By Brad Rodriguez| Fix This Build That | Last updated: April 2026
Quick Summary
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Topic | How to reduce planer snipe |
| Skill level | Beginner to intermediate |
| Tools needed | Thickness planer, sacrificial boards |
| Time to implement | A few minutes per method |
| Best method | Sacrificial boards (Method 3) |
Quick Answer
The most effective way to reduce planer snipe is using sacrificial boards (Method 3) — it’s low effort, works on most jobs, and leaves your boards clean end to end. For a fast fix with zero setup, feeding boards at a 15–30 degree angle (Method 5) works surprisingly well. Most woodworkers should keep both methods in their back pocket depending on the situation.
If you’ve ever run boards through a thickness planer, you’ve probably dealt with snipe.
It’s one of those frustrating planer problems that trips up a lot of woodworkers — but it’s totally manageable once you know what’s causing it.
Today I’m covering 6 proven ways to reduce planer snipe so you can get cleaner boards and waste less wood.
What Is Planer Snipe?
Planer snipe is a deeper cut at the beginning or end of a board as it passes through a thickness planer.
It happens because the board lifts slightly into the cutter head when it’s only held down by one pressure roller — either as it enters or exits the machine.
The result is a thin divot at each end of the board that’s cut deeper than the rest of the surface.
Ran side of pencil over wood to show high spots from planer snipe
The planer I use in this post is a RIDGID lunchbox-style planer. All 6 of these methods work with any portable or lunchbox planer.
| Method | Effort | Effectiveness | Best Use Case | When NOT to Use It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cut ends off | Low | High | When you have board length to spare | Short boards where you can't afford the loss |
| 2. Adjust tables | Medium (once) | High | Long-term setup fix | One-off jobs — not worth the setup time |
| 3. Sacrificial boards ⭐ | Low | Very high | Most planing jobs | When you have no scrap boards available |
| 4. Side runners | High | Medium | Large glue-ups | Anything other than glue-ups — too much work |
| 5. Feed at an angle | Very low | High | Quick fix, wide boards | Very narrow boards that may tip |
| 6. Lift in/out | Low | Medium-high | When no sacrificial boards are available | When you need a perfectly clean result |
My recommendation: Use the sacrificial board method (Method 3) as your default. For wide boards, the angled feed (Method 5) is a great quick option. If you’re doing a lot of planing, take the time to dial in your table adjustment (Method 2) once and it’ll pay off every session.
Frequently Asked Questions About Planer Snipe
Can planer snipe be completely eliminated?
Not always — some snipe is a normal part of how planers work mechanically. But with the right technique, you can reduce it to the point where it’s either completely unnoticeable or takes just a few minutes to sand out. Most woodworkers who use the sacrificial board method consistently reach the point where snipe stops being a frustration entirely.
How much snipe is normal?
Most lunchbox planers produce snipe in the 1–3 inch range at each end of the board. With a planer like the RIDGID, expect snipe closer to the 1–2 inch range when your tables are properly adjusted. If you’re seeing more than 3 inches of snipe, your infeed and outfeed table adjustment is the first thing to check — that single fix often makes a dramatic difference.
Does a more expensive planer eliminate snipe?
Not necessarily. Even large commercial planers with heavy cast iron tables experience snipe. It’s a physics issue related to cutter head speed and roller engagement — not just planer quality. A $300 lunchbox planer used with good technique will outperform an expensive planer used carelessly. Focus on the method, not the machine.
What’s the fastest way to deal with snipe?
Running boards at an angle (Method 5) is the lowest-effort fix — no setup, no extra boards, just change your feed angle as you push the board in. Using sacrificial boards (Method 3) takes slightly more setup but gives cleaner results across the full length of the board. For most situations, try the angle method first and reach for sacrificial boards when you need a perfectly clean result.
Does snipe happen on both ends of the board?
Yes — snipe typically occurs at both the leading and trailing ends of the board. In practice, the leading end usually gets the worse snipe because the board transitions from being unsupported to fully engaged with both rollers more abruptly on entry. The trailing end snipe is usually shallower and easier to sand out.
Can I sand out planer snipe?
Light snipe — the kind left by Methods 5 and 6 — can usually be sanded out in a few minutes with 80 to 100 grit sandpaper. Deeper snipe from an unadjusted planer may require cutting off the ends or taking another pass through the planer. If you find yourself sanding out snipe regularly, it’s a sign that dialing in your table adjustment (Method 2) or switching to the sacrificial board method (Method 3) will save you a lot of time in the long run.
How long should my sacrificial boards be?
At least 12 inches — but always check your specific planer’s manual for the minimum board length it can safely handle. Boards that are too short can get caught or kicked back by the feed rollers, which is a safety issue. Most lunchbox planers have a minimum board length listed in the specs section of the manual.
Method 1: Cut the Snipe Off the Ends
What it is: Simply cut off the sniped ends of each board after planing.
This is the easiest method but also the most wasteful. You have to buy longer boards to account for the material you’ll lose, and you’re adding two extra cuts per board.
Best for: Quick one-off jobs where you have extra board length to spare.
Verdict: Works, but there are better options.
Method 2: Adjust the Infeed and Outfeed Tables
What it is: Raise the front of the infeed table and the back of the outfeed table slightly higher than the planer bed.
Most lunchbox planers have adjustable fold-up tables on each side. By raising those outer edges about 1/16″ above the planer bed, you counteract the natural tendency of the board to tip up into the cutter head.
How to do it:
- Fold the table into its storage position to access the adjustment mechanism underneath
- On the RIDGID planer, this is a set screw with a locking nut (check your manual for your specific model)
- Adjust until a straightedge laid across both tables sits 1/16″ higher than the planer bed
Best for: Woodworkers who want a set-it-and-forget-it adjustment.
Verdict: Solid method that pays off over time once it’s dialed in.
Fold the infeed table up to access the adjustment underneath. A small
turn of the set screw raises the table edge just enough to counteract
the board lifting into the cutter head.
Method 3: Use Sacrificial Boards Before and After
What it is: Feed a sacrificial board through the planer immediately before and after your good board so the snipe happens to the throwaway pieces instead.
This is one of the best methods and my personal favorite for most situations. The snipe lands on the lead and trail boards, leaving your actual workpiece clean end to end.
How to do it:
- Have two short sacrificial boards ready (at least 12″ long — check your planer manual for minimum length)
- Feed the first sacrificial board through
- Butt your good board directly behind it so they’re touching, then push it in until the feed rollers grab
- Follow immediately with the second sacrificial board
Running multiple boards? Feed them choo-choo train style, with one sacrificial board at the front and one at the back.
Results: When I ran a pencil lead over the end of the board to highlight high and low spots, the lines went all the way to the end — the whole surface was the same height. Clean result.
Best for: Most planing situations, especially when you’re processing multiple boards.
Verdict: Highly recommended. Low effort, great results.
Feed a sacrificial board through first so the snipe lands on the
throwaway piece — not your good board. Follow immediately with your
workpiece while the feed rollers are still engaged.
Method 4: Use Sacrificial Side Runners for Glue-Ups
What it is: Glue sacrificial runners along the sides of a glue-up (like a cutting board) so the snipe hits the runners, not your project.
The runners need to extend further than your typical snipe length — usually 2–3″ beyond the ends. After planing, you rip the runners off at the table saw.
Honest results: I was a little surprised — this method didn’t eliminate snipe as completely as I expected. There was still a small divot at the lead edge, likely because the rubber rollers still impact the front edge and cause a small amount of lift into the cutter head.
Ripping the runners off at the table saw afterward is also more work than it sounds.
Best for: Large glue-ups where other methods are harder to use.
Verdict: Decent option for glue-ups, but not my first choice. Methods 3 or 5 are easier and more effective.
Sacrificial runners glued to both sides of the glue-up extend past the
ends to catch the snipe. It works — but it’s more effort than it looks,
and Methods 3 or 5 will get you a cleaner result with less work.
Method 5: Run Boards Through on an Angle
What it is: Feed the board into the planer at a 15–30 degree angle instead of straight on.
The idea is that the feed roller hits just the front corner of the board first and gradually eases onto the rest of it — instead of hitting the full edge all at once. That gradual engagement reduces the sudden lift that causes snipe.
How to do it: Angle the board 15–30 degrees as you feed it into the planer. That’s it.
Results: I honestly didn’t expect this to work as well as it did. The pencil markings showed only minimal snipe in the corner where you’d expect it — the rest of the board was clean.
Best for: Wide boards, quick jobs, or any time you want a simple fix without any setup.
Verdict: Surprisingly effective for how little effort it takes. Worth trying first.
Just angle the board 15 to 30 degrees as you feed it in — no setup,
no extra boards needed. The roller eases onto the wood gradually instead
of hitting the full edge at once, and the difference in results is
surprisingly significant.
Method 6: Lift the Board In and Out of the Planer
What it is: Manually lift one end of the board slightly as it enters and exits the planer to prevent the opposite end from tipping up into the cutter head.
How to do it:
- As the board feeds in: lift the back end slightly (about 1/16″–1/8″)
- As the board feeds out: lift the front end slightly
That small lift keeps the board level through the cutter head.
Results: This method worked pretty well but did leave a small, very shallow divot. Not major snipe — just a slight mark that’s easy to sand out.
Best for: Situations where you don’t have sacrificial boards on hand.
Verdict: Good backup method. The divot it leaves is minimal and sandable.
Lift the trailing end of the board slightly as it feeds in — just
1/16 to 1/8 inch is enough to keep it level through the cutter head.
No sacrificial boards needed, though plan on a quick sand on the ends
when you’re done.
More Shop Tips from Fix This Build That
- How to build a flip top tool stand — the stand my planer sits on in this post
- Shop projects — all our shop organization and tool builds
- Tools & tips — more tool guides like this one
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You have the exact Ridgid Model Planer that I have, though mine is currently in storage. I am trying to determine what model number this is so that I can see if there is a shelix cutterheard kit for it. What model number is this in the video? Thanks for all your help.
If you replaced blades and it just started sniping, your blades are cutting too much, retract them a tenth or two mills.
Great job demonstrating your methods on how to eliminate snipe. Especially liked your use of lead from a carpenter’s pencil to highlight the low spots.FYI. The root causes of Snipe has more to do with the physics of speed/momentum of your cutter head than the configuration of the infeed and outfeed rollers. That’s the reason why large, expensive commercial planers with long, heavy, cast iron and calibrated infeed and outfeed tables with multiple rollers also snipe. The cutter has a high rate of speed that is slowed upon contacting wood. This is the cause of the snipe on the front of the board. The snipe on the end occurs due to the tear out of material at the end of your piece, less material reinforcing the cut. It’s easy to assume the rollers are the culprit on a “lunchbox” configuration, although I can see how the feeds will compound the problem. All equipment (routers, shapers, jointers, planers, drum sanders) with cutting heads snipe. It’s a matter of physics.With method #3, avoid butting the front and back sacrificial pieces together with your main piece, rather stagger them/offset them. You can feed multiple pieces through your planer at the same time. Sometimes there’s even a hairline gap pushing your pieces one after the other, this allows the cutter head to snipe again. This basically creates the low areas on the back of your leading sacrificial piece, the front of your main piece and so forth each time there’s a gap in your feed.Hope this helps. Keep making woodchips and sawdust.
Thanks for the response, great points there on the physics of it all.
I use several… Angle feed, lift in/out, cut off snipe. Gotta be careful raising fed trays, you can create a dish effect on long boards (thinner in middle instead of flat). I’ve found snipe on leading end is worse than snipe on trailing end. Often when getting near final thickness, I begin making thickness adjustments in very small 1/64th increments and I can reduce the snipe depth to where it’s easily sandable. If I’m working with extremely hard wood, especially on highly visible pieces (tops, face frames, etc) I just make my original cut a few inches long, then cut off the snipe end. Always feeding same direction will keep the worst of the snipe on the same end.
You never showed how method #2 worked for reducing snipe. What were the results for that? Also, which is your favorite?