850e planer

[arusky]

Hi..  I just bought a Festool 850e planer and when using it I get what I would call stop marks.  As I keep working the tool I was hoping someone would have suggestions on how to avoid this. I've tried going slow..  going fast..  regardless I get these horizontal stop marks in my wood. 

 

[Bob Marino]

I am not 100% sure to what you mean by "horizontal marks" but I am guessing you are referring to what  is know as "snipe" - where somewhere along the path (usually at the end) of the planer's blade, there is a noticeable "dip/gouge" in the wood's surface. Is this what you mean?
With the 850 (and other hand planers) I  really think it is a matter proper technique and practice. If you can, place wood of the same exact thickness in front of and behind the piece being planed -making sure it is well supported, be sure to keep the plane level...and practice.

Bob

 

[jeffinsgf]

I have never touched a Festool planer, so please take what I write here with a rather small grain of salt.

If you're getting the snipe that Bob mentioned, technique may not be the only contributing factor.  It is essential that the blades be perfectly level with the outfeed bed when they are at top dead center -- or rather for a hand held planer, bottom dead center.  If there is an adjustment for that on the Festool, that is the first thing that I would check.

 

[Bob Marino]

I have never touched a Festool planer, so please take what I write here with a rather small grain of salt.

If you're getting the snipe that Bob mentioned, technique may not be the only contributing factor.  It is essential that the blades be perfectly level with the outfeed bed when they are at top dead center -- or rather for a hand held planer, bottom dead center.  If there is an adjustment for that on the Festool, that is the first thing that I would check.

Jeff,

Good points!

  Bob

 

[greg mann]

So, Bob. Is there an adjustment? I have a very, very slight case of snipe.

 

[Bob Marino]

So, Bob. Is there an adjustment? I have a very, very slight case of snipe.

Greg,

  Sorry for the confusion, there is no "adjustment" to make on the 850, I was commenting about Jeff's remark about hand planers in general.
Besides technique, if there is some dirt in that slot, if the blade isn't seating perfectly in the drum's slot,  that could also result in snipe.

Bob

 

[jeffinsgf]

I just read the manual, and found no mention of an adjustment, however that seems very odd.  Every jointer or hand plane I've ever worked with you either adjust the knives to the outfeed bed or the outfeed bed to the knives.  I realize that the knife is indexed into the cutterhead, but it seems like there should be some way to compensate for manufacturing tolerances in the fit between the cutterhead and the frame.

Even my ancient Porter-Cable Porta-Plane has it.  [huh]