My guess would be the roller has to be beyond the mid point of the board so that the weight of the board is closer to the planer than the outboard end.
Herb
Herb
That was my guess and I have used roller stands on much longer boards which seem to help very little. The longest boards I have run are about 10-12'. Depending on the project I may cut those shorter but usually only layout the board after planning and seeing the grain/features.My guess would be the roller has to be beyond the mid point of the board so that the weight of the board is closer to the planer than the outboard end.
Herb
Thanks Chuck, but not what I wanted to hear. Shucks Chuck, there has to be a way to minimize it. What I have found is that the thickness setting on this planner works very well. I've tested at 1/4", 1/2", 3/4" and 1". If set to the desired thickness on their preset control it will be as wanted. Now I just need to eliminate the snipe. I don't remember having that on my 15" planner back in the '80s, can't remember the make but took 4 stout guys to get into the basement shop.Some planers come with column locks that are supposed to lock them in place and they can help but don't necessarily eliminate snipe. If you measure the length of the snipe and then check the distance from your front and rear feed rollers to the planing head I think you'll find that they are the same. What I think is happening is that when the board goes under the infeed roller it lifts that side up but the outfeed side stays the same which is lower than that. The the board gets to it and both sides are lifted evenly. Then the board passes the infeed roller but is still under the outfeed roller so the infeed side drops down and the outfeed side stays up. That's where the problem is and a longer bed won't necessarily help that.
That's what I use in a Dewalt 735. Even so, sometimes I'll lift the exiting end a bit as it gets close to the end. But, I rarely go deeper than a 16th...if that. The depth gauge isn't a problem. I don't rely on it anyway.As @Marco pointed out.
Some members have made a board 6' long and attached a cleat on the bottom so the board extends 3' beyond the cutter head and 3' back from the cutter head. The board stays stationary and the material feeds thru supported on both ends. There is a loss of 3/4" height in cutting depth that has to be compensated for on the height gauge.
HErb
I've been looking into the problem also. I've also seen the idea of making those spacers that would work for specific thicknesses, although it makes me a little nervous to think about how to securly attach them to the planer.
Could you post a picture? thanks.I gave up depending on the table and rollers to prevent snipe. I use a piece of MDF inside the planer bed to extend the overall working length by a foot on the outfeed end. A slow workpiece intro and shallow cuts gives me excellent results. The rest is operator error...
Sound advice. Although, a longer outfeed table, such as the sled provides, supporting the weight is the purpose. Thus, eliminating the snipe.Besides death and taxes, the third thing that you can count on is snipe. You may not always get it but if you always cut your boards at the finished length before planing then you are tempting fate. It's better to square up your ends after you plane the wood. In the process of squaring the boards you are also cutting off the snipe. As an added bonus if you do as you mentioned and run the boards say 12 long then you are only dealing with a very little snipe on one board. For me, the only purpose of an outfeed table is to hold the weight of extra long boards.
That was done when I 1st got it several years ago. I'm on my second set of cutters now, having replaced the HSS ones for the carbon cutters.Steve...are you getting snipe on the front and the back end..?
If you are, I think Charles hit it on the head...
I assume you've installed the feed and out rollers so that they create a level path with the Cutech's tables...? And the Cutech's in and out table and the two sets of rollers are level to each other and the surface under the cutter head...?
...just thinkin' out loud...you may have done that already...
My passes are no more than a 1/32" even though I could go deeper. That's a 1/2 turn of the depth handle. I have plenty of time right now.......>I gave up depending on the table and rollers to prevent snipe. I use a piece of MDF inside the planer bed to extend the overall working length by a foot on the outfeed end. A slow workpiece intro and shallow cuts gives me excellent results. The rest is operator error...