I’ve never run across this problem and I’m not sure there is one…but there must be otherwise it wouldn’t happen.
I’ve got a Grizzly 8″ jointer and have used it on a regular basis and have never had a problem flatttening even the twistiest of boards I’ve come across.
Yesterday I was needing to flaten a piece of Rock Maple that didn’t really need too much done on the jointer…two to three passes flattened it fine. On my last pass I noticed a section of snipe on the end that passed over the blades last probably 3-4 inches long, but only on that end. My planer is prone to small sniped ends…but there it is on both ends.
I’ve never had this happen on my jointer out of the hundreds of boards that have been run over that thing. I’ve checked my setup time and time again. Blades have been checked and rechecked, table height, etc….I thought maybe one of the blades had shifted a little? I can’t find any reason for that to have happened. Perhaps it was in my technique? Though I don’t think I did anything different than the hundreds of times I’ve done it before.
Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Lastly, a huge thanks to those who helped me decide on a dust collection setup for my tables saw. After several years I feel super dumb for not having done it sooner!!! What an amazingly awesome difference it has made. I did opt for the Grizzly 2 HP canister collector and the Excalibur (pre General) OHBG. That will suck an elephant through a key hole. So thanks to those who helped me through the decision process.
Sincerely,
E. Sheraton
Replies
Hi,
99.9% of snipe is caused by the machine setup. To correct setup problems, I'll suggest you get something like http://www.oneway.ca/workshop/multi-gauge.htm. They remove the guesswork and allow you to dial in your settings.
Your jointer knives should be set .001 to .003 above the outfeed table. This, along with proper technique, will eliminate snipe.
The most commom cause of snipe at the end of a pass means your out feed table is lower than the top of your blades. The out feed table might have slipped .005" or more. The other possibility is you pushed down on the end of the board as it passed over the blades.
I always joint the knives on a jointer. It keeps one knife from being to high from the others. It also does a better job of cutting a smooth cut. The main problem is that it can be dangerous.
When I set the knives I set them about .003" above the outfeed table. I do this by setting the knives with a setting block or jig and then adjusting the outfeed table so there it just ticks the jointing stone. Then I place a piece of paper under the jointing stone to get the .003 height above the outfeed table.
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