Planer technique question

[krogers]

I got a new planer recently. (10 months of searching Craiglist. Finally found a NIB DW735) Since I am new to this tool I have a question about technique. If you are planning several linear feet for a project, is it better to send long pieces through the planer and crosscut them later, thereby avoiding multiple snipe opportunities? Or should I send several short pieces through and gain more control? Said another way, I need four 2 foot boards for a project do I send an 8 foot plank through the planer and then crosscut after, or crosscut first?

Thanks in advance. - Kevin

[gsmittle]

IMO, it depends on how much room you have to maneuver. I've planed 12'+ boards, which was a PITA, and boards as short as 2'. Two feet is about the shortest piece I'm comfortable running through the planer.

Three to four feet long is my usual length. OTOH, I don't make many really tall bookcases.

YMMV. Also consider that I'm not real experienced yet, and I have the older Rigid planer, carefully set up to minimize snipe. I guess what I'm saying is with free advice you get what you pay for.

g.

[Pappy]

Get it set up properly and snipe shouldn't be an issue. Long boards can be a bit of a hassle to run unless you have a helper or a good input/output set up. If you have to joint one face first, there is less waste with shorter boards and, to me, they are easier to handle on the jointer.

[LCHIEN]

I'd plane the longest boards you can do conveniently to minimize snipe.
Try and experiment some, if you can run boards thru end to end somethimes that also minimizes snipe on the middle boards. If you planer is so good as to never snipe, then it becomes immaterial but I suspect all planers do it to some extent.

[bthere]

As it turns out, you won't increase your snipe risk by running four 2ft. boards instead of one 8ft. board. If you run the short boards one immediately behind the other, this will help prevent snipe. Running sacrificial boards before and after pieces you are planing is a normal trick to prevent snipe.

[MikeMcCoy]

Kevin,

Another in agreement with Pappy. If your in/outfeed tables are set up correctly you shouldn't be getting any snipe with that planer. I always cut my stock to an inch or so over sized but that's just to allow for any errors in my computations and not snipe.

[Knottscott]

My shop is tight so I'd probably cut those into 4' lengths then plane them. Overall, it's a 6 of one, half dozen of the other type situation that depends. Though Pappy makes a good point about jointing the boards flat first...shorter boards flatten better than long ones.

[pelligrini]

With the DW735 if you don't have the folding outfeed tables (or something similar) snipe is more prone to occur. If you lift up on the piece coming out the back slightly it will cut down the chance for snipe too. I picked up a set of the Dwalt tables not too long after I got my 735. The stock tool doesn't come with the tables.

I have a problem running multiple boards end to end if they're short, say less than 3'. Especially if it's on high speed. I just can't keep up with them all by myself.

If you don't have a dust collector, that collector attachment they have is pretty nice too. A lot of the fine dust won't go into your container, but it's great for chip collection.

[dbhost]

I built infeed / outfeed tables for my Ryobi AP1301 to reduce / eliminate snipe. A table with supports will go a long way to eliminating that...

[Bruce Cohen]

I've had that planer since it first came out. (It was much cheaper then). I have the "add on" extension tables and I found that if I place my finger under the board as it exits the planer, I have in most cases eliminated any snipe, except for really wide stock (11+ inches). Just be careful of the back side (splinter wise).

Bruce

[krogers]

Thank you for the replies. The extension tables are already ordered and are on the way. So I will take the time to set up the planer probably and eliminate as much of the snipe as possible. As always your advice and experience are greatly appreciated. - Kevin