I fixed the snipe problems in my thicknesser !

**JDarvall** · 22nd January 2006, 11:32 PM

Ta everyone. Sorry about my absence. Everytime I was about to write a post something would take me from the computer.

Routermaniac:
Very interesting though, It probably means that a thicknesser like the dewalt should have little or no spine???

Also one concern about tapping the sleeves (at least in my old gmc thicknesser) is that they are very flimsy and getting a crack in them would be game over.
I couldn't say much on the dwalt. I guess, you get what you pay for, eh?

Your right about the slieves. Mine are made of some kind of soft alluminium alloy. I was worried about that at the time too.

Still tried it though. Very soft. The tap felt such little resistance cutting the thread, I didn't have to reverse the direction to break the chips ! ...Had me real worried. But, as of yet no problems. Just used a regular witworth 3/16" thread. Would have prefered a higher tpi, uno, to get more turns in there for more grip, but didn't have the tap or the thumbscrews for that.

Found I don't need too much pressure to stop the movement. I just tighten the thumbscrews snugly by hand. No grunting, so they should be fine. But I have forgotten on occation to loosen them before attempting to adjust height

straining it all a little. But as of yet no wear problems. Still early days though.

Bodgy:
.....I have the same model as yourself and have noticed the snipe, but only on the final 15 mm.
It must have been really pissing you off to engender all this research and remedial action.
Got me snookered on the 15mm. Cause the end of the board would be well clear of the first roller by then. Nothing obviously happening at that point...don't know.

It was annoying. The thing has quite a simple purpose really...Does just one thing, YET it fails even at that,,, and still its for sale. Pet pieve of mine I guess. I mean, don't they test their machines properly before churning them out ?

Zed:
get some magents (1 x 1 x 6 inches) a good way to get the cutters at the right height.
Sounds like a good idea. Thanks. Harry72 has a magnetic idea for setting jointer blades that I must try too some day.

Schtoo:
Couple of things though, get something on the top of those posts to try and lock it all back together. Also, running screws into those posts might scuff them up, and make them unhappy.
I haven't noticed any movement of the posts, dispite, them looking unsupported like that, up in the air. But still that sounds like a fine idea. Maybe I could weld up a little picture like frame up out of scrap steel bars, drill holes in the corners, and bolt them down on top with the existing bolts. Double as a little timber rest as well. maybe.

The Thumbscrews shouldn't scuff them up. I hope. Their brass, and the posts are some kind of shinney steel.

I'd say split the sleeve bearings and then a clamp over the top, but then you would have to lock them up before each cut, a right PITA.
I'm not sure what you mean. Maybe I've been using the wrong words to describe things. There's no bearings. There just crappy plastic looking slieves, loosely sitting over the bars, (invitation to rake. What were they thinking !!! Of course its going to stuff up. deeeer, ' its just for DIYer's,,,they probably wouldn't event notice the snipe ...hahahaha'

)

And the scary part? My 3 day old Makita snipes on the infeed, and prolly because of this exact same problem, even though it's better built and brand new.
Oh, not a Makita !!!....thats the brand, I always say, is the best to go for too.

Jake, what say we just go back to handplanes, huh? No freakin snipe in them...

For general truing of stock, I wish. But it just take too long. Never could replace the handplane for finish work though.

Mr Bush:

Like your name. Expecting to see a picture of a some yank though.
I have just purchased exactly the same model of thicknesser last week, and was reading up all the old threads to see how people had dealt with the snipe problem. One surprise (off topic slightly) - the Ryobi AP13AK now has a proper built-in plastic dust collection port with an outlet to suit a shop vac, also a plastic adapter to take this up to 4". Looks like I won't need any of the home-made dust collection adaptations after all.
Your not one of those, uno, clean freaks are you ?

.. I wonder if the lack of post locking in the standard product is responsible for MOST of the snipe, i.e. no amount of stuffing around with infeed/outfeed extensions is going to make that much difference.

I'll have to get into the guts of mine to see what method I can come up with to clamp the four posts.
I suspect your right. Really need something like, 4 screws, replacing the posts altogether, with them all adjusting turning at the same time to adjust height. So, theres never any rake, and no need to have to lock each post individually. Something like that no doubt already exists in industrial machines.

I'm also kicking myself, 'cos I just noticed that Carbatec are getting rid of their remaining Delta thicknessers at a greatly reduced price ($599 I think). Not sure which stores still have them, as I didn't see any in Sydney last time I was there. There might be a problem getting spares/support for the Delta in the future, but guess what? It has a post locking mechanism built-in to prevent snipe........

A lesson learned, but thanks for saving me so much time trying to work out what was going on with the Ryobi model !
There you go !!!!....I didn't know that. I really know little about thicknessers. This Ryobi's my first one. But, the fact the Delta has a post locking mechanism definetly says a lot doesn't it. Thanks Mr Bush !

From tex and Mr Bush:
Guys I think your idea of pipe clamps and collars may work. Definetly see the concern you have for damaging the weak slieves....

Not trying to kill your ideas, but, I'd be worried about ensuring they were bound perfectly snug down ontop of those slieves..... could be fiddly. The snipe problem can be caused by as little a jump of say 1/2mm. Thats not much.

Spose the question is ....'how easy would it be to tighten a drifting slieve over each of the bar. You'd have to push the slieve down firmly with one hand , while tightening with the other, AND ensure that the turn of the screw on the bar doesn't lift the slieve slightly. ....see what I mean...And there's 4 of them to do.

I noticed today, that if I forgot to tighten just one of the thumbscrews, the whole thing still jolted !...

It seems much easier to work the thicknesser with tap holes in the slieves at present. If only the slieves were made of something a bit harder, to take the worry away.

Anyhow, I gave the Ryobi a workout today. I thicknessed up some old vj's, made of hoop pine, which I'd stripped of paint and jointed first. About 30 boards of varies lengths went through the Ryobi. Same thickness throughout, so I didn't have to play with thumbscrews. Thankfully no snipe problems,,,no jolting. Uno, its a shame about the raking problem, cause really its seems to be quite a good little machine.
Gotta go to bed.

**Schtoo** · 22nd January 2006, 11:50 PM

Well, had a play with the thing today to see if I could kill the snipe.

No luck yet...

Seems that when the wood hits the outfeed roller, there's so much pressure that it can't help but go wrong. I have a piece of melamine across both infeed/main/outfeed tables, and I think that maybe shimming the infeed side (to take pressure out of the outfeed) might solve it, but won't know till tomorrow.

Also pulled the covers off mine to have a sticky beak, no comparison. Lots more metal in the mak, a heck of a lot more. Only covers that can come off are on the sides, the top casting stays put, so no sticks in the air.

The bearings I said above meant to be the sliding bits that touch the shaft. Not a ball bearing, but still a bearing of sorts. With the Whitworth, perfect thread for ally. Nice and big and angry. Finer pitch would prolly strip instantly so don't change it.

What size are those upright shafts? I'd say get someone to make up some clamps with a lathe, but if I recall, no-one around you to do that. Might have to cast up some clamps for you if I get half a day spare.

Don't worry, the mak is a nice machine, just a little hiccup that needs tuning out.

**JDarvall** · 23rd January 2006, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Schtoo

Seems that when the wood hits the outfeed roller, there's so much pressure that it can't help but go wrong. I have a piece of melamine across both infeed/main/outfeed tables, and I think that maybe shimming the infeed side (to take pressure out of the outfeed) might solve it, but won't know till tomorrow.

The bearings I said above meant to be the sliding bits that touch the shaft. Not a ball bearing, but still a bearing of sorts. With the Whitworth, perfect thread for ally. Nice and big and angry. Finer pitch would prolly strip instantly so don't change it.

What size are those upright shafts? I'd say get someone to make up some clamps with a lathe, but if I recall, no-one around you to do that. Might have to cast up some clamps for you if I get half a day spare.

Don't worry, the mak is a nice machine, just a little hiccup that needs tuning out.

Well Good luck with the Makita Schtoo. Maybe you'll have to thumbscrew the upright shafts in it too ????

I see what you mean about the 'big and angry' thread being better in this situation.

Thanks for the offer to cast up. Seems a bit too much to ask from you though. Thinking that what I have will probably last ok, despite the weak slieves. I mean, its working well now. I dare not change it from now on.

But, guys, if you do make up some slieves for your thicknessers (like Mr Bushes idea) I'd love to hear how well it worked.......in fact, I'll try that pipe clamp idea of tex's out myself sometime, when I find the time.

**underused** · 25th January 2006, 12:15 AM

Nice work on improving the Ryobi Apricotripper.
Schtoo, where's that Mak made?
I've noticed a lot of the Maks sold in Japan these days are assembled in China, and quite a few made there too.
Cheers. Gary.

**Schtoo** · 25th January 2006, 12:41 AM

Ahem...

It does say assembled in China on it. A little disappointed in that, but nowhere near as annoyed as finding my Doc Martens were made in China...

At least they are honest about it. I bet an awful lot of stuff is made there now, and through some flaunting of the regs, claim to be made elsewhere.

**underused** · 25th January 2006, 12:17 PM

Here's a link to a couple of basic ways to reduce snipe on the bench top planner's: http://newwoodworker.com/plnrsuprt.html

Cheers. Gary.

**zenwood** · 25th January 2006, 05:25 PM

Clearest explanation I've seen of the cause and cure for snipe.

Well worth a greeny, mate.

I've got the Ryobi, same as you, and get a wee bit of snipe, but it doesn't bother me. I either thickness more length than I need or clean up the snipe with a handplane after. I usually finish all boards with a handplane anyway.

**Bodgy** · 25th January 2006, 08:21 PM

Aprico

I measured the snipe (only happens on the exit end of the board) and its closer to 37.3856382mm than 15.

Looking at the work you guys have done to correct, I think I'll just cut the ends off the boards.

Have you tried sharpening the blades yet? I understand its a bit of a nightmare, well the re fit anyway. I spent a couple of rainy hours this AM re-grinding the blades on a power planer, that was enough for my faint heart.

**mickp** · 25th January 2006, 09:11 PM

tx apricot, you just solved my prob for me. took me 8 hrs to fix it but no more snipe. I went one step further though, made 4 new posts for it out of 316 grade stainless steel (just happened to find enough at work which the boss wont miss), machined new sleeves, drilled and tapped them.
thank you for saving me heaps, was going to chuck it in the bin and buy a new dewalt, but will keep it now till I burn it out

a greeny on the way

**JDarvall** · 26th January 2006, 08:49 PM

Thanks Zenwood, underused.

*********
Thanks Mickp. Incredible that you have the means and skill to machine up new posts and slieves. Drilling and tapping holes is near to the extent of my metalworking skills.

...Glad I could help,though. Those Dewalt's arn't cheap I'm guessing.... Quality brand, yes ? .... interesting that a similar problem exists in them as well..

**************
Hey ya Bodgy, 37.3856382mm ! Wow ! :confused: What brand of calipers do you have !

...Thats fits in with the racking problem afterall, I think. Near 1 and 1/2"....The 2" I said was just ruff too. Just guessed it. Think a better description is ' between 1 to 2 inches ' .... I'd say yours is racking too then. But if it doesn't bother you, why fix it ? .. Its only bothered me lately because I'm thicknessing small lengths that mustn't have any snipe whatsoever.

I've sharpened jointer blades regularily myself for many years. Jig it off my grinder. But not thicknesser blades. Well, actually, tell a lie, ,,,I did once for a mate. And your right, nightmare. Really need to jig it well to ensure the edge remains straight during the sharpening process, unless you want to thickness cattle troughs...you know what I mean.

There's a veritas product in that carpatec catalog that grips jointer and thicknesser blades for sharpening by hand. Its a like a regular honing guide but a lot wider (bit pricey)...and you lap like the scary sharp method, with sandpaper. Should be able to make up a jig similar. But I'm guessing it would be a hard pressed method for dealing with knicked blades. Too slow. Need a grinder then I guess.

**j.stevens** · 1st February 2006, 09:29 PM

Has anyone askedRyobi for an opinion?

**debwp** · 19th February 2006, 11:27 AM

fantastic!!!!!
Ill be right on it.
noted that your ryobi is the same as my Total Tools - even the same plastic lead clip in the same location. The difference is the colour of the moulding.
Ive also been using a cheap version of a plant thicknesser and we are having the same prob. Ill let you know the outcome.

**David L** · 19th February 2006, 04:00 PM

It may be possible to buy collars to fit the posts from engineering shops,(we used them on agriccultural equipment) this would save drilling and taping. It may also be possible to drill an oversize hole through the housing and fit longer screws to the collars allowing the housing to remain in place.

**Wild Dingo** · 8th June 2007, 02:24 PM

oooooh soo you fixed the 1/2in snipey snipe in the tadpole thicknesser did yer? WELL GOOD ON YER!!!

... now how about yer wander over here and fix the 1/2in snipe on the 15in big bitche Ive got causin me miles of ulcers an hours of groanin moanin swearin cursin an general complainin??? HUH?? How about that eh? EH?

Comeon Jake!!! stop yer

an come on over an sort the friggin big bitche for me!!!...

I must admit that although Ive recently burnt out the motor on the little orange one... ahem lets just say they DO NOT like large lumps of OLD hard Jarrah Tuart or other stuff thrown at them and leave it at that? man talk about sparks!! and I mean who doesnt appreciate the smell of fusin burnin copper wires in the mornin eh? But I must say I didnt have a single issue as I recall with snipe on the little girl... fair worked a treat she did and got a few years worth of munchin out of her which is pretty cool for the price I reckon

Now as to the big bitche... not only do the rollers drop... not only do the top rollers fall out... not only do the beds now drop (infeed 1/8th below surface on right hand side outfeed 1/8th below on left hand side) not only do those things happen with regular manotony but now shes developed a major 4in strip of up to 1/4in snipe at the outfeed end!!! EVERY FRIGGIN PASS!!!

But then doncha just love it eh?... Nothin like a few challenges in life and in the shed to make a bloke feel loved

In a weird way that is

ahem... well done by the way mate

**JDarvall** · 23rd September 2007, 08:09 AM

Ta Dingo. Missed your post. Sorry mate.

Shame your not a bit closer.

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