Dewalt 735 Planer Question

dgale · Post by **dgale** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:48 pm

Does anyone out there have a Dewalt 735 planer? I recently picked one up and even after reading the owners manual I am still confused about the fuction/purpose of the turret depth stop and how to use it (?) The only planers I've ever used were the typical smaller bosch or delta planers that only have the one depth adjustment. I'm unsure how this turret depth stop works and how it interacts with the main depth adjustment? If anyone has one fo these planers or is familiar with its use, some advice would be most appreciated.

algale · Post by **algale** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:53 pm

First you turn the wheel to raise the height above 1.25 inches; then turn the depth stop to your selected finished thickness you want. Turn the wheel to lower the cutter to make you first thicknessing/planing cut. Then make progressively lower cuts until the wheel won't turn anymore (don't force it).

Does that answer you question?

Al

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:04 pm

What algale said! Also, I might add - I've found the stops to be very accurate. Even the 1/8" thickness.

BuckeyeDennis · Post by **BuckeyeDennis** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:07 pm

Does anyone have experience with both the DW735 and a SS Planer?

I was looking for a good deal on a Pro Planer, but after almost a year I had all but given up. The DW735 had the best reviews of all the new "lunchbox" planers, and I was getting close to buying one. But then a super deal finally popped up on Craigslist .. a nice clean Pro Planer with casters and an extra set of blades for $225, and I snapped it right up. An older one to be sure, but the cast-iron table had not a speck of rust on it.

I have been extremely impressed with it so far. My scrap pile has almost vanished, b'cuz now I can size most anything to whatever I happen to need. The noise from the planer is a very pleasant Hmmmm!!!, at least until the blades bite into wood. With almost no effort, it can be dialed to within a couple thousandths of the ideal thickness. Snipe ranges from almost unmeasurable, to about 0.005. I'm still trying to figure out what causes the difference.

So I obviously like the SS planer a lot, but I'm curious as to how the best new lunchbox planer compares. I can say for sure that it has plenty of heft to it, having almost torn a muscle lifting a display unit at Lowes.

algale · Post by **algale** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:52 am

BuckeyeDennis wrote:Does anyone have experience with both the DW735 and a SS Planer?

I was looking for a good deal on a Pro Planer, but after almost a year I had all but given up. The DW735 had the best reviews of all the new "lunchbox" planers, and I was getting close to buying one. But then a super deal finally popped up on Craigslist .. a nice clean Pro Planer with casters and an extra set of blades for $225, and I snapped it right up. An older one to be sure, but the cast-iron table had not a speck of rust on it.

I have been extremely impressed with it so far. My scrap pile has almost vanished, b'cuz now I can size most anything to whatever I happen to need. The noise from the planer is a very pleasant Hmmmm!!!, at least until the blades bite into wood. With almost no effort, it can be dialed to within a couple thousandths of the ideal thickness. Snipe ranges from almost unmeasurable, to about 0.005. I'm still trying to figure out what causes the difference.

So I obviously like the SS planer a lot, but I'm curious as to how the best new lunchbox planer compares. I can say for sure that it has plenty of heft to it, having almost torn a muscle lifting a display unit at Lowes.

I don't own the Shopsmith planer but the DW735 doesn't make a pleasant noise. It sounds like a jet engine (come to think of it, it ejects chips with the force of a jet engine).

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:16 pm

BuckeyeDennis wrote:Does anyone have experience with both the DW735 and a SS Planer?...

So I obviously like the SS planer a lot, but I'm curious as to how the best new lunchbox planer compares. I can say for sure that it has plenty of heft to it, having almost torn a muscle lifting a display unit at Lowes.

Also, I only own the Dewalt 735. Couldn't find a Pro Planer at a cost that was acceptable to me,:( but picked up a 735 from Lowe's at a 20% discount. At that time it only cost $400.

Still a hefty sum - to me.

Here's what impresses me the most with the 735 -

-A powerful chip blower fan that actually drives/ pushes the chips into the 3300 even when the 3300 is running.

-Adjustable depth control like the Pro Planer that can be adjusted to the nearest 1/64".

-The total lack of snipe when boards are handled properly.

-The duel edged blades (three of them) that can be re-sharpened on the conical disk. Also can be extremely easily replaced.(very simple operation) The easy availability of replacement blades.

Yes, the DW735 weighs in at 85 lbs. It is best installed on a permanent mount with wheels.

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 2:04 pm

The Pro Planner has a induction motor instead of the universal motor in the Dewalt. I haven't been bothered by the noise coming from the planner. It seems to have good power with the 1 3/4 hp cutterhead motor.

Parts are easy to get from Shopsmith and the blades can be resharpened - that has all the pros and cons. Blades cost more, but in the long term it should be cheaper, but the process of resharpening and setting blades is more difficult. Nick Engler shows how you could use a whetstone to touch up the blades while on the planner if you didn't need a majoring grinding. The total weight of the planner is 150+lbs and the cast iron infeed/outfeed tables are large.

Shopsmith has a 4" height limit and Dewalt is 6"? I think? I think like most people you end up comparing a new Dewalt vs a used Shopsmith due to the price.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Mar 27, 2013 7:06 pm

letterk wrote:...Shopsmith has a 4" height limit and Dewalt is 6"? I think? I think like most people you end up comparing a new Dewalt vs a used Shopsmith due to the price.

That is correct in both thoughts!

dgale · Post by **dgale** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:30 am

[quote="algale"]First you turn the wheel to raise the height above 1.25 inches]

That helps but I'm still confused - when you say turn the depth stop to the desired finished thickness, it has a range of 1/8" to 1-1/4". Are you setting the max desired cut or the finished thickness? Lets say I have a piece of 5/4 (1-1/4") stock and I want to plane it to a finished thickness of 7/8" - how would you set up the two depth controls? What about if I have a piece of 5" thick stock and I want to plane off 1/2"? Just random examples but I'm trying to understand how you set the wheel and depth stop in such scenarios.

Thanks for your help - I feel pretty dense that this isn't more intuitive but I'm confused

algale · Post by **algale** » Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:06 am

dgale wrote:That helps but I'm still confused - when you say turn the depth stop to the desired finished thickness, it has a range of 1/8" to 1-1/4". Are you setting the max desired cut or the finished thickness? The depth stop on the left sets the finished thickness but only for commonly used finished thicknesses between 1/8 and 1.25. Depth of cut (how much will be taken off in any one pass though the machine) is measured by the material removal gauge which is in the upper front center of the machine. The depth adjustment wheel on the right is infinitely adjustable up to 6 inches and indicates on the ruler on the right the cutter head height from the bed, which at any given setting will be the thickness of any piece after it goes through the machine at that setting.Lets say I have a piece of 5/4 (1-1/4") stock and I want to plane it to a finished thickness of 7/8" - how would you set up the two depth controls? There's no preset depth stop at 7/8, so you can't use the depth stop in your example]With the machine off[/B], insert your stock about 3 inches and use the wheel to gently lower the cutter head until the material removal gauge in the upper front center gives you a reading; this is how much you will take off in one pass. I usually don't take off more than a 1/16th in any one cut and often just 1/32. The ruler on the right will show how thick your stock will be after you make the first pass. Now remove your stock, turn on machine and make you fist pass though the machine; repeat using the depth adjustment wheel to gradually take off material until the indicator on the ruler on the right is at the final thickness you want, in this example 7/8. I'd use a micrometer as I get close. If you have multiple pieces of stock you want all planed to the same thickness, it helps to put all pieces though at each setting between changing the depth control with the wheel. What about if I have a piece of 5" thick stock and I want to plane off 1/2"? Same procedure as above only you start above 5 inches and will finish at 4 1/2 inches.Just random examples but I'm trying to understand how you set the wheel and depth stop in such scenarios.

Thanks for your help - I feel pretty dense that this isn't more intuitive but I'm confused

See answers above in red. Do you have the manual? You can download at DeWalt's web site.

Al