Guild Build - Removing snipe

[TWebb]

Hi all,

I'm half way through the latest Guild Build and I need some help.

This is the side assembly of my small table; adapted from the Guild Build - Chest of Drawers design.

I am now ready to start sanding/planing. I have in fact just planed the panel that you see above. However, I have had to get rid of some snipe and burning and now the panel rattles a tiny bit. Arghh! What can I do to rescue this panel?

Also, as shown in the picture below, I have another case of snipe in the leg.

Unfortunately it is smack in the middle of where a rail enters the leg. How do I get rid of it without messing up the fit?

Thanks for the help.

Tom

P.S. This is my first piece of actual furniture. I'm so pleased!!! Thanks Marc

[thewoodwhisperer]

Looking good so far Tom! Nicely done. Snipe can be a real pain the butt. So let's see if we can't come up with a solution. For the loose panel, you could always put a small amount of silicone caulk in the grooves. It will help stop the rattle and will compress if the panel expands. You can even draw out a bead of caulk, let it dry, the cut the bead into little tiny strips that will work like that commercial product "space balls". The ides is to restrict the movement with a flexible material. Of course you could always just make a new panel, but that's a lot of work.

As for the snipe in the leg, the only thing I can think of would be to plane the face of the leg. If you tenon is bottomed out, you will need to trim a little off the end of the tenon to compensate. But 2-3 passes with your smoother should take care of the snipe while keeping a nice flat surface for the shoulder of the tenon to press against.

Hope that helps.

[RenaissanceWW]

If the panel is really loose then you can always glue on a strip of wood right on the very edge so it is hidden in the groove then plane to fit. The caulk idea is much easier however. For the joint, I second Marc and say hit the leg with a plane locally around the joint. Don't try to flatten the entire leg just the spot where the tenon meets the shoulder. In other words use a small plane like a block plane.

[Keggers]

Rockler has a product called "Space Balls" to be used on panel doors. I've bought some but have never used them.

Here's the link : http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2020&filter=panel%20door%20balls

You might try them.

[Lawrence Brown]

They work really well. I use them in all my panels. Be sure to dry fit and test first though. they are fairly dense foam and will only compress so far. You really want to leave the amount of room they recommend, and it takes a little getting used to because you do have to put a bit of pressure on the frame to hold it together.

[dryhter]

Hi all,

I'm half way through the latest Guild Build and I need some help.

This is the side assembly of my small table; adapted from the Guild Build - Chest of Drawers design.

I am now ready to start sanding/planing. I have in fact just planed the panel that you see above. However, I have had to get rid of some snipe and burning and now the panel rattles a tiny bit. Arghh! What can I do to rescue this panel?

Also, as shown in the picture below, I have another case of snipe in the leg.

Unfortunately it is smack in the middle of where a rail enters the leg. How do I get rid of it without messing up the fit?

Thanks for the help.

Tom

P.S. This is my first piece of actual furniture. I'm so pleased!!! Thanks Marc

That is what you are worried about, c'mon. aghhhh. you can't even see that. If it really bothers cut a tapered wedge, maybe 3* shove a little bit of wood into it . How did you get snipe in the middle of the board , snipe usually is at the beginning or end of the board.

Any kind of foam will work, crumpled up paper will work or even a dab of adhesive in the center top and bottom in the groove will work.

Personally I would throw the whole thing out and start over E-mail me and I will send you my address where you can send it to I will pay for shipping . just to help out.

Beautiful Work,

Dave

[Guest Trace]

I am not picking on you TWEBB, but I know that almost every one who works with wood is, when it comes to their own work, the most critical of it. I'll bet the finished product will be beautiful. Besides, I have always maintained that the imperfections in my woodworking are really my signature.

[TWebb]

How did you get snipe in the middle of the board

Well, I used the four sider at work and I think the top cutter is a bit loose. Unfortunately I have no other way of squaring timber. I took quite a few passes with my no.5 and it seems to have done the trick; without messing up the fit.

For the loose panel, you could always... restrict the movement with a flexible material

This is what I've done with a bit of caulk down the leg groove; it seems to have worked.

Anyway, I have planed all my pieces and glued them up this afternoon.

almost every one who works with wood is, when it comes to their own work, the most critical of it.

I'm not a perfectionist I just get really annoyed when things don't go the way I plan them

Thanks for all your help i'll be sure to post a picture of the final product if not before with more questions.

Thanks, Tom