I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos showing people running their river cutting boards through planers after the epoxy has cured. However, none of these videos talk about planer snipe, which is concerning. Are they just accepting cutting boards with snipe, or can we adjust things to ensure any snipe left is sanded away? I have a DeWalt planer that creates a noticeable amount of snipe. Even with adjustments, I expect some snipe will remain. Any advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
There are a few ways to handle snipe if your planer can't be adjusted perfectly. One trick is to leave some extra length on your cutting board so you can chop off the sniped ends after you've planed it to thickness. If that's not an option, you can try using a longer scrap board that goes through the planer with your cutting board. The idea is to have the scrap go in first, so the snipe hits that instead of your board. Also, try lifting the back of the board as it enters and the front as it exits the planer to minimize snipe.
Have you checked if the snipe might be originating from your in/outfeed tables? A quick way to test is by taking a flat board, like melamine, and cutting it to the same width as your planer. Clamp it to the infeed side and send your board through it. If the snipe reduces significantly, it's likely a problem with your in/outfeed alignment. You can use that flat sled next time you don't need full-height material for better results.
So, should I be able to run something like a cutting board through a planer and have the snipe be minimal enough that it won't show in the finished product?