# Ridgid 13" Planer



## BlairH

I just bought the same planer and have had the same observations. I haven't had a lot of time to play around with it yet but if I come up with a solution, I'll let you know. I also had my heart set on the Dewalt but, at $299, I just could pass it up. I can deal with a little snipe for now.


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## Brad_Nailor

I borrowed the same planer from a friend who bought it and doesn't use it much. I found it to be a really good machine. He had planed a bunch of wide board pine flooring so right off the bat I had to flip the knives…that was very easy to do. I planed about 5 BF of curly cherry with really nice glass smooth results. This planer doesn't seem to have a sniping problem. I checked the alignment with a straightedge per the instructions and the tables were all flat. I was getting a very small amount of snipe almost unmeasurable (less than 1/128") and that was only when I wasn't paying attention and not supporting the board properly…nothing that I couldn't sand out. Most of the time you end up cutting the ends off of a board due to checking so minimal sniping isn't a problem I think. For the money I think this is a really nice planer. The DeWalt is nicer, with adjustable speed and three knives…but it is also $200+ more expensive! If you are having a serious snipe problem you might want to look at the infeed/outfeed tables and make sure they are aligned with the platen. There are adjustment screws that allow you to move them up or down to adjust this.


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## mrsawdust

i purchased the same planer about one month ago. maybe i'm lucky - no snipe!
mike


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## joey

I have tried a four different models of the smaller planners and they all seem to have problems with snipe. I have done every thing from building an longer table on mine to useing a dial indicator to align every thing on it, and I still got sniped boards. Now, I cut every thing long, and as the end of board starts to pass under the blades I pick up on the far end of the board this seems to help. I have never tried the DeWalt but I would love to run one through it paces and since my planer got damage in the Sept wind storm here in Ohio that is the machine I am considering unless I get a good deal on a reg floor model machine.

Joey


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## lcurrent

I Have a 13 inch Rigid planer 5 or 6 years, 4 sets of blades ( been resharpend at least 2 times each ) 
I Support the boards infeed and outfeed no snipe at all

Larry


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## CedarFreakCarl

I've got the predecessor to this one which only has 2 blades. As long as the cutter head is locked and the infeed and outfeed tables are completely level with the bed of the planer, I've experienced just about 0 snipe.


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## lclashley

I concur with Carl. Very rarely have I gotten any snipe with the cutter head locked. When I forget to lock it, or I'm trying to move too fast, I do sometimes get a little bit. Nothing unsandable though. I also have the older, 2-knife version.


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## BassBully

*Solution to your snipe problem:* raise your infeed and outfeed tables.

If your tables are parallel with the base, when the board goes through, the weight of the ends of the board will pivot the board into the cutter head. Hence the snipe. However, if you raise the tables up a little, the rollers and the raised tables will act together to prevent this.

You can test this out by running the board through, stand at the exit side, and hold the board up with your hands.

When I purchased my Ridgid planer over a couple of years ago, I had virtually no snipe. Then I got the hair-brained idea to adjust the tables. From that point on I had snipe. The reason why I adjusted them is because the in/out feed tables weren't parallel to the base. I thought it would be best that they should be. I had to raise them back up and it works perfectly.

That being said, it is absolutely necessary that you get some type of non-silicone wax so the boards won't stick. Eventually they will and especially if the in/out feed tables are raised. I use the ORIGINAL FORMULA of Johnson paste wax. This can be found at Wal-Mart in the cleaning aisle. If you use the newer formula, as opposed to the original, it will harden and won't be so slick-OSHA rules-Big Government. I believe Minwax paste wax won't work as well as Johnson because it either hardens or is silicone-based but I can't remember. If you use a silicone based wax your stain won't perform as it should.

There's my two-cents worth.


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## Al_PG

Thanks for all the comments. I believe that the boards are supported very well. I had another look at the machine and there isn't a cutterhead lock, maybe mine is a different model (R4330). I made the in and out extensions level when I originally set it up (as per the distructions) so I will try raising them a bit. Hopefully this weekend if I get time and will update this if I have better results.


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## BassBully

The user instructions may say to leave them parallel but the Ridgid forums do not-for what it's worth. That is where I learned about this issue. Anyway, Good Luck.


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## DannyBoy

I've been wanting to get this machine for a while and was going to ask around about it. Thanks for the review to help me make my decision (no to save).

On a side note: I think that Cummins Tools carries the manufacturer's refurbished planer at their stores. Anyone have any luck with those?


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## DaleM

While I have a Dewalt planer and not the Ridgid, I was experiencing snipe until I adjusted the infeed table. It was pretty shallow, just a little bit an inch or so back from the leading edge of the board. I only had to adjust the table up a little to correct the problem. Like yours, it all looked level, and after the adjustment, it looked like it was feeding it in at an angle, but if that's the only way it would work, who am I to question it. I bought this saw used and now I think I know why I got such a good deal on it. It works great now so I'm happy. I hope yours is that easy to fix too. Good luck.


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## knothead

If that is the newer version of the planer it should have a height adjustment rod on each of the 4 corners of the motor and that is why it does not have the cutter lock. Mine is the last version with the cutter head lock and I too was having no problem with snipe untill I noticed that the infeed table was slightly raised, during a cleaning/tuning session between projects, so I adjusted the tables and now SNIPE SNIPE SNIPE, I will be putting the tables right back where they were real soon. I love this little planer and will keep it till it breaks down.

Just my 0.02 cents

Chris


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## klpete45

I had a Delta that I fought with for several years and no matter how I adjusted it I couldn't get snipe free cuts. Then I saw a planer review in the Nov 2006 Wood magazine where the Rigid TP1300LS was the top value tool with excellent cut quality, easy blade changes and minimal snipe. Shortly thereafter I had a chance to pick one up on Craigslist. Wow what a difference from my delta - everything worked smoothly and I get no snipe. Once I inadvertently forgot to lock the "Sure Cut" anti-snipe lock and sure enough I had significant snipe. Based upon my experience, I would highly recommend the Rigid 1300 (perhaps yours is a different model as the picture does not look like mine). Based upon my recommendation, my son and a friend both bought the same model and they both have had excellent results.


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## Brad_Nailor

I guess it makes sense that if you adjust the tables up a slight amount that it would eliminate the snipe. When the board is pushed into the planer it is only making contact with the in-feed roller causing the board to want to push down…so nudging it up slightly would offset this…same on the way out of the planer. The one I am using is an older grey model with the cutter head lock. If you forget to lock it down you definitely will see some snipe! I also experienced a little tear out around knots and when the grain changed direction…but thats to be expected with any planer…even the most expensive ones. I was planing some curly cherry and any figured wood will give you problems with tear out with any planer. In the cabinet shop we would ALWAYS cut and plane solid wood pieces oversize and then sand them into exact dimension with the wide belt sander….boy you get real spoiled with one of those around! On the positive side, I was able to go on rigidtools.com and download the exact (older version) manual in PDF form and print it out.


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## Al_PG

OK all thanks for the tips. I had a chance to play with it a bit this weekend. I adusted the tables as you all recommended and minimized the amount of snipe I was getting. There still is a little but I should be able to sand this out.


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## jack1

You can also add a closely following sacrificial board of the same thickness as your good stuff. It will take the snipe not the piece you want to use.


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## croessler

My dad has owned one of the earlier designs of this planer for several years now. It's still going strong and the only time there is any snipe is if you let a particularly long piece droop a bit.


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## rennovator

I ordered this model from HD online. It was defective. I ordered a second hoping this was a fluke. The second unit was also defective. I finally purchased a different model from another maker. I would pass this one up. 
-Will, Northern VA


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## eric122

i have had the same delta shop master 12 and a half inch planer for 12 yrs now and only replaced the blades once delta rocks my next update planer purchase will be a grizzly 13 inch model with cutter head lock


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