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DeWalt DW733 Thoughts

4K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  oldwormy 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have the opportunity to pick up a DeWalt DW 733, which I have read good things about, but they were all old reviews. The asking price is $200 and it comes with all of the accessories and is lightly used. Used planers are few and far between in my area and it's between this and a used craftsman 12 1/2" for $175. What are your thoughts on this deal and planer in particular? Thanks in advance!
 
#3 ·
I have this planer and have had it for about 13 years. It does a great job for me. Keep the blades sharp and it will give you really nice surface. Sometimes I have trouble with birch or hard maple chipping, but I think that's more of a characteristic of the wood. Something wit a spiral cutter may do better, but for the money it does what I need. I have 3 sets of blades. When I put the last sharp set on, I take the other 2 in for sharpening. I have had the same 3 sets since I got the planer new. I've had issues with wood not feeding, but fixed that by waxing the infeed, out feed and inner table surface and finally cleaning the rollers. I bought a new roller but haven't installed yet. It looks difficult. I would say 200 is a good deal especially with light use. I've seen them cheaper, but not much.
 
#4 ·
I actually like the older DW733 simply because it uses standard knifes that can be resharpened until too thin to be usable. I have never been a fan of 'disposable' blades.

Cheers,
Brad
 
#6 ·
GO FOR IT !
I just sold my spare 733 for $350.00, and it was well used ! My original 733 is over 15 years old with no issues to date. Knives are resharpenable versus the newer models that you have to dispose of when they get worn.
Did you buy it yet ??? If I was close by, I would buy it and resell it. I had 5 other guys that wanted my 733 for $ 350.
 
#7 ·
I have that model DeWalt, it's worked well for me & it too is around 15 years old. I had a choice between two different models of Deltas, a Jet and the DeWalt all 12"/12.5". I picked up all four. The DeWalt was the heaviest so I bought it. Was around $450. The knives are still around $50 a set, and yes can be resharpened.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
I had one… I liked it because I could regrind the knives myself
and the knives are pretty tough. It broke a drive sprocket
gear after a good deal of use - the part was cheap though
and replacement not too difficult.

The flip out tables are long and sturdy. It's a good machine
for a portable.

Check to make sure the wrench and knife-setting jigs are
there… they clip in on top of the cutterhead enclosure.
 
#9 ·
I have one and use it frequently. Works great, very little snipe once adjusted, and not much tear-out if the grain direction is uniform. It doesn't like to drop below about 3/8" thickness without getting stuck on dust inside the thing, though.
 
#10 ·
"It doesn't like to drop below about 3/8" thickness without getting stuck on dust inside the thing, though."
I've never had that issue with any of my planers. Are you using a dust collector or a shop vac ? If dust were an issue, I would just blow it out with compressed air. You should be making chips rather than dust with a planer : ) LOL
 
#11 ·
Be aware that you will have to manually lock the cutterhead on the older Dewalt planers. The 735 has an auto-lock cutterhead which is more convenient.
I would say Dewalt over Craftsman brand.
 
#12 ·
It might just need a cleaning. It gets harder and harder to turn the depth-adjust wheel below 1/2" thickness until it feels like I'm going to strip the screws. There might just be dust/chips plugging the lower threads.
 
#14 ·
I've been thrashing a 733 since 1999, and it's still going strong. I have a three set rotation of knives, and they're all still usable.

The cutterhead lock is a non-issue. You lift the lever, turn the crank, and push the lever down. I wouldn't pass on the machine over a manual lock mechanism.

The lock is very effective, even if you have to do all that extra work. ;^)
 
#16 ·
Go for it … I bought mine (used for $200) about 8 years ago. The thing is a work horse.

The guy I bought it from had a spare set of blades, so I rotate blades … when a set gets dull, the spare goes in and the dull ones go out to a machine shop for sharpening.
 
#17 ·
True the manual cutter head lock is no big deal. But, You have to remember to unlock it before turning the height adjustment handle. If you turn the handle very far without unlocking the head, the belt will snap the next time you switch the planer on. That's probably why DeWalt included an extra belt with the owners manual. On the plus side, the belt was easy to replace after I made the mistake.
 
#19 ·
You're right Dusty the motor and cutter travel has one unit. And it doesn't seem like it should be a problem. But I seem to recall reading the literature that was in the package with the spare belt warning me what would happen if I didn't remember to unlock the unit and turned the handle a couple revolutions. Of coarse you're free to see for yourself with your planer. Please let me know what happens. :)
 
#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
LOL, are you saying that you were forewarned and did it anyway ? Now I've got to go and try to find the owners manual from way back when. I should have reread the one that was with the planer I just sold.

Found the manual…nothing in it about the headlock / belt breaking issue. I do remember getting a spare belt and knives and a dust hood 4" attachment with my planer though. Maybe there was an insert with the spare belt telling of the issue. I'll have to find the spare belt now.
 
#21 ·
Yep Dusty I was forewarned & yes I got in a hurry & I forgot got and turned the handle a little too far. It happened not long ( about a year) after I got the planer. I have turned the handle & forgot to unlock the planer since, but I didn't turn the handle very far. You can feel something is in a bind if you forget to unlock it. Now that happened a long time ago, but the spare belt has held up since. I am on my forth set of knives, I pay my blade / router bit sharpening guy $1.60 an inch to resharpen them.
 
#22 ·
I've had mine for 15 yrs and also keep 3 sets of knives. I use a auxilary table made from melamine. 3/4 " thick 6 ft long and 12" wide that eliminates all snipe and lets me easily go down to 1/4" thickness while supporting long boards. I keep the melamine board waxed and it really helps.
 
#25 ·
It is just a piece of 3/4" melamine laid on top of the small table extensions under the cutting head. I put a cleat on the bottom on the infeed side so that it will not slide when planing. It sticks out a little more on the outfeed side than the infeed. It will let me plane down easily to 1/4" thick. Sorry I don't have a picture.
 
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