Thicknesser setup info

[bill_h]

First of all, can I say how much I enjoy this forum (and how addictive it is!)

I have returned to woodworking after a sabbatical of some fifteen years and, like so many others I have read about on this bulletin board, I find it a wonderful way to spend the evenings and weekends.

I have the opportunity to purchase a thicknesser manufactured circa 1986. It's a heavy sucker (15" with a 3HP single phase induction motor). It seems to work well, but my initial cuts have a severe snipe on the leading edge

I'd like to be sure that I can set it up properly. Can anyone please point me in the direction of general setup instructions for this type of machine?

Thanks in advance

[rodm]

Hi Bill,
Welcome to the board. The first step to solving your problem is to make sure you are feeding the board in parallel to the table. If you are feeding in with the board tilting slightly towards the ground the front edge of the board is raised to the cutterhead and will produce snipe. Once the board slides under the outfeed roller it will plane flat but the same thing can happen on the end of the board after it passes through the infeed roller.
This is the most common cause so eliminate this by placing supports on the infeed and outfeed of the thicknesser the same height as the table.

[DarrylF]

Welcome Bill

I use a DeWalt 12" thicknesser, which is one of the better ones for snipe, and I usually can't eliminate it completely. I've come to the conclusion that it's not worth bothering.

Machining rough sawn timber you have to dock the ends anyway - rough cut ends, small splits etc - so instead of docking the absolute minimum, dock the 50mm or so of snipe off each end. As long as you plan for it beforehand it's not a big deal.

Technique will definitely help, as will flat infeed & outfeed tables, supporting it properly on the outfeed etc. - but nothing will totally eliminate it. Even if you set up & run the machine well enough to mean the snipe is say only .5mm, it will interfere with joint fit to the point of giving you real problems.

[Iain]

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/plan-pm.htm is a good link on this subject.
However, I regard snipe as a fact of life, allow an extra couple of inches and whats left is used as kindling.