Best Decision I’ve Ever Made || How to: Planer Sled

Having snipe and how much you have depends on the planer, and how much you try to remove at each pass. I had a Dewalt 734 such as was used in the video. The cutter head is not fixed, so when the stock is first engaged by the in-feed roller, it raised and the cutter head lowers, then raises when the second roller, remains constant until the stock looses contact with the in-feed roller when it lowers again. Thus snipe at both ends. I tried using a dead-flat planer sled (1 1/2 inch thick Appleply) but I still had snipe, though not as much. I sold the 734 and got a Dewalt 735. It has the advantage of having two speeds. The slower speed produces an almost glass like finish. I don't use the sled anymore. When I am nearing my target thickness I turn the wheel just a fraction, maybe just 1/16 of a turn of the wheel, and this reduces the pressure differential between the feed roller and the cutter head, and reduces the need for pressure to send the stock through. If you're into 10 thousands of an inch, maybe there is still measurable snipe. But it is not detectable to the eye or the finger and if you feel the need to sand, the micrometer won't tell you it was ever there.

I lift the board as it comes out, take very light cuts as I approach final thickness, run the board at an angle to the cutters and support the board with hand pressure as it exits. These tricks are all dependent on the size of the board. I can usually get little to no snipe doing it this way. I have the side crank version of that dewalt planer with stock tables. But, the only ways I know to get zero snipe every time is to account for 2 to 3 inches of sacrificial wood on each end of the board or run separate scrap boards before and after the project board. When I do get snipe, it’s only about .004” deep which can be sanded smooth with a random orbital. So I don’t stress about snipe.

Several of the comments mentioned the best and least expensive way to deal with the snipe. CUT THE PIECE TO LENGTH AFTERWARDS! Do not waste your time or money chasing a solution to a problem that can't be solved without large amounts of money! That being said, thank you for the nice video.

Great idea! I think I'll make one for mine since I fight this issue like everyone else. A quick demonstration at the end would have been nice.

nice upgrade. i have the same planer, so i may do this myself. just a tip, when you're applying the laminate, it's easier to line up if you put sticks under it, then pull the middle ones out as you press down, working from the middle out. the sticks won't adhere to the dried glue.

Sorry, but snipe will not go away by extending the table and using a sled. I did it. The problem occurs when the wood is supported by only one of the rollers, and it causes flex in the system. The more times you push the wood through the system, the worse the snipe will get. There are ways to rid snipe and that is adding end board extensions, or by ridgedly blocking out the planer from the four corners. You can also train your pices one after another, but you always end up with the ends jacked up. That being said, feed tables and a sled are worth doing since they allow you to joint wide boards if properly supported.

That bed makes the planer nicer and more enjoyable to use, but it does not address the cause of snip in lunchbox planers. The snip is caused by the blade cage tilting when your piece hits the first roller and when your piece leaves and only hitting the last roller. The tilt actually lowers the blades a little. The ONLY way to eliminate snip on these is to run sacrificial pieces in front and behind your project piece. What you did is great and adds needed support, but that’s all it does.

Little tip. Whenever you make these how to videos, viewers always want to see it working at the end. If you ran a piece of timber through it and it was perfect then the results speak for themselves. Overall, great video though.

Great idea. Thank you for making the video for us.

I'm not a expert on planers, but I've had this same planer in my shop for 10 or more years, and I never have a problem with snipe when planing hardwood stock. What seems to work for me is to adjust the infeed and outfeed tables a bit higher than the bed of the planer. As the work piece passes and exits through the planer, the pinch roller holding the stock against the bed loses contact with the board and it's trailing edge lifts slightly into the cutter head causing snipe. By raising the outside edge of the outfeed table, the trailing end of the board is forced downward against the planer bed and away from the cutter head minimizing snipe. The same principle and fix also applies to the infeed table if infeed snipe is a problem. Could be wrong, but that's what works for me.

Very nicely explained and demonstrated. Thank you for sharing.

Great project! Well done! Thanks for posting.

Thats a fantastic idea. Ive seen sleds built that run through the planer with the work piece but this is on a different level.

Thanks for the video that’s pretty cool. Generally what I do is give myself a few inches at the end of the board that if I have to I can cut off. But the other thing that works really well is to lift the board as is coming out.

Great video. The lunchbox planers do have some issues but I also think are the absolute best bang for the buck in all of woodworking machinery. To be able to plane 12.5” boards and then put it under my bench has helped me a lot and it doesn’t take up much room.

The trash can fence extender is genius :)

Wow nice job and great info, thanks for the idea!!!

Great!! Thank you!

Excellent video… keep ‘em comin!!!

This is badass I'm doing this to my craftsman planer