Get the extensions they are great and will make your life easier and there are height adjustments screws that if you tweak it well it will eliminate mots snipe issues Thanks for all your help!!!
I bought the 735x (with the tables and extra set of blades) It is the only larger piece of equipment in my shop that was purchased new, and I have absolutely no regrets. Still on the first side of the first set of blades and it has been over a year. I think DeWalt had some issues with soft blades a while ago, but that seems to have been resolved. The blades can be touched up carefully (honed) to keep them razor sharp, but you are correct they can't be sharpened to remove nicks. Although at the rate I am going, it could be 3 more years before I need to buy another set of blades. Others have mentioned, put an elbow on the outlet and the sagging hose issues disappear. Great video as always, and thanks for doing what you do, us viewers enjoy it.
Jay, I recently researched the DW735 while upgrading from a really cheap Jet bench top. I passed on it for pretty much the exact reasons you gave. It just didn't seem like it was worth $600. Instead, I was lucky enough to find a used Makita 2030N about 70 miles from my house. I got it for $400 and spent $240 to refurbish the rollers. It cuts like a dream (no snipe) and it includes a 6" jointer. All the blades are thick, able to be sharpened, and adjustable. Chips eject out the side and it has 2 speeds. Electric brake and VERY quiet while operating. I know you already have a jointer, but I highly recommend for any woodworker that is looking to spend good money on a planer. Look for used stuff and you'll luck out.
I have this model as well and have no snipe at all. I purchased the tables with the machine. I had to play around a bit to get rid of the snipe. I purchased a set of carbide blades as well. They work great and are much quieter. Can't say how much longer they will last since I just installed a month ago. I do love this planner.
Wow, you are the only one I have heard that would not buy it again. This consumer grade planer has found it's way into a great number of commercial shops including Katz Moses. I have one running hard maple and walnut and love it. I have a Shelix head on the way because I have always wanted one.
+Daniel Julian - Snipe is a variation in thickness left behind on the last couple inches of the work piece at the start/stop point. You usually have to leave your work piece longer and cut the snipe off.
+Daniel Julian As a board passes through the plainer the ends of the boards have to get grabbed and then released by the rollers. This can make the board tip up into the cutter, which can cause the board to be cut a little thinner near the ends. Often it makes a little valley about an inch in from the end of the board. A smooth transition though the plainer helps prevent snipe. The way Jay has a smooth board all the way through the plainer is one of the best and easiest ways to prevent snipe. However you do loose on the thickness of board you can pass and the measuring features of the plainer will be off by the thickness of board you use.
Jay I have a DW734 which is the small DeWalt planner and it works great. I plan down a lot of reclaimed pallet wood, which I have hit nails before and it does leave a groove in the blade, but you just plan on the other side. All in all I have used the crap out of my planner.
Bought this planer a few months ago and so far I'm happy with it. I don't have 220v in my garage so I figured this would be a long term investment since anything bigger would require 220v. I'll probably upgrade the cutter head with the Byrd Shelix someday. Thanks for the video Jay!
Keep in mind that those aftermarket types of cutterheads, actually change the electrical demands of the units. Where the three blade set up has more of a pulsing electric demand, as each blade hits the wood but there are gaps between them, a helical style has a more constant demand of electricity as almost every single moment there is blade cutting through the wood. I do t have experience with this, but I have read two articles about people who found that they ended up tripping their breakers more often, and their machines ran hotter.
I've been hunting for one of these for quite some time. Last night I picked up this model in "like new" condition with the feed trays, new set of blades aaaaand the rolling planer stand for $400. Craigslist for the win!
I agree 100% with your review. I've had the DW735X for about 4 years now. I bought it as everyone said there's no snipe. I set mine up the way DeWalt suggested & had snipe. I adjusted it the way people on WWT & LJ suggested & had snipe. I came to the realization that snipe happens:) At the time I bought my planer, most magazine reviews rated the DW735 the top player, but narrowly over the Ridgid. However, the Ridgid is $400 new and comes with a best in class warranty. Thats where I'd spend my $$ if I had it to do over.
When I checked with my Dylos air quality meter (particle counter), I found that planers emit a surpising amount of very fine particles. You'd think it was all chips, but there's a lot of invisible fine stuff too.
What I don't like about it is how far the feed rollers are from the cutter head. I've had thin stock sucked up and destroyed in there. Also, when continuously planing short pieces without an outfeed table, the pieces can get jammed as they fall out. It should come with minimal infeed and outfeed tables, especially at that price.
+John Heisz That's why I got the Makita. It's probably more comparable to the Dewalt 734 since it has 2 knives instead of 3, but the minimum stock length is about 6". It was the 12" minimum on the Dewalt that made me not buy it. It's also steered me away from a floor unit since they also tend to have pretty long minimum lengths.
+John Heisz The 735X versions (with tables and extra blades) can be had for $599 (Amazon) if you shop around, same price as the 735, and most brick and mortar stores will now match even Amazon. It's still a lot of money though!
+John Heisz I had the same thing happen to me, was planing 1/32 or less off of a 3/8" thick piece of hardwood, the board broke in half and a part of it actually jammed inside, the cutterhead mashed it against the internal duct for sucking the chips, and it broke 2 of the 3 handles off of the internal screws that hold that duct in place. Dulled my blades, should really replace some parts, but it soldiers on. I'm now wary of planning hardwood less than a 1/2 inch thick because I don't want bits of it shot out at me again. Another problem I'm having with it is that the bed gets too rough, I think it is bits of sap and resin that are sprayed all over it, it needs to get cleaned off or the rollers fail to feed at all because they don't have as much grip as the dirty/rough bed. A bit of wax helps with the scratches in the bed too.
I have this planer with a Shelix spiral cutterhead, I've had this for two years and never touched the cutters yet. FYI, I use almost nothing but "exotic" hardwoods and the cutters give a super smooth finish.
I have had mine for over 9 years and love it. I added the indeed and outfield tables and have no problem with snipe. I am still on the same set of blades, however, I do not use it that much for the last five years or so. Would I buy it again, yes. Like you, I hate the dust collection. Keep the tool reviews coming. It is a great source of information.
I have the same planer. I upgraded it with the Byrd Shelix cutter head since. I like it much better since upgrading. It's quieter and I can simply rotate the single carbide cutter.
Jay I have a older delta 12" I cut 3-4" off the ends for the snipe. I tried lots of things and could not prevent it. I built a exhaust hood for the chips with a side ejection port. I use a shop vac into a garbage can with a top hat. The side ejection would plug up on the far side. I change it to a front port and tapered the sides to the port this works quite well. I have been looking for a used drum sander for finishing. I love using old staniley/Bailey planes.
I also bought this same planner. The white auxiliary bed is a factor in your snip. The side tables are designed to be used to minimize/eliminate snip. They tilt up just slightly and should not be level with the main bed. The chip discharge port can be fitted with a elbow to direct discharge off to the side. You can run a 3 in hose into a shop vac which has a filter. You do not need to even turn the vac on. There are tool companies that make better blades than Dewalt OEM blades. Carbide blades are about 78.00 an will last for years.
I bought mine at a pawn shop third of the price and quite happy with it. I looked at others big box stores and unless I was going to spend $1000 more this was and is the best planer you can purchase unless you can spend the bigger bucks on the floor models we all eventually want. 2 thumbs up on this tool.
I'm picking up a Rigid R4331 13" today, based on my research and feature needs I'm convinced it's a good value. It only has 1x feed rate, but relatively high cuts per inch. Blade costs for the dewalt HAS blades are $50-60, and I'll likely be planning a lot of rough hardwood.
I just purchased this exact planer about 2 weeks ago. I LOVE it! I have been using an older Jet model. There must be an internal problem because every time I use it, something breaks. On top of that, the surface that it produces is terrible. I was blown away at how nice of a surface this model produces. I wish I had purchased it years ago. I do realize that the blades are brand new and the quality may fall off as the blades dull, but out of the box, this is a nice machine.
You can sharpen the blades, Tormek works well. When you install them, just slip the scales and adjust the depth stop to make them true again (small amount needed), and you are good to go
Hey Jay I love your stuff. FYI having worked in one of the stores of the largest woodworking supply store chain in the country for 10 years I thought I'd clarify the difference between the model 735 and 735X. It's just packaging and marketing. The 735X comes with the infeed/outfeed table extensions and an extra set of planer blades. Hence the 735X is more expensive. I don't recall even seeing a plain 735 box for at least the last five years or so. And I agree with all your comments.
Some things about this planer that I would have liked to know before buying it: Jay's table setup is just as long as the metal wings. I still get snipe with the metal wings. The rear metal wing also hits the dust port and power cord, so the wing falls easily when you tilt it up (unless you raise the head at the max height).. I wish I would have sold them as new and bought an extra set of blades. If you can find it, get the dw375x. For $50 extra, you get the $70 double sided blades plus the $50 extension wings. There are both single and double sided blades, watch out for that when buying blades online. Because of the chip blower, you NEED some kind of way to pipe the chips into the bag. The chips fly at a really fast speed and they hurt if you're reaching for the finished side. Jay's pillowcase idea is great.
I have the DW734 which is $400 and comes with the infeed and outfeed tables and 3 blades. I like it pretty well actually! It doesn't have the Fan ejection but that's about the only thing I miss. Other than that it's pretty great with no real snipe. One thing I discovered is that I can eliminate the tiny snipe I get by paying attention to grain direction just like you would on a jointer. Once I figured that out it was smooth sailing.
Great review. I just purchased that exact model used. 6 months old and at $300 bucks I could not pass it up. Keep up the good work, I enjoy your channel.
I have the Ridgid planer that is in that $300 range and the blades are very cheap. It produces a very good finish. I've had that the planer for almost 3 years and I am still using the original set of blades. I have a set of new blades ready to put in when these wear out and I think they were only about $28. Over all I've been very pleased with the Ridgid planer except that it only has a 2-1/2" chip ejection port. I had to buy a 2-1/2" to 4"adapter to use my dust collection. For the price you can't beat it.
I've had this machine for about 2 years now. I have had a few other brands before this one, beginning with the original Ryobi lunchbox planer. The first two had major snipe problems. When I got the 735, it too, produced light snipe, and the longer the piece, the worse the snipe. When I got the extension tables the snipe disappeared except on really long pieces that don't really belong in a benchtop planer anyway. And when I do get snipe in the longer pieces, it is only on the rear end of the workpiece. It is such shallow snip that I can remove it with a minute's worth of block sanding with 150 paper. The other thing I appreciate about this machine is the finish. On the "Finish" setting, it is glass smooth on hardwood.
I freaking LOVE this planer. I had some snipe early on but for whatever reason I don't get snipe any more. Can't say enough about this thing. I feel like it will be the last "cheap" or "hobby" level tool I will keep after upgrading all the rest of my tools. It's that good. I'm always surprised at how wide the capacity is for the price and the quality of cut. Anyway, great review Jay, thanks!
I have the DW734 ($400), its a lunch box planer (think that's what they call it), and have no complaints. I've put it through its paces with purpleheart, probably more than it should chew at once with no issues. It came with the infeed/outfeed support. My only gripe would be that in order to fold up the outfeed table for storage, you need to remove the chip deflector, only 3 screws, but just slightly annoying. You do lose a 1/2" of planing width vs the DW735 though.
+Saw Dust Maker I have one of these and dont see any snipe at all. I have the tables on mine so perhaps thats why? I would buy it again, solid machine.
I picked up a ryobi AP1301 from an outlet store a while back for around 200 bucks and it does pretty well. I have just learned to live with snipe and leave a little extra length on the board that can be trimmed off. I don't think ryobi makes it anymore unfortunately.
These are good lunch box planers. Buying a used on in good condition is a better bang for the buck. That's what I did for a few hundred dollars and haven't been disappointed.
I have the same machine and I'm completely satisfied with it. I haven't noticed any snipe so I'm not sure what the cause may be. As yet I don't have my dust extraction set up in my new workshop so I like your pillowcase idea.As for resharpening the blades I'm going to give it a try on the Tormek wet stone grinder using the proper Tormek jig. Using this system allows a very light touch up assuming there's no major damage to the blades so it might work. There's also a supplier of carbide tipped blades in the US (name escapes me at the moment) that might be an option down the track. My unit came with a spare set of blades so I have plenty of time up my sleeve.I enjoy your videos by the way.
keep your eye out for a bigger 15" or so planer. I snagged a 240v 3hp bridgewood for just under 700 bucks. it is an older planer but that sucker makes easy work of anything i throw at it. it came with the manual a stand and all the adjustment tools.
I was back and forth on planers but finally went with the Makita 2012NB over the similarly priced Dewalt. The reviews on blade life was why I finally decided on the Makita. The finish I get with the Makita is amazing but the dust collection leaves a lot to be desired and it looks as though the dewalt excels in that area.
+Chris S I too have the Makita 2102NB and am also very happy with it. I bought the optional dust collector hood. Connected to my 1.5hp dust collector, it does a good job of collecting all the dust & debris from the outfeed but some shavings still come out on the infeed side. But as you say, blade life and overall results are very good. Slight upwards pressure on the end of the work piece as it enters the infeed side eliminates any snipe.
Anyone using this should get a Powertec 90-degree elbow and a splice, that will get the hose out of your way and you won't have to support it and it won't get caught on the material. Also, the DW rolling base is excellent. Also, the tables from DW can adjust up to reduce the snipe. This planer is much better than the cheaper versions.
I have a Delta model TP300 which I purchased for under 200 dollars at Farm and Fleet 8 years ago. I had mild snipe until I made the final size cut in several light passes (< .01 inch). You are right the depth indicator is worthless. I installed a Wixey planer gauge to mine, gets great results for depth of cut. You can zero it out at the top of work piece and know how much exactly you are taking off. The only thing I don't like about it is the dust collection. There isn't any. But for the price of the machine I can live with it.
I've got the newest ridged model. the screws that hold the bed to the raiser upper downer thingy vibrated out. once I found them I put them in. I like that planer
On the issue with the dust port I used two adjustable 4" 90 degree HVAC elbows I had the same problem with it pulling off etc ....No more issues and was pretty cheap. ..
Jay I am using a Ridgid 13 inch that I bought at Lowes and works really well. Also what you might do is put a 90 or 45 degree elbow on your planer and then put your hose on that, just a idea.Ron A
I bought the smaller model Dewalt refurbished on eBay. Definitely was a little worried about that purchase but it turned out ok. I've been pretty happy with it, actually. And I know it's funny sounding but I haven't had a single snipe problem with it. Just thought I'd mention it.
I bought the Porter Cable planer. It does well enough for my needs as a hobbyist. It only has two blades. It is 30 lbs. lighter than your DeWalt. I also bought the dust collection shroud for a Delta planner as the Porter Cable doesn't come with any dust collection. The Delta shroud fits perfectly and the chip collection is good with my shop vac. All said, I've got $300.00 in this setup. I also built a removable 4 foot bed out of melamine for it. The bed has greatly reduced (but not eliminated) snipe. I don't think you'll ever completely eliminate snipe in these "lunch box" planners.
+KSFWG Ditto on everything but the bed. I still need to build one. The shroud I bought (Rigid) does not fit 100% but it still works just fine, I just had to get creative with attaching it.
I own the lesser expensive DeWalt 734 planer. Its max width is 12.5" not 13' like the DW 735 but it costs $400 vs. $600 and I have no snipe issues at all. The only issue I ran into was the boards not feeding through the planer after a few months of having it. It was a simple fix though, I waxed the tables and now they slide through better than ever.
My SunHill 13 inch sub $200 planer does just what yours does. Works just fine with some snipe if you're not real careful. As a 'Lunch Box' style planer it does have about as much in and outfeed range as your setup. I'd buy it again because I'm cheap and don't use it all that much.
I have not used or bought a planner; but I have done some research online and a good value seems to be the RIDGID Model # R4331 13 in. Planer. It has many features most do not, lighter that the DW, it has a lock down lever to help with snipe, and lifetime warranty. Best of all only $369.00...no I do not work for HD or Ridgid but when I have enough cash...
I have this same machine but the one that came with the in-feed and out-feed extensions, i love this machine, the really pulls the lumber through.. i have also had the problem of very thin pieces being damaged a bit at the beginning or end of the feed but all in all i usually have no snipe.. i usually only get snipe it the board being planed is a bit heavy and hangs on its way out. i have a floor planer as well a 16" jet but i usually still do my final two passes on my dewalt as i love the finish it gives.. with that said i have had it trip off on me and once i couldn't get it back running.. the brushes became dusty or something like that.. a friend looked at it and blew out the motor and brushes compartment and it works fine now.. i think if mine ever dies i would definitely buy another .. Keep the videos coming m8, i look forward to seeing your projects.. Cheers :)
Jay when the time comes: my Dad is extremely pleased with his grizzly, not sure the model but he loves their 4-sided carbide indexable spiral-cut heads. I think he has a huge 19" but they make various smaller floor models for good prices.
You could try an reduce the demand of cut with the blades, an clean your rubber rollers they to get very covered with fine particles mostly the last one. Took me awhile to figure it out to illuminate the snipe. I did purchase the extended fold up shelves sold buy DeWalt. After fixing my snipe problem. All is well now. Good luck. .
I have the Rigid, its an older one. Had it for years now. Several hundred board feet through it. Never replaced the blades, still works as good today as it did when I unpackaged it. I keep thinking every time I use it "I should probably start looking for new blades". I keep thinking I want a dedicated larger one like the GO453P from Grizzly, but I can't make myself pull the trigger.
I love my 735 and obviously have had much better experiences. - Very little snipe. I always run a board thru at as much angle as possible and that minimizes snipe. - I run large quantities thru it including end grain cutting boards. i figure I spend about $45 a year on blades. I spend more on band saw blades. - The benefit of the knives is that you don't have to fiddle around to get them set correctly. I hate changing the knives in my jointer for that reason. - I haven't bothered, but you can resharpen the knives is you are careful to do so evenly and don't do many times. - Cut quality, even when knives are a bit worn is way better than my former "lunch box" planer. I've considered picking up a second used on to use just for finish cuts. Enjoy your tool reviews. Thanks for sharing them.
I have the same model and was surprised that you have so much snipe issue. Mine has almost no snipe. I always pull up as the board finishes and that has really helped or eliminated snipe.
The motor on mine burned out after about a year and a half. I bought a new armature and did some very invasive surgery to replace it. works ok again, but I'm keeping the feet rate slow, and the cuts thin.
I purchased the wixey thickness gauge on mine and it works surprisingly well. Easier to zero out much like calipers so it would work well with our melamine in/outfeed table
Thanks very much man. I have been looking at these for a while and you've helped me make my decision to not get one .. either have to go up in price range to a floor mount or down to a little bench-top job. Much appreciated.
i usually feed in a sacrificial piece before and after i run my work pieces through. i also have a melamine that extends out about 4' that i support with a jawstand/sawhorse and i've virtually eliminated the sniping issues i've had as well.
I have a ryobi one and it works well. right up till i didnt see a nail in a board I was reusing. it didnt nick the blade but it put a bad spot in it. other than that it works pretty good. I dont plane many boards so it does good for once and a while planing.
thanks for the your honest opinion. I am excited about the dust blower but I agree the dust port should have been pointed to one of the side. I'm bit disappointed that there is no decrease in snipes compared to cheaper options. What about spiral cutters like the cutech planar?
I have a Wen 12.5 inch planer. It's really nice and has almost no snipe, none if you take shallow cuts. It only costs $250 and is much nicer than the $320 Craftsman I had before that. The blades last a long time too. Hope this helps someone
Dylan Pieniazek I was looking at the Wen planer since I'm not producing too many things that need planing. I see they have a jointer too. may have to try it
Good review. I have the Ridgid planer from Home Cheapo and I've been very impressed with the cut quality and performance. Like the DeWalt it also has a 13" wide cut capacity, a built in fan/ chip blower, easy blade change, AND it comes with the dust shroud to direct the chips off to the side, for about $300 less then the DeWalt.
Agreed, just got mine today and was wondering the same damn thing, really, the dust port in the middle... terrible design, but the unit looks good. Will try it out tomorrow.
if you secure the feed table to the bench closest to the planer and adjust the outer ends of the feed table up about an 1/8 it will get rid of your snipe problems. i jave tue same planner with a similar feed table and i have no issues with snip
Have you noticed the sheet metal on the table is super thin and buckling?? I guess that's what 5 - 600 gets you. I'm glad to have a planer but it does leave me wanting to upgrade in the future.
Thanks for the review Jay. I have the previous model Dewalt and it ran like a champ for almost 25 years. Last year the key that enables the blades to spin broke off and I had to replace it. Took me well over an hour to get it apart and then get it back together. Basically taking it down to almost bare bones. The part was literally a buck or two (shipping was 3 times as much). I replaced it and it worked fine until today, when the blades stopped spinning, I’m suspicious they key sheared off again. I thought maybe its time to just upgrade, I have definitely gotten my money out of this. I have been looking at the 735 for a while, also looking for a reason to buy it. After watching your review and a few other resources, I think Ill explore something else. You are right, why spend $600 for a contractors model when I can put a little more into it, maybe helical head, and have my planer for life. I’m not dissatisfied with DeWalt by any means, it worked perfectly for me for 25 years. I think its just time for a change. Thanks again for the review, it was very helpful.
Jay, this is a great review. No fluff, no BS, straight to the point. This convinced me to get the lesser expensive dw734 and put the rest of the money elsewhere. Thanks!
Regarding the blades for this planer, I got a free 2nd set of blades with mine so I should be ok for a while. When the 2nd set wears out, I'll probably upgrade to a Shelix helical cutter head.
One of the selling points of the 735/735x over the smaller 734 is the dual cutting speed settings. I was debating between the two and leaning towards the 735x however I'm on the fence. I didnt see anyone who has commented yet mention that. Does anyone find they use the dual speeds or do you just set it to one and leave it?
The slower cutting speed (fewer cuts per inch) is better for your knives if you are just dimensioning stock, then shift to the higher cuts per inch for the last pass or two.
jay do you still have this planer or did you upgrade,,the reason im asking is i have the porter cable 12 1/2 and it does really good but been thinking about the grizzly 13 in helical head cutter,,and looking for something quiter than what i have
Hey jay, Fellow Michigan woodworker here. I have a demonstration video up of the DW734 if you'd like to check it out. Great info! im going to try your pillow case technique on mine. I dont have a dust collection system yet.
Great Video! - I own one and upgraded to the Byrd Tool Shelix cutterhead (Helical) .... WOW what a difference. Like having a brand new planer. MUCH quieter and does a much better job with zero snipe!
+Peter DeFazio If I may ask ...... where did you get the Shelix and how expensive was it? I am contemplating upgrading my 735 to the Shelix cutterhead.
+Peter DeFazio Thanks. I've been searching and found this place .. shelixheads.com/SHELIX-heads_for_Planers/SHELIX_Heads_for_Planers_by_DEWALT/SHELIX_for_dewalt_13_inch_Planer_(DW-735) They are selling it for $405 but they have a 3 to 4 week backlog right now.
+Steve Gronsky be sure that it comes with the bearings installed. Mine did. If not, you will have to remove your existing ones. I would pay the extra money if that were the case.
I have the next step down, the DeWalt 734. It was $425 after Ohio taxes. The model comes with extra long in and out feed tables. One speed which I believe is comparable to the slower speed on the next model up. Have not had very many problems with snipe. The deal breaker for me was the weight and the fact that the in and out feed tables were included. I believe for the dw735 the tables are an extra $50
Great overview Jay! Having the adjustable infeed/outfeed tables would help with the snipe issue but if your going to save up for a floor stand model I would go for that. I just upgraded to the Grizzly 15" w/ helical head cutters and it makes a huge difference!
I have a 12 inch craftsman, (current one in stores) I paid less than 300 for and it does snipe some, unless you run the boards trough at a little bit of an angle, other wise it rocks! The blades are a little delicate to suit me but that is my only complaint.
Do the Byrd shelix cutter upgrade and basically eliminate blade change problems plus have an even cleaner cutting machine. For 400 buck it’s an awesome upgrade!!!
I got mine for 600 and came with in/out feed table and 3 extra blades. Looking back I don't think I'd go for a cheaper one. Then again I'm no where near getting a large stand alone.
Can you possible do an update after 2 years of using it? Considering you probably use it more than the average joe., It would be like how mine would work after 5 years lol
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Just wanted to say love this video series and your common sense approach to evaluating a tool and it's application. Thanks
+Bruce B Thank you for the feedback.
Agreed... Pros, Cons and Would I buy it again are perfect questions to ask and answer
Get the extensions they are great and will make your life easier and there are height adjustments screws that if you tweak it well it will eliminate mots snipe issues
Thanks for all your help!!!
I have an old 733 and it still works great. Nice video.
I bought the 735x (with the tables and extra set of blades)
It is the only larger piece of equipment in my shop that was purchased new, and I have absolutely no regrets. Still on the first side of the first set of blades and it has been over a year. I think DeWalt had some issues with soft blades a while ago, but that seems to have been resolved.
The blades can be touched up carefully (honed) to keep them razor sharp, but you are correct they can't be sharpened to remove nicks. Although at the rate I am going, it could be 3 more years before I need to buy another set of blades.
Others have mentioned, put an elbow on the outlet and the sagging hose issues disappear.
Great video as always, and thanks for doing what you do, us viewers enjoy it.
Jay, I recently researched the DW735 while upgrading from a really cheap Jet bench top. I passed on it for pretty much the exact reasons you gave. It just didn't seem like it was worth $600.
Instead, I was lucky enough to find a used Makita 2030N about 70 miles from my house. I got it for $400 and spent $240 to refurbish the rollers. It cuts like a dream (no snipe) and it includes a 6" jointer. All the blades are thick, able to be sharpened, and adjustable. Chips eject out the side and it has 2 speeds. Electric brake and VERY quiet while operating.
I know you already have a jointer, but I highly recommend for any woodworker that is looking to spend good money on a planer. Look for used stuff and you'll luck out.
I have this model as well and have no snipe at all. I purchased the tables with the machine. I had to play around a bit to get rid of the snipe. I purchased a set of carbide blades as well. They work great and are much quieter. Can't say how much longer they will last since I just installed a month ago. I do love this planner.
Wow, you are the only one I have heard that would not buy it again. This consumer grade planer has found it's way into a great number of commercial shops including Katz Moses. I have one running hard maple and walnut and love it. I have a Shelix head on the way because I have always wanted one.
Since im on a low budget, I bought the harbor freight 12 inch planer a year ago. Good purchase for hobby use
I love these tool videos! Funny thing, I have the same Dewlalt model and zero snipe. My old Delta snipped like crazy. Keep it up Jay!
What is snipe?
+Daniel Julian - Snipe is a variation in thickness left behind on the last couple inches of the work piece at the start/stop point. You usually have to leave your work piece longer and cut the snipe off.
+Daniel Julian As a board passes through the plainer the ends of the boards have to get grabbed and then released by the rollers. This can make the board tip up into the cutter, which can cause the board to be cut a little thinner near the ends. Often it makes a little valley about an inch in from the end of the board.
A smooth transition though the plainer helps prevent snipe. The way Jay has a smooth board all the way through the plainer is one of the best and easiest ways to prevent snipe. However you do loose on the thickness of board you can pass and the measuring features of the plainer will be off by the thickness of board you use.
+Daniel Julian its where the blades of the planer will cut out a groove in front and rear of the board
+Daniel Julian look it up on here..:) easier to see it then try to imagine it.hope that helps
Jay I have a DW734 which is the small DeWalt planner and it works great. I plan down a lot of reclaimed pallet wood, which I have hit nails before and it does leave a groove in the blade, but you just plan on the other side. All in all I have used the crap out of my planner.
Jay,
I have a Shop Fox W1675 13" planer I have had for years and I really like it. It has performed flawlessly over the years with very little snipe.
Bought this planer a few months ago and so far I'm happy with it. I don't have 220v in my garage so I figured this would be a long term investment since anything bigger would require 220v. I'll probably upgrade the cutter head with the Byrd Shelix someday. Thanks for the video Jay!
Keep in mind that those aftermarket types of cutterheads, actually change the electrical demands of the units. Where the three blade set up has more of a pulsing electric demand, as each blade hits the wood but there are gaps between them, a helical style has a more constant demand of electricity as almost every single moment there is blade cutting through the wood. I do t have experience with this, but I have read two articles about people who found that they ended up tripping their breakers more often, and their machines ran hotter.
+necrojoe thanks for the info...its years off at best so maybe my shop will evolve and I don't upgrade the head...who knows! 🙂
I've been hunting for one of these for quite some time. Last night I picked up this model in "like new" condition with the feed trays, new set of blades aaaaand the rolling planer stand for $400. Craigslist for the win!
I agree 100% with your review. I've had the DW735X for about 4 years now. I bought it as everyone said there's no snipe. I set mine up the way DeWalt suggested & had snipe. I adjusted it the way people on WWT & LJ suggested & had snipe. I came to the realization that snipe happens:)
At the time I bought my planer, most magazine reviews rated the DW735 the top player, but narrowly over the Ridgid. However, the Ridgid is $400 new and comes with a best in class warranty. Thats where I'd spend my $$ if I had it to do over.
When I checked with my Dylos air quality meter (particle counter), I found that planers emit a surpising amount of very fine particles. You'd think it was all chips, but there's a lot of invisible fine stuff too.
+Matthias Wandel Interesting.
+Matthias Wandel Haven't measured but I use my 735 heavily and it obviously / visually produces a lot of very fine dust.
Ya and the tooth fairy is my sex slave
Go to your safe place cupcake!
Perfect timing. Just picked up this model on Craigslist for $300 last night.
What I don't like about it is how far the feed rollers are from the cutter head. I've had thin stock sucked up and destroyed in there. Also, when continuously planing short pieces without an outfeed table, the pieces can get jammed as they fall out. It should come with minimal infeed and outfeed tables, especially at that price.
+John Heisz That's why I got the Makita. It's probably more comparable to the Dewalt 734 since it has 2 knives instead of 3, but the minimum stock length is about 6". It was the 12" minimum on the Dewalt that made me not buy it. It's also steered me away from a floor unit since they also tend to have pretty long minimum lengths.
+John Heisz The 735X versions (with tables and extra blades) can be had for $599 (Amazon) if you shop around, same price as the 735, and most brick and mortar stores will now match even Amazon. It's still a lot of money though!
krtwood
It was a toss-up between this one and the Makita for me, but the DeWalt went on sale making it more attractive. If I had my time back...
Frank Gliha
I bought mine 3+ years ago and the tables at that time were $80 extra.
+John Heisz I had the same thing happen to me, was planing 1/32 or less off of a 3/8" thick piece of hardwood, the board broke in half and a part of it actually jammed inside, the cutterhead mashed it against the internal duct for sucking the chips, and it broke 2 of the 3 handles off of the internal screws that hold that duct in place. Dulled my blades, should really replace some parts, but it soldiers on. I'm now wary of planning hardwood less than a 1/2 inch thick because I don't want bits of it shot out at me again.
Another problem I'm having with it is that the bed gets too rough, I think it is bits of sap and resin that are sprayed all over it, it needs to get cleaned off or the rollers fail to feed at all because they don't have as much grip as the dirty/rough bed. A bit of wax helps with the scratches in the bed too.
I have this planer with a Shelix spiral cutterhead, I've had this for two years and never touched the cutters yet. FYI, I use almost nothing but "exotic" hardwoods and the cutters give a super smooth finish.
I did the same. Totally different machine now.
@@mattygee5000 I mean... $400 cutter head on a $500 planer... it's like dropping a Corvette ZR1 motor into a Miata.
@@GordonGEICO You say it like there's something wrong with that.. ;-)
@@GordonGEICO so giving one the best handling cars more power is a bag thing?
@@kellygordon103 That is not at all what I said.
I have had mine for over 9 years and love it. I added the indeed and outfield tables and have no problem with snipe. I am still on the same set of blades, however, I do not use it that much for the last five years or so. Would I buy it again, yes. Like you, I hate the dust collection. Keep the tool reviews coming. It is a great source of information.
I have the same planer. I upgraded it with the Byrd Shelix cutter head since. I like it much better since upgrading. It's quieter and I can simply rotate the single carbide cutter.
Jay I have a older delta 12" I cut 3-4" off the ends for the snipe. I tried lots of things and could not prevent it. I built a exhaust hood for the chips with a side ejection port. I use a shop vac into a garbage can with a top hat. The side ejection would plug up on the far side. I change it to a front port and tapered the sides to the port this works quite well. I have been looking for a used drum sander for finishing. I love using old staniley/Bailey planes.
I also bought this same planner. The white auxiliary bed is a factor in your snip. The side tables are designed to be used to minimize/eliminate snip. They tilt up just slightly and should not be level with the main bed.
The chip discharge port can be fitted with a elbow to direct discharge off to the side. You can run a 3 in hose into a shop vac which has a filter. You do not need to even turn the vac on.
There are tool companies that make better blades than Dewalt OEM blades. Carbide blades are about 78.00 an will last for years.
I bought mine at a pawn shop third of the price and quite happy with it. I looked at others big box stores and unless I was going to spend $1000 more this was and is the best planer you can purchase unless you can spend the bigger bucks on the floor models we all eventually want. 2 thumbs up on this tool.
I'm picking up a Rigid R4331 13" today, based on my research and feature needs I'm convinced it's a good value. It only has 1x feed rate, but relatively high cuts per inch. Blade costs for the dewalt HAS blades are $50-60, and I'll likely be planning a lot of rough hardwood.
I just purchased this exact planer about 2 weeks ago. I LOVE it! I have been using an older Jet model. There must be an internal problem because every time I use it, something breaks. On top of that, the surface that it produces is terrible. I was blown away at how nice of a surface this model produces. I wish I had purchased it years ago. I do realize that the blades are brand new and the quality may fall off as the blades dull, but out of the box, this is a nice machine.
You can sharpen the blades, Tormek works well. When you install them, just slip the scales and adjust the depth stop to make them true again (small amount needed), and you are good to go
Hey Jay I love your stuff. FYI having worked in one of the stores of the largest woodworking supply store chain in the country for 10 years I thought I'd clarify the difference between the model 735 and 735X. It's just packaging and marketing. The 735X comes with the infeed/outfeed table extensions and an extra set of planer blades. Hence the 735X is more expensive. I don't recall even seeing a plain 735 box for at least the last five years or so. And I agree with all your comments.
Some things about this planer that I would have liked to know before buying it:
Jay's table setup is just as long as the metal wings. I still get snipe with the metal wings. The rear metal wing also hits the dust port and power cord, so the wing falls easily when you tilt it up (unless you raise the head at the max height).. I wish I would have sold them as new and bought an extra set of blades. If you can find it, get the dw375x. For $50 extra, you get the $70 double sided blades plus the $50 extension wings. There are both single and double sided blades, watch out for that when buying blades online. Because of the chip blower, you NEED some kind of way to pipe the chips into the bag. The chips fly at a really fast speed and they hurt if you're reaching for the finished side. Jay's pillowcase idea is great.
I have the DW734 which is $400 and comes with the infeed and outfeed tables and 3 blades. I like it pretty well actually! It doesn't have the Fan ejection but that's about the only thing I miss. Other than that it's pretty great with no real snipe.
One thing I discovered is that I can eliminate the tiny snipe I get by paying attention to grain direction just like you would on a jointer. Once I figured that out it was smooth sailing.
Great review. I just purchased that exact model used. 6 months old and at $300 bucks I could not pass it up. Keep up the good work, I enjoy your channel.
I have the Ridgid planer that is in that $300 range and the blades are very cheap. It produces a very good finish. I've had that the planer for almost 3 years and I am still using the original set of blades. I have a set of new blades ready to put in when these wear out and I think they were only about $28. Over all I've been very pleased with the Ridgid planer except that it only has a 2-1/2" chip ejection port. I had to buy a 2-1/2" to 4"adapter to use my dust collection. For the price you can't beat it.
I've had this machine for about 2 years now. I have had a few other brands before this one, beginning with the original Ryobi lunchbox planer. The first two had major snipe problems. When I got the 735, it too, produced light snipe, and the longer the piece, the worse the snipe. When I got the extension tables the snipe disappeared except on really long pieces that don't really belong in a benchtop planer anyway. And when I do get snipe in the longer pieces, it is only on the rear end of the workpiece. It is such shallow snip that I can remove it with a minute's worth of block sanding with 150 paper.
The other thing I appreciate about this machine is the finish. On the "Finish" setting, it is glass smooth on hardwood.
Got the same planer Jay, love it. Like you, next one will be floor standing, wider version but for now I'm good. Thing's a beast.
couldn't you just add a 90 degree 4" elbow to the exhaust? That would keep the dust collection connection out of the way of the work.
I freaking LOVE this planer. I had some snipe early on but for whatever reason I don't get snipe any more. Can't say enough about this thing. I feel like it will be the last "cheap" or "hobby" level tool I will keep after upgrading all the rest of my tools. It's that good. I'm always surprised at how wide the capacity is for the price and the quality of cut. Anyway, great review Jay, thanks!
Jay, I have the same planer and I have a 4" pvc elbow on the exhaust and it works great.
I have the DW734 ($400), its a lunch box planer (think that's what they call it), and have no complaints. I've put it through its paces with purpleheart, probably more than it should chew at once with no issues. It came with the infeed/outfeed support.
My only gripe would be that in order to fold up the outfeed table for storage, you need to remove the chip deflector, only 3 screws, but just slightly annoying.
You do lose a 1/2" of planing width vs the DW735 though.
I was really looking to purchase one of these but now I am having second thoughts. Thanks for sharing your experiences with this planer.
+Saw Dust Maker I have one of these and dont see any snipe at all. I have the tables on mine so perhaps thats why? I would buy it again, solid machine.
yea id say for 600$save anoth. 600$&get a good floor standing model like a 15-20"grizzly just my 2 cents.:)
I picked up a ryobi AP1301 from an outlet store a while back for around 200 bucks and it does pretty well. I have just learned to live with snipe and leave a little extra length on the board that can be trimmed off. I don't think ryobi makes it anymore unfortunately.
These are good lunch box planers. Buying a used on in good condition is a better bang for the buck. That's what I did for a few hundred dollars and haven't been disappointed.
I have the same machine and I'm completely satisfied with it. I haven't noticed any snipe so I'm not sure what the cause may be. As yet I don't have my dust extraction set up in my new workshop so I like your pillowcase idea.As for resharpening the blades I'm going to give it a try on the Tormek wet stone grinder using the proper Tormek jig. Using this system allows a very light touch up assuming there's no major damage to the blades so it might work. There's also a supplier of carbide tipped blades in the US (name escapes me at the moment) that might be an option down the track. My unit came with a spare set of blades so I have plenty of time up my sleeve.I enjoy your videos by the way.
keep your eye out for a bigger 15" or so planer. I snagged a 240v 3hp bridgewood for just under 700 bucks. it is an older planer but that sucker makes easy work of anything i throw at it. it came with the manual a stand and all the adjustment tools.
I was back and forth on planers but finally went with the Makita 2012NB over the similarly priced Dewalt. The reviews on blade life was why I finally decided on the Makita. The finish I get with the Makita is amazing but the dust collection leaves a lot to be desired and it looks as though the dewalt excels in that area.
+Chris S I too have the Makita 2102NB and am also very happy with it. I bought the optional dust collector hood. Connected to my 1.5hp dust collector, it does a good job of collecting all the dust & debris from the outfeed but some shavings still come out on the infeed side.
But as you say, blade life and overall results are very good. Slight upwards pressure on the end of the work piece as it enters the infeed side eliminates any snipe.
Anyone using this should get a Powertec 90-degree elbow and a splice, that will get the hose out of your way and you won't have to support it and it won't get caught on the material. Also, the DW rolling base is excellent. Also, the tables from DW can adjust up to reduce the snipe. This planer is much better than the cheaper versions.
I have a Delta model TP300 which I purchased for under 200 dollars at Farm and Fleet 8 years ago. I had mild snipe until I made the final size cut in several light passes (< .01 inch). You are right the depth indicator is worthless. I installed a Wixey planer gauge to mine, gets great results for depth of cut. You can zero it out at the top of work piece and know how much exactly you are taking off. The only thing I don't like about it is the dust collection. There isn't any. But for the price of the machine I can live with it.
I have the same machine and am very happy with it as well. A little pricey yes, but a pretty solid unit.
I've got the newest ridged model. the screws that hold the bed to the raiser upper downer thingy vibrated out. once I found them I put them in. I like that planer
On the issue with the dust port I used two adjustable 4" 90 degree HVAC elbows I had the same problem with it pulling off etc ....No more issues and was pretty cheap. ..
Jay I am using a Ridgid 13 inch that I bought at Lowes and works really well. Also what you might do is put a 90 or 45 degree elbow on your planer and then put your hose on that, just a idea.Ron A
I bought the smaller model Dewalt refurbished on eBay. Definitely was a little worried about that purchase but it turned out ok. I've been pretty happy with it, actually. And I know it's funny sounding but I haven't had a single snipe problem with it. Just thought I'd mention it.
I bought the Porter Cable planer. It does well enough for my needs as a hobbyist. It only has two blades. It is 30 lbs. lighter than your DeWalt. I also bought the dust collection shroud for a Delta planner as the Porter Cable doesn't come with any dust collection. The Delta shroud fits perfectly and the chip collection is good with my shop vac. All said, I've got $300.00 in this setup. I also built a removable 4 foot bed out of melamine for it. The bed has greatly reduced (but not eliminated) snipe. I don't think you'll ever completely eliminate snipe in these "lunch box" planners.
+KSFWG Ditto on everything but the bed. I still need to build one. The shroud I bought (Rigid) does not fit 100% but it still works just fine, I just had to get creative with attaching it.
+Josh V
Sometimes creativity is all you need... :)
Thanks, I was looking at getting one of these but will look around a bit more now!
I own the lesser expensive DeWalt 734 planer. Its max width is 12.5" not 13' like the DW 735 but it costs $400 vs. $600 and I have no snipe issues at all. The only issue I ran into was the boards not feeding through the planer after a few months of having it. It was a simple fix though, I waxed the tables and now they slide through better than ever.
My SunHill 13 inch sub $200 planer does just what yours does. Works just fine with some snipe if you're not real careful. As a 'Lunch Box' style planer it does have about as much in and outfeed range as your setup. I'd buy it again because I'm cheap and don't use it all that much.
I have not used or bought a planner; but I have done some research online and a good value seems to be the RIDGID Model # R4331 13 in. Planer. It has many features most do not, lighter that the DW, it has a lock down lever to help with snipe, and lifetime warranty. Best of all only $369.00...no I do not work for HD or Ridgid but when I have enough cash...
Just purchased the same planer. Looking forward to building a stand for it
I have this same machine but the one that came with the in-feed and out-feed extensions, i love this machine, the really pulls the lumber through.. i have also had the problem of very thin pieces being damaged a bit at the beginning or end of the feed but all in all i usually have no snipe.. i usually only get snipe it the board being planed is a bit heavy and hangs on its way out. i have a floor planer as well a 16" jet but i usually still do my final two passes on my dewalt as i love the finish it gives.. with that said i have had it trip off on me and once i couldn't get it back running.. the brushes became dusty or something like that.. a friend looked at it and blew out the motor and brushes compartment and it works fine now.. i think if mine ever dies i would definitely buy another .. Keep the videos coming m8, i look forward to seeing your projects.. Cheers :)
Jay when the time comes: my Dad is extremely pleased with his grizzly, not sure the model but he loves their 4-sided carbide indexable spiral-cut heads. I think he has a huge 19" but they make various smaller floor models for good prices.
You could try an reduce the demand of cut with the blades, an clean your rubber rollers they to get very covered with fine particles mostly the last one. Took me awhile to figure it out to illuminate the snipe. I did purchase the extended fold up shelves sold buy DeWalt. After fixing my snipe problem. All is well now. Good luck. .
I have the Rigid, its an older one. Had it for years now. Several hundred board feet through it. Never replaced the blades, still works as good today as it did when I unpackaged it. I keep thinking every time I use it "I should probably start looking for new blades". I keep thinking I want a dedicated larger one like the GO453P from Grizzly, but I can't make myself pull the trigger.
I love my 735 and obviously have had much better experiences.
- Very little snipe. I always run a board thru at as much angle as possible and that minimizes snipe.
- I run large quantities thru it including end grain cutting boards. i figure I spend about $45 a year on blades. I spend more on band saw blades.
- The benefit of the knives is that you don't have to fiddle around to get them set correctly. I hate changing the knives in my jointer for that reason.
- I haven't bothered, but you can resharpen the knives is you are careful to do so evenly and don't do many times.
- Cut quality, even when knives are a bit worn is way better than my former "lunch box" planer. I've considered picking up a second used on to use just for finish cuts.
Enjoy your tool reviews. Thanks for sharing them.
I have the same model and was surprised that you have so much snipe issue. Mine has almost no snipe. I always pull up as the board finishes and that has really helped or eliminated snipe.
Is the MDF bowed??
I also get no snipe with this model. I do have the one with the tables though so maybe there is more difference than we realize?
Great review. I really like the honest approach with the good and the bad. Thanks!
The motor on mine burned out after about a year and a half. I bought a new armature and did some very invasive surgery to replace it. works ok again, but I'm keeping the feet rate slow, and the cuts thin.
I purchased the wixey thickness gauge on mine and it works surprisingly well. Easier to zero out much like calipers so it would work well with our melamine in/outfeed table
Thanks Jay. I think I'll go for the DW734 model.
i've had my DW735 for ten years and i just bought a 15" Delta 22-790X X series
I agree with Bruce B, awesome job Mr. Bates.
Thanks very much man. I have been looking at these for a while and you've helped me make my decision to not get one .. either have to go up in price range to a floor mount or down to a little bench-top job. Much appreciated.
i usually feed in a sacrificial piece before and after i run my work pieces through. i also have a melamine that extends out about 4' that i support with a jawstand/sawhorse and i've virtually eliminated the sniping issues i've had as well.
I have a ryobi one and it works well. right up till i didnt see a nail in a board I was reusing. it didnt nick the blade but it put a bad spot in it. other than that it works pretty good. I dont plane many boards so it does good for once and a while planing.
thanks for the your honest opinion. I am excited about the dust blower but I agree the dust port should have been pointed to one of the side. I'm bit disappointed that there is no decrease in snipes compared to cheaper options. What about spiral cutters like the cutech planar?
I have a Wen 12.5 inch planer. It's really nice and has almost no snipe, none if you take shallow cuts. It only costs $250 and
is much nicer than the $320 Craftsman I had before that. The blades last a long time too. Hope this helps someone
Dylan Pieniazek I was looking at the Wen planer since I'm not producing too many things that need planing. I see they have a jointer too. may have to try it
May i ask what model that is? Thank you.
Jack Wong 6550 or 6552 .. one is 13 in another is 12.5 I believe. both from home depot.com
Thank you for your quick reply. May I ask one more question? How do you like it so far? Any compliant on this planer? Thank you for your time! :)
juan rodriguez one complaint I have is a bearing just went out, I think it's still under warranty though
Good review. I have the Ridgid planer from Home Cheapo and I've been very impressed with the cut quality and performance. Like the DeWalt it also has a 13" wide cut capacity, a built in fan/ chip blower, easy blade change, AND it comes with the dust shroud to direct the chips off to the side, for about $300 less then the DeWalt.
I just got mine and love it.
Agreed, just got mine today and was wondering the same damn thing, really, the dust port in the middle... terrible design, but the unit looks good. Will try it out tomorrow.
if you secure the feed table to the bench closest to the planer and adjust the outer ends of the feed table up about an 1/8 it will get rid of your snipe problems. i jave tue same planner with a similar feed table and i have no issues with snip
I cannot understand your explanation, can you reword it. Sorry.
Have you noticed the sheet metal on the table is super thin and buckling?? I guess that's what 5 - 600 gets you. I'm glad to have a planer but it does leave me wanting to upgrade in the future.
I really dig my Delta 13" planer. I have had it for 10 years and it still cranks. And I don't think it cost anywhere as much as that Dewalt.
Thanks for the review Jay. I have the previous model Dewalt and it ran like a champ for almost 25 years. Last year the key that enables the blades to spin broke off and I had to replace it. Took me well over an hour to get it apart and then get it back together. Basically taking it down to almost bare bones. The part was literally a buck or two (shipping was 3 times as much). I replaced it and it worked fine until today, when the blades stopped spinning, I’m suspicious they key sheared off again.
I thought maybe its time to just upgrade, I have definitely gotten my money out of this. I have been looking at the 735 for a while, also looking for a reason to buy it. After watching your review and a few other resources, I think Ill explore something else. You are right, why spend $600 for a contractors model when I can put a little more into it, maybe helical head, and have my planer for life.
I’m not dissatisfied with DeWalt by any means, it worked perfectly for me for 25 years. I think its just time for a change. Thanks again for the review, it was very helpful.
Jay, this is a great review. No fluff, no BS, straight to the point. This convinced me to get the lesser expensive dw734 and put the rest of the money elsewhere. Thanks!
Regarding the blades for this planer, I got a free 2nd set of blades with mine so I should be ok for a while. When the 2nd set wears out, I'll probably upgrade to a Shelix helical cutter head.
One of the selling points of the 735/735x over the smaller 734 is the dual cutting speed settings. I was debating between the two and leaning towards the 735x however I'm on the fence. I didnt see anyone who has commented yet mention that. Does anyone find they use the dual speeds or do you just set it to one and leave it?
The slower cutting speed (fewer cuts per inch) is better for your knives if you are just dimensioning stock, then shift to the higher cuts per inch for the last pass or two.
I have a 13" Ridgid planer and it does not snipe very much. I think it is about $300 new, you're right. I found it almost new for about $200.
jay do you still have this planer or did you upgrade,,the reason im asking is i have the porter cable 12 1/2 and it does really good but been thinking about the grizzly 13 in helical head cutter,,and looking for something quiter than what i have
Hey jay, Fellow Michigan woodworker here. I have a demonstration video up of the DW734 if you'd like to check it out. Great info! im going to try your pillow case technique on mine. I dont have a dust collection system yet.
Great Video! - I own one and upgraded to the Byrd Tool Shelix cutterhead (Helical) .... WOW what a difference. Like having a brand new planer. MUCH quieter and does a much better job with zero snipe!
+Peter DeFazio If I may ask ...... where did you get the Shelix and how expensive was it? I am contemplating upgrading my 735 to the Shelix cutterhead.
+Steve Gronsky - Amazon (469.00). Not cheap, but it makes ALL the difference.
+Peter DeFazio Thanks. I've been searching and found this place .. shelixheads.com/SHELIX-heads_for_Planers/SHELIX_Heads_for_Planers_by_DEWALT/SHELIX_for_dewalt_13_inch_Planer_(DW-735) They are selling it for $405 but they have a 3 to 4 week backlog right now.
+Steve Gronsky be sure that it comes with the bearings installed. Mine did. If not, you will have to remove your existing ones. I would pay the extra money if that were the case.
+Peter DeFazio Thanks for that tip, Peter. The web site I noted earlier specifically says the bearings are "pre-installed" on this cutterhead.
Nice, Would a 90 degree 4 inch PVC pipe joint not fix the issue of straight out ? or does it matter
WEN 13" 3 blade Model. Attach a digital wixey gage for an extra 50. Works great!
I have the next step down, the DeWalt 734. It was $425 after Ohio taxes. The model comes with extra long in and out feed tables. One speed which I believe is comparable to the slower speed on the next model up. Have not had very many problems with snipe. The deal breaker for me was the weight and the fact that the in and out feed tables were included. I believe for the dw735 the tables are an extra $50
I have Grizzly's version of the 734. the G0689 and I have no complaints. No snipe and paid only $200 for a lightly used unit. :)
Great overview Jay! Having the adjustable infeed/outfeed tables would help with the snipe issue but if your going to save up for a floor stand model I would go for that. I just upgraded to the Grizzly 15" w/ helical head cutters and it makes a huge difference!
I have a 12 inch craftsman, (current one in stores) I paid less than 300 for and it does snipe some, unless you run the boards trough at a little bit of an angle, other wise it rocks! The blades are a little delicate to suit me but that is my only complaint.
Do the Byrd shelix cutter upgrade and basically eliminate blade change problems plus have an even cleaner cutting machine. For 400 buck it’s an awesome upgrade!!!
I got mine for 600 and came with in/out feed table and 3 extra blades. Looking back I don't think I'd go for a cheaper one. Then again I'm no where near getting a large stand alone.
great review Jay! I also have snipe when I plane my material, but to compensate I simply add inch and a half to each side.
Can you possible do an update after 2 years of using it? Considering you probably use it more than the average joe., It would be like how mine would work after 5 years lol
Of course you have a video on this! Sold!
Mine has no snipe (maybe I'm fortunate). Have you read the Christopher Schwarz article in the latest Pop Woodworking on planers?
Great review Jay ! I am really enjoying these videos, always good insight .