I learned this from Charles Neil.
There are bed locking screws which I’ve never used. Grizzly 1033
Don’t know what to tell ya. You’ll never convince me the head is flexing upward in a cast iron machine.
Backlash would explain a board getting thicker as it runs, but not snipe - the last 3” of a board - that’s a board hanging off the outfeed and roller springs not strong enough to hold it down. As soon as it clears the infeed roller - bam! Snipe.
The same thing happened with my drum sander. I found the rollers in the box and tada no more snipe!
There are bed locking screws which I’ve never used. Grizzly 1033
Don’t know what to tell ya. You’ll never convince me the head is flexing upward in a cast iron machine.
Backlash would explain a board getting thicker as it runs, but not snipe - the last 3” of a board - that’s a board hanging off the outfeed and roller springs not strong enough to hold it down. As soon as it clears the infeed roller - bam! Snipe.
The same thing happened with my drum sander. I found the rollers in the box and tada no more snipe!
I also have an earlier version of that planer and it mostly works beautifully. If I'm running light weight short (36" or less) boards through, I get no snipe at all. However, as the boards I run get longer and heaver, the chances of snipe increase. There is one sure fire way to over come this. It is a few extra steps and a little time, but is effective. Cut some scraps about 12" long of material about the same starting thickness as your work piece. Hot melt glue them to each edge of the work piece so that they extend beyond each end about 4". Now, as you feed your work piece through the planer, the extensions will lift the rollers before the work piece gets there and all snipe on the work piece will be eliminated. Also, it helps greatly to pre-cut your work pieces to approximately final dimensions betore running them through the planer. This reduces size and weight so that snipe becomes less of a problem. Also, note John Smith's comment above. If you have the shop space to do it, an extended planer bed will contribute greatly to snipe reduction or elimination.
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If snipe was due to a sagging board hanging off the planer, then butting an extra board to the end of your workpiece would not eliminate the snipe, as so many people have reported.
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