Planer snipe: what causes it and what the makers' manuals say to do about it

What is planer snipe?

DEWALT's DW735 manual describes snipe as what happens when an unsupported end of the board drops toward the floor, causing the opposite end to lift up into the cutterhead.

WEN's 6552 manual calls snipe a small dip caused by the board's own weight pulling one end downwards as it enters or exits the planer, pushing the other end into the cutterhead, and says thickness planers tend to leave a small bit of snipe at the ends, particularly on longer workpieces.

RIKON's 25-130H manual says snipe can occur at either end of a workpiece when the board is not properly supported, and that although it may be barely noticeable, keeping the workpiece parallel and flat with the planer table minimizes it.

Taikra doesn't rank or test tools; every statement here is from the maker's own manual, linked. Each manual is the reference for its own machine.

What causes snipe, according to the manuals?

WEN says snipe will occur when boards are not supported properly or when only one feed roller is in contact with the work at the beginning or end of the cut, and that it is more apparent when deeper cuts are taken.

Powermatic's troubleshooting table for the 15S and 15HH lists the probable causes of snipe as table rollers not set properly, inadequate support of long boards, uneven feed roller pressure front to back, dull knives or knife inserts, and lumber not butted properly.

The same table notes that snipe cannot be eliminated, but can be so minimized as to be negligible. (Powermatic)

Supporting the board in and out

DEWALT's DW735 manual says to feed the workpiece level and flat against the base, keep it level by receiving or catching it from the rear of the planer, and use additional material support for especially long material.

RIKON's 25-130H manual says boards longer than 24" should have additional support as they enter and exit the planer, so they do not tip up or down and snipe the ends.

Powermatic's remedy for inadequate support is to support long boards with extension rollers, and for lumber not butted properly, to butt each piece end to end as they pass through.

RIKON also says short boards should be planed end to end with other boards, and not to plane a workpiece shorter than 7 inch (177.8mm) long.

Extension tables, carriage locks and depth of cut

WEN's 6552 manual recommends setting the infeed and outfeed extension tables slightly inclined upwards in a V shape, with about 1 mm between the outer edges of the extension tables and the center of the main tables, and says lower depths help prevent snipe.

DEWALT's DW734 manual says the outer edges of its extension tables are set level with the base at the factory, giving support at the two points that are integral to snipe prevention.

The DW734 has a carriage head lock lever that secures the cutter head carriage to the four posts, which DEWALT says drastically minimizes the movement that causes snipe; the DW735 manual says that planer has no manual carriage lock, and an automatic device in the four threaded posts minimizes that movement. (DEWALT)

Cutting width, depth of cut and feed rate for each catalogued model are on its page, for example the DEWALT DW735; the board width matcher lists the planers whose stated width takes a given board.

Leaving extra length to cut off

WEN suggests cutting lumber long enough that the snipe can be sawn off after planing, leaving 1-2" on both ends.

WEN also describes a scrap board fed flush against the beginning and end of the workpiece, so the scrap takes the snipe.

For width and thickness capacity, see choosing a benchtop planer; for what a planer does and does not do compared with a jointer, see jointer vs planer.