7 ways to Whip Snipe

On a benchtop planer, raise the table-leveling bolts until the ends of the infeed and outfeed tables are about the thickness of a penny higher than the planer bed.

The cast-iron tables on some stationary planers tilt by turning the adjustment setscrews. On planers without setscrews, insert metal shim stock to lift the tables.

If raising the tables doesn't completely eliminate snipe, gently lift the free end of a workpiece slightly on the infeed side and again on the outfeed.

If you cannot completely rid your planer of snipe, butt workpieces of equal thickness end-to-end so your machine thinks it's one long workpiece. Use scrap in front of the first and following the last workpiece.

Stationary planers have table rollers whose main function is to reduce workpiece drag on the table. Raising these rollers on some models about .002" above the table helps prevent snipe. If this increases snipe on your planer, drop the rollers level with the table surface.

Workpieces thinner than 3/8" can flex and elevate into the cutterhead, creating snipe. To avoid this, adhere your workpiece to a carrier board, such as MDF, for added stability.

The deeper the cut, the greater the chances for snipe. So as you zero in on the final thickness, remove only 1/64" or so in your last pass or two on each face.