ryobi thicknesser problem??? maybe

[sdrob]

hello all and merry christmas, i bought a ryobi thicknesser model AP13AK and have to say am extremely happy with it, but.. when you feed the wood in it digs in a bit at the start and takes a few extra millimeters off for the first 50mm or so then comes up to the right level and goes fine right to the end.. so i'm not sure if this is normal or not?? haven't found anyone with the same one to compare it to.. my way around it is to start of with the wood longer and cut off the start..
Any suggestions would be appreciated..
thanks sean

[wheelinround]

hello all and merry christmas, i bought a ryobi thicknesser model AP13AK and have to say am extremely happy with it, but.. when you feed the wood in it digs in a bit at the start and takes a few extra millimeters off for the first 50mm or so then comes up to the right level and goes fine right to the end.. so i'm not sure if this is normal or not?? haven't found anyone with the same one to compare it to.. my way around it is to start of with the wood longer and cut off the start..
Any suggestions would be appreciated..
thanks sean

Hi Sean have you checked all settings and read manual :doh: (my hand electric planer does the same)
Not taking to big a cut in one go are you
not dropping the end a little raising the front edge

[ajw]

I have the same model, and it does exactly the same thing. This "snipe" is common in cheaper thicknessers. If I recall, another forum member did some mods to his thicknesser that virtually eliminated the problem, but required making changes to the machine that would void the warranty of a new machine. I think it was Apricotripper?

By the way, I had a problem with the handle that lowers and raises the cutting head. The handle somehow worked its way loose, and the soft metal got mangled. Took many weeks to get a replacement. Make sure the screw holding it in place is firmly tightened.

Allan

[sdrob]

no worries thanks for your help. i guess i might look in to a better quality machine later on down the track or try the mod u talked about when it is out of warranty.. thanks again

[DJ’s Timber]

Your front roller may be set to high, can you adjust it?

[bsrlee]

I have one of the same model thicknesser, and have had virtually nil snipe.

1) adjust the infeed & outfeed tables until they are exactly level with the fixed table/platform. Basic instructions in the manual for where the screws etc are, make sure you have a long straight edge so you can push it thru' and get all 3 tables lined up in one go. (afterthought - no, not with the power on :doh:)

2) keep the cut to 1mm or less, probably less if you are still having problems. Big cut = big snipe. You should not have to shove to get the timber under the anti-kickback fingers.

3) if the timber is more than 1200mm (4 ft.) long, you will need infeed and outfeed supports beyond the folding tables. Only snipe I have experienced so far (touch wood :U) was with some floor boards around 2000mm (6'6") long, which had a hand's width of snipe at the outfeed end as I was still feeding new bits in.

That is also another means of avoiding snipe if you have several bits to be planed to the same thickness - feed them in in a staggered fashion so there is about 6 inches or more overlap of the ends as the boards go thru' in parallel. Then only the first and last boards should be at risk - you can even use scrap/wasters for the first and last.

[watson]

I'm with brslee,
Do all those things and it will minimise the snipe.
There are other good methods as to placing some "sacrificial" wood glued to the edges.....but three inches longer than the stock fore and aft.......or......some sacrificial stock passed through before and after the stock.
Apricottripper has a thread on his remedy, but as stated it might bugger your warranty
Its a fault in making a machine like that "portable" (God I can't even lift mine)